Premier IHC: Second-half burst stands to Watergrasshill
Watergrasshill's Seán Desmond gets a shot away as Carrigaline's Darragh King closes in. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Watergrasshill 2-16 Carrigaline 0-19
A scoring surge midway through the second half was vital for Watergrasshill as they overcame Carrigaline at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday to take Co-op SuperStores Premier IHC honours.
With the winners down to play Clare’s Wolfe Tones na Sionna in the AIB Munster Club IHC next weekend, the replay date was Wednesday night and for long periods, that looked to be a live possibility.
When Adam Murphy’s sixth point for the Hill, a 65, made it 1-12 to 0-15 in the 40th minute, it was the sixth time that the sides had been level but this time the Hill pushed on powerfully. A Murphy free was followed by a Michael O’Driscoll beauty and then Brendan Lehane’s third from play restored the three-point advantage that they had enjoyed in the first half.
That was followed by their second goal – Anthony Cronin with a lovely diagonal ball for the captain Seán Desmond, who held off a heavy-duty challenge to make space before firing to the net.
Murphy’s eighth had them seven in front, 2-16 to 0-15, but back Carrigaline came. Centre-back David Griffin’s third point ended 17 scoreless minutes before a pair of Brian Kelleher frees left four in it.
They might have even had a goal but sub Kevin O’Reilly’s effort was deflected out for a 65. While nothing came of that, Éanna Desmond left three in it in the first of three added minutes.
As the clock ticked past that, that was still the margin. Carrigaline had one last chance as Coakley dropped in a free but Watergrasshill repelled the efforts and the whistle brought sweet relief.
For key players like Desmond, Murphy and half-backs Daire O’Leary and Kevin O’Neill, it was a second medal won on this field in a matter of weeks, having helped Imokilly to Premier SHC glory. The Hill are now lost to the east Cork divisional side, but should hold their own at senior A.
Watergrasshill had a sniff of a goal inside two minutes as Michael O’Driscoll found the dangerous Seán Desmond with a lovely pass and he did well to create space before finding Brendan Lehane but his shot was blocked. That merely foreshadowed what was to follow seconds later though, as Adam Murphy whizzed in a low sideline cut and Pádraig O’Leary diverted the ball to the net.
After Brian Coakley’s free got Carrigaline off the mark, they might have had a goal of their own as a free trickled through to Rhys McCarthy but Aidan Foley in the Watergrasshill goal kept out his effort.
Then, while a pair of nice David Drake efforts had Carrig level, Watergrasshill pushed ahead to lead again, setting the tone for much of the half. Aaron Spriggs was excellent at midfield while Adam Murphy showed his class with a series of points but Carrigaline, with Griffin prominent at centre-back, were never too far away.
The biggest lead that the Hill possessed in the opening half was three points, 1-8 to 0-8, when Shane O’Regan capitalised upon a loose clearance to score but Carrigaline’s response was strong. A massive Griffin effort was followed by points from Drake and Coakley before the latter’s fifth, a free, gave them the lead for the first time as the sides retired.
A superb Rhys McCarthy effort extended the advantage just eight seconds after the restart but Watergrasshill came back well, Seán Desmond with a fine point from a tight angle before Ciaran O’Leary levelled.
That early excitement gave way to a more tentative third quarter, though, with Éanna Desmond’s 40th-minute point for Carrigaline the only one across a nine-minute period. That score put them 0-15 to 0-11 in front but, by the time they scored again Watergrasshill had taken firm control. Their mettle was tested, but they came through.
A Murphy 0-8 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), S Desmond 1-1, B Lehane 0-3, P O’Leary 1-0, S O’Regan, M O’Driscoll, A Foley (f), C O’Leary 0-1 each.
B Kelleher 0-7 (0-6 f), D Drake 0-4, É Desmond, D Griffin 0-3 each, R McCarthy, R O’Shea 0-1 each.
A Foley; S Field, D McCarthy, D Roche; K O’Neill, D O’Leary, M O’Driscoll; S O’Regan, A Spriggs; C O’Leary, S Desmond, L Foley; B Lehane, A Murphy, P O’Leary.
A Cronin for L Foley (44), I O’Callaghan for Field (45-48), O’Callaghan for Spriggs (55), P Cronin for P O’Leary (57).
R Foster; S Williamson, D King, D Stack; C Barry, D Griffin, C Vaughan; R Kelleher, É Desmond; R McCarthy, D Greene, R O’Shea; B Kelleher, C Kearney, D Drake.
K O’Reilly for Kearney (24, injured), F O’Connell for Greene (53).
S Stokes (Tullylease).
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