Harty Cup: Eoghan O'Shea the hero for CBC as they beat John The Baptist to advance as group winners

CBC, Cork 2-19 

John The Baptist CS, Hospital 0-23 

Ten points from Eoghan O'Shea maintained CBC's perfect Harty Cup start and secured a bye to the quarter-finals as Group 1 table-toppers.

The Ballinhassig marksman arrowed over six from play but his side had to battle all the way against a previously unbeaten John The Baptist CS side in Banteer on Wednesday.

Goals in either half from Michael Brosnan and Cillian Murray proved the vital scores to quell their resolute challenge.

The teams went score-for-score for the first eight points. An early O'Shea free and Michael Quill point were cancelled out by Diarmaid Hurley and Michael Hanly. 

Then, Cian McNamara and Hugh Flanagan's lead points were nullified by Ross Buckley and another O'Shea free.

John The Baptist got on top of the Christians puck-outs and threaded four points in a row, with Griffin McCaffrey scoring one and setting up two more.

The midfielder almost got in for a goal too when left unmarked in the opposition half but Keith Flood saved his batted effort.

The difference was that when Christians' chance came, they left with the three-pointer. Murray's strike was blocked by Shane Treacy but Brosnan was on hand to rifle home the rebound for a one-point game; 0-8 to 1-4.

Good points from joint-captain Ben Mayer and O'Shea (0-2, 1 free) pushed them back ahead before Flood bailed out his teammates with a sharp double save from Hurley and Hanly.

John The Baptist looked likely to lead into the break after three in a row from Declan Heavey (free), Rory Hanly, and Flanagan to edge two clear.

Andy Hourigan's neat point was cancelled out by a Charlie Cronin turnover score but O'Shea closed with a fine brace to leave the sides level, 1-10 to 0-13, at half-time.

John The Baptist had an impressive nine different scorers in the first half and they continued to look dangerous on the resumption.

Half-time substitute Evan Martin had a shot on goal blocked and although Hourigan nudged Christians ahead, the Limerick school had the next three from Jamie O'Shea, Hurley, and Cronin.

The game turned on Murray's 38th-minute scramble to the net after Jack Hegarty's rocket was saved by Tiernan Ryan.

That made it 2-11 to 0-16 and Christians tagged on the next three points from Eoghan O'Shea (0-2, 1 free) and Brosnan to open a four-point gap.

John The Baptist hit back with Cronin and Jamie O'Shea's third points of the day but Eoghan O'Shea responded before substitute Sam O'Driscoll split the posts with his first touch.

Another Hospital rally from McCaffrey and Flanagan (free) was rebuffed with another scoring streak.

Denis Riordan, wearing number three, stepped forward to score, O'Shea landed his 10th, and Jack Trench emerged from a ruck to move them five clear.

John The Baptist kept plugging away with three Flanagan frees to set up a tense finish.

A Flanagan hook created a stoppage-time goal chance for Conor Shanahan but Flood stood tall to maintain his clean sheet and CBC's victory.

Scorers for CBC: E O'Shea (0-10, 4 frees); M Brosnan (1-1); C Murray (1-0); A Hourigan (0-2); D Riordan, R Buckley, B Mayer, M Quill, J Trench, S O'Driscoll (0-1 each).

Scorers for John The Baptist CS: H Flanagan (0-7, 4 frees, 1 65); J O'Shea, D Hurley, C Cronin (0-3 each); D Heavey (2 frees), G McCaffrey (0-2 each); R Hanly, C McNamara, M Hanly (0-1 each).

CBC: K Flood (Ballygarvan); J Huggins (Sarsfields, j-capt), D Riordan (Kilworth), D Kingston (Mallow); C Connolly (Glen Rovers), R Higgins (Sarsfields), R Buckley (Whitechurch); J Hegarty (Ballinora), A Hourigan (Mallow); M Quill (Blackrock), E O'Shea (Ballinhassig), B Mayer (Ballinora, j-capt); J Trench (Ballinora), C Murray (Bishopstown), M Brosnan (Glen Rovers).

Subs: S O'Driscoll (Aghada) for Murray (49), C Lawton (Midleton) for Quill (54).

JOHN THE BAPTIST CS: T Ryan; N McNamara, S Treacy, A Gleeson; S O'Dea, D Heavey, R Hanly; G McCaffrey, C McNamara; C Cronin, H Flanagan, D Hurley; S Ryan, M Hanly, J O'Shea.

Subs: E Martin for S Ryan (h-t), K Hennessy for Gleeson (52), C Shanahan for M Hanly (54), P Hennessy for N McNamara (58, inj).

Referee: D Hickey (Millstreet).