Fr O'Neill's produce quick turnaround to defeat Aghabullogue in Junior B HC final
Pat Horgan, chairman County board presents the Dan Hoare trophy to Fr. O'Neills captain Olan Steele after defeating Aghabullogue in the Co-Op Superstores J'B'HC final at Pairc Ui Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Amidst wet conditions in Páirc Uí Rinn, a flying third quarter from Fr O'Neill's ensured they fought back to claim the Cork County Junior B Hurling Championship title over Aghabullogue.
Aghabullogue led at the break and stretched that lead to five after 33 minutes on Friday evening, but their failure to produce scores from play came back to haunt them. The haunting came from Tadhg O’Donoghue Brosnan.
The Fr O’Neill’s minor was outstanding. He converted four of his five frees in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to one.
Then the Midleton CBS’ Harty Cup star produced a moment of true class.
A deadly run from the half way line, he advanced deep into Aghabullogue territory, before unleashing a strike from over 25 metres out.
The sliotar flew into the far corner like a bullet. He couldn’t have struck it any better.
His celebrations and the roar from the crowd told all. A magnificent strike, and in the space of 10 minutes the east Cork side had gone from five behind to two in front.
Fifteen to go.
Aodhan Healy, who had been excellent from frees for Aghabullogue cut the gap to the minimum on 48.
But this time it was Liam O’Driscoll to the fore for O’Neill’s. Three excellent points, all from play.
Aghabullogue could only manage a free, 1-12 to 0-12.
Odhran O’Connell’s brilliant point from distance after 57 minutes left two in it, but it was the Muskerry side’s first score from play over 24 minutes.
Time was running out.
O’Donoghue Brosnan hit his one and only strike from play, an outstanding effort from a tight angle.
Again, another Healy free. Aghabullogue simply weren’t creating the scoring chances they needed.
With a two point margin there was a glimmer of hope as the clock moved into the red.
Until Aaron O’Sullivan tried to play the ball in deep – but it fell short to Ronan Lowney. He fired it straight back and over the posts to put O’Neill’s three in front, and seal victory.
An exciting conclusion, in a sharp contrast to the opening half.
The teams only muster as much as a point each in the first 15 – but it was particularly disappointing for Aghabullogue who hit seven wides in that time, to their opponents’ one.
O’Donoghue Brosnan’s free on 16 minutes did kick a bit of life into the game.
In the next four minutes there were four scores – two for each team with Fr O’Neill’s efforts from Liam O’Driscoll and Ronan Lowney splitting two frees from Healy.
A further two frees from Healy moved Aghabullogue into a 0-5 to 0-4 lead with two minutes to the interval.
Cill na Martra football star Dan Dineen made a deep run from his own 20 metre line, and handpassed it to Niall Barry Murphy. The midfielder struck it sweetly, and between the posts.
That marked Aghabullogue’s second point from play. Both had been assisted by Dineen.
They now led by two – the first time either side had a lead greater than the minimum. They extended that to three with Healy’s fifth free, before the referee called for half-time.
The east Cork side were first to find the target in the second half, but within three minutes, Aghabullogue had pulled the lead out to five – two frees from Healy sandwiched by a Dineen effort from play.
Though Aghabullogue flying ahead on the restart, their control was short lived. The scores very quickly dried up, and O’Donoghue Brosnan and O’Driscoll inspired O’Neill’s to fight back.
T O’Donoghue Brosnan 1-6 (0-5 f), L O’Driscoll 0-4, R Lowney 0-3, J O’Brien 0-1.
A Healy 0-10 f, O O’Connell, N Barry Murphy, D Dineen, A O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
C Sloane; R O’Neill, O Steele (c), N Griffin; M O’Neill, D O’Neill, C Dunne; C Lowney, S O’Riordan; T O’Donoghue Brosnan, J Finn, J O’Brien; J Shine, R Lowney, L O’Driscoll.
P O’Leary for C Lowney (42), C O’Leary for Shine (49).
I Barry Murphy; D Quinlan (c), A Barry Murphy, D O’Leary; O O’Connell, K Barry Murphy, J Corkery; D Dineen, N Barry Murphy; S Bermingham, S O’Connell, O O’Connell; B Kendallen, A Healy, A O’Sullivan.
P Twomey for Kendallen (43).
Denis Motherway (Ballygiblin)
App?
