Division 2 HL: Midleton power past Ballymartle to stay on track for promotion
Cork senior Brion Saunderson was available for Midleton in their Red FM Division 2 Hurling League clash with Ballymartle. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Midleton led from start to finish as they all but secured promotion to the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League with a commanding victory over Ballymartle in Midleton on Tuesday evening.
The Magpies now sit on 14 points from eight games. Their East Cork rivals Killeagh must now beat both Midleton and Valley Rovers in their remaining fixtures to draw level with them.
Should Erin’s Own also finish on 14 points, a three-way tie would ensue – with scoring difference coming into play. Killeagh (+34) would need a substantial swing to edge ahead of Midleton, who now have +68 following their 11-point victory over Ballymartle.
A 10-point blitz between the 15th and 25th minutes saw Midleton take full control, surging into a 0-15 to 0-4 lead. Despite a staggering 19 wides to Ballymartle’s 10, they never looked in danger of losing their grip on the contest.
Ballymartle finished the half with three unanswered points, but Midleton resumed command after the break when Sean O’Meara made it 0-16 to 0-7. Moments later, Pa White struck the game’s only goal – a rocket across goal into the far corner that left Ballymartle goalkeeper Darren McCarthy rooted.
To McCarthy’s credit, the Ballymartle captain had an outstanding night between the posts, denying Luke O’Farrell on three occasions. The former Cork forward has four goals in the league this year but couldn’t add to his tally here.
Ryan Deasy and Brian Corry worked tirelessly, while Luke O’Callaghan impressed with four points from play for Ballymartle.
After White’s goal, Midleton’s control dipped slightly, with Deasy pointing a free and substitute Niall Crowley adding another. But Cormac Walsh restored order with two fine scores – the second a brilliant solo effort following a surging run that left defenders trailing. His score made it 1-19 to 0-11 by the 51st minute.
Ultimately, it was that 10-minute spell in the first half where Midleton excelled that dictated the result. In that period, Killian McDermott proved a constant thorn in Ballymartle’s side, chipping in with two assists and a point. Evan McGrath's distribution was instrumental, as was the solid presence of Cork senior goalkeeper Brion Saunderson.
Before Midleton's scoring spree, the game was tight at 0-5 to 0-4. Midleton had moved six clear in the 21st minute when Walsh showed great improvisation to kick the sliotar beyond Ryan Deasy and Eoghan O’Leary. He gathered, burst through, but his shot at goal flew narrowly over the bar.
That near-miss hardly mattered, though as Midleton reeled off four more points in quick succession to leave their Carrigdhoun opponents with an insurmountable deficit.
Ballymartle were always facing an uphill task against a promotion-chasing Midleton side, and while the final scoreline suggests a comfortable win for the hosts, it doesn’t fully reflect the contest.
Midleton, for their part, were far from their fluent best at times – looking sluggish in patches and guilty of some wasteful shooting, even if they finished well clear.
C Beausang 0-7 (0-2 65), P White 1-2, K McDermott, C Walsh 0-3 each, S O’Meara, M Finn 0-2 each, L O’Farrell, R O’Regan 0-1 each.
R Deasy 0-5 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), L O’Callaghan 0-4, D Desmond, J McCarthy, S Cummins, N Crowley 0-1 each.
B Saunderson; T O’Leary Hayes, L Dineen (c), S Smyth; R O’Regan, E Moloney, C Smyth; S O’Meara, M Finn; E McGrath, P White, K McDermott; C Walsh, C Beausang, L O’Farrell.
A Mulcahy for White (44 inj), A Daly for O’Meara (45), S O’Sullivan for Moloney (47), K Burke for C Smyth (49), C Gunning for O’Regan (57).
D McCarthy (c); C Coleman, TJ Murphy, E O’Leary; E Healy, R Deasy, S Corry; F Desmond, S Dorney; E Deasy, S Cummins, J McCarthy; C Lordan, B Corry, L O’Callaghan.
D Desmond for E Deasy (25), K O’Callaghan for Lordan, E Cummins for O’Leary (both HT), N Crowley for McCarthy (35), C McCarthy for S Cummins (44), C Kelleher for E Deasy (53), D Murphy for F Desmond (58).
Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers)
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