Premier SHC: Avondhu always in control as they top divisions/colleges first-phase table

Avondhu 2-31

Duhallow 0-10

Avondhu breezed through to the second phase of the divisions and colleges section of the Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC as they powered past Duhallow at Ballyhooly on Tuesday evening.

While the prize – a meeting with county champions Imokilly next month – is not an entirely enticing one, the North Cork division were excellent in how they achieved it, taking control early and staying on top throughout.

With Avondhu having beaten Carbery last week while Duhallow lost to Muskerry, there was an unusual knockout element in that there is no third round of fixtures in this league stage and so victory for the north-west side would have sent them through on head-to-head record. Such an eventuality never really looked likely, however.

There were six wides – four for Avondhu – in the opening three minutes and, after Colin O’Brien and Luke Keating had them off the mark, a good point from wing-back Nicholas Linehan was the Duhallow response.

It was as close as the teams would be all night. After Stephen Condon got the first of his ten points, Avondhu knitted together a great move as Liam Óg Hegarty, captain Liam Cronin and Johnnie Murphy linked to give Condon a goal chance. While Ben Newman saved well, Avondhu kept play alive and Paddy Walsh’s pass allowed Hegarty to drill a shot to the top corner.

With Eoin Carey and Joseph O’Sullivan superb as a midfield tandem and James Keating dominant at centre-back, the scores began to flow freely for Avondhu after that. Carey’s pass allowed Hegarty to get his and his team’s second goal on 16 minutes while Luke Keating, O’Brien and Murphy all had points during an unanswered run of 1-11.

Evan Murphy did end a 15-minutes scoreless spell for Duhallow coming up to half-time, but, even so, a 2-17 to 0-4 interval lead was not in any danger of significant erosion.

Duhallow’s Barry O’Connor did have the opening score of the second half but Condon, Carey and Paddy Walsh stretched the Avondhu advantage. Not needed to build up scoring difference, they didn’t chase too many more goals, though Hegarty was denied a hat-trick as Ben Newman saved well from him.

O’Brien and Condon remained to the fore for Avondhu while subs Jack Twomey and Jamie and Jamie Sheehan also got on the scoresheet as the lead extended to 29 points near the end before a pair of frees by Duhallow’s Fionn O’Connor.

A bigger test awaits for Avondhu, but they go in with some measure of momentum.

Scorers for Avondhu: S Condon 0-10 (0-2 f), L Óg Hegarty 2-2, C O’Brien 0-6 (0-1 f), E Carey 0-5, J Murphy, L Keating 0-2 each, J O’Sullivan, P Walsh, J Twomey, J Sheehan 0-1 each.

Duhallow: F O’Connor 0-3 (0-2 f), N Linehan, S Howard, E Murphy, B Murphy, L Philpott (0-1 f), C Crowley, B O’Connor 0-1 each.

AVONDHU: D O’Connell (Dromina); B Carey (Araglen), S O’Callaghan (Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels), B Curtin (Kilshannig); D O’Reilly (Ballyhooly), J Keating (Kildorrery), L Cronin (Killavullen); E Carey (Kilworth), J O’Sullivan (Ballygiblin); C O’Brien (Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels), P Walsh (Kilshannig), L Keating (Kildorrery); S Condon (Harbour Rovers), J Murphy (Dromina), J Magnier (Killavullen).

Subs: J Mullins (Ballygiblin) for Curtin, J Sheehan (Kilworth) for L Keating (both half-time), O O’Callaghan (Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels) for Hegarty, E Sykes (Ballyhooly) for O’Reilly (both 41), J Twomey (Kilshannig) for Walsh (49).

DUHALLOW: B Newman (Newmarket); R Heffernan (Kilbrin), C O’Callaghan (Dromtariffe), A Coughlan (Banteer); N Linehan (Meelin), J Murphy (Dromtariffe), C King (Kilbrin); S Giward (Dromtariffe), F O’Connor (Kilbrin); E Murphy (Dromtariffe), R King (Kilbrin), R Lynn (Newmarket); B Murphy (Dromtariffe), L Philpott (Banteer), B O’Connor (Newmarket).

Subs: C Crowley (Newmarket) for King (half-time), R O’Connell (Banteer) for Heffernan, C Curtin (Meelin) for Philpott (both 44).

Referee: C Walsh (Nemo Rangers).