Balance and grit have been the story of Carrigtwohill's Division 1 HL campaign
Carrigtwohill's Cillian Barry celebrates his goal against Blackrock during the RedFM HL division 1 game at Church road earlier this year. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Carrigtwohill have more than held their own this season in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League, a division where it’s as tough as it gets in either code. Since the restructuring of the leagues ahead of 2023, they’ve held out each time in the top flight.
For a Senior A side competing against some of the county’s elite Premier Senior outfits, avoiding relegation was always the main objective this year. They achieved it – and did so with a bit to spare.
Much of that success is down to the exceptional Seán Walsh, who has been in phenomenal form. His tally of 2-90 across the campaign accounts for 48.7% of Carrigtwohill’s total score – a remarkable contribution. But it hasn’t been a one-man show.
Liam Gosnell and Liam O’Sullivan have chipped in steadily, while James Mulcahy recorded an eye-catching 3-17. Mark O’Connor hit form at just the right time, scoring five points across the final two rounds.
The breakout star, though, has been Seán’s younger brother, Patrick. A recent minor, he’s made a seamless transition to senior level, notching 0-18 from play – including five in their crucial win over Kanturk.
And he’s not the only former minor to impress. Matthew Barrett, despite limited minutes due to Cork U20 commitments, has looked assured when called upon. Daniel Nolan also caught the eye, with two points in the draw against Glen Rovers.
Carrig’s resilience has been a defining trait. They salvaged a late draw against Carrigaline thanks to a Mulcahy goal, and Jay Horgan – in his only score of the campaign – landed a dramatic winner two rounds later against Charleville. Late scores also saw them earn draws against Fr O’Neill’s and Glen Rovers, the latter securing their Division 1 status.
Shane Devlin’s reliability on puckouts has been a key stabilising force, while Justin Oke in midfield and Aaron Walsh Barry in defence have been key pillars of their structure.
With Denis Walsh managing and John Dwyer coaching, Carrigtwohill have cultivated a setup that seems to be getting the best out of their squad.
A difficult championship group awaits, and while last year ended with them in the relegation playoff of the Senior A championship, there’s a strong sense they’re well-equipped to push on this time.
Carrigtwohill used just 27 players in Division 1 – the second-fewest in the league, and only one more than Glen Rovers (26). That tally includes three junior debutants from their final-round clash with Sarsfields, underlining how settled their core group has been.
Crucially, they’ve kept that group together throughout the league. Only two players – Matthew Barrett and Daniel Murnane – were involved in either the Cork U20 or senior setup, meaning the bulk of the squad had been training and playing together without interruption, at least until holiday season took over in the last four weeks.
That continuity could make a real difference.
Seán Walsh 2-90 (1-45 f, 0-2 65), James Mulcahy 3-17, Patrick Walsh 0-18, Liam Gosnell 0-10 (0-1 65), Mark O'Connor 0-7, Liam O'Sullivan 0-6, Daniel Murnane 0-6 (0-1 f), Justin Oke 0-5, Tomás Hogan 0-5, Matthew Barrett 0-4, Seán Brennan 1-0, Cillian Barry 1-0, Cian O'Riordan 0-2, Daniel Nolan 0-2, Shane Devlin 0-1 f, Aaron Walsh Barry 0-1, Jay Horgan 0-1, Adam Rooney 0-1.
Seán Walsh, James Mulcahy, Patrick Walsh (m), Liam Gosnell, Justin Oke, Liam O'Sullivan, Matthew Barrett (m), Seán Brennan, Cillian Barry, Cian O'Riordan, Daniel Murnane, Mark O'Connor, Shane Devlin, Aaron Walsh Barry, Tomás Hogan, Jay Horgan, Adam Rooney, Brendan Twomey, Seán de Búrca, Pat O'Sullivan, Daniel Nolan (m), Chris Keegan, David Joseph, Seán O'Sullivan, Cormac Flynn, Jack Scully, Josh Tynan.
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