Jack Leahy shines for Dungourney as Paul Flynn pulls off superb double save to deny Mallow
Dylan Healy, Dungourney, takes on Niall O'Riordan, Mallow, in the PIHC game at Castletownroche. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Dungourney got their Co-op Superstores Premier IHC campaign off to a winning start at Castletownroche on Sunday.
In a highly entertaining game, it took a second-half goal from Shane Hegarty, along with a simply superb double save from Paul Flynn, to ensure they came out on top. Add in a great second half from Jack Leahy, where his move to full-forward caused Mallow all sorts of problems which saw the East Cork side come out on top.
Pa Healy opened the scoring for Mallow after five minutes, with both sides missing a number of chances before the opening score came.
But Dungourney’s reply wasn’t long coming, with Bryan Forbes setting up John Ahern for the game’s opening goal.
Leahy added a point, before Mallow found the back of the net. A point attempt from Kevin Sheehan came back off the post and Denis Hayes was quickest to react, as he made it 1-1 to 1-1.
Niall Motherway was on target for Dungourney - during his two minutes on the pitch as a blood sub - to put them back in front, before Sheehan had the sides level again.
Leahy and Sheehan exchanged scores before Dungourney enjoyed their best spell of the half.
A second goal, this time Niall McGrath setting up Cillian O’Callaghan, made it 2-3 to 1-3. They then hit four points without reply, with Ahern getting two of them to stretch their lead, 2-7 to 1-3.
Mark Tobin replied with a point from a free, with Forbes scoring at the other end.
But two late points, from Tobin and Pa Herlihy reduced the deficit as Dungourney led by 2-8 to 1-6 at half time.
Richie Harney got the first score of the second half for Dungourney, before Mallow took over as they hit seven points, to make it 2-12 to 1-14, after 45 minutes.
Herlihy, Luke Buckley and Tobin were among their scorers as they reduced the gap to just a point.
Leahy hit back with two frees, before Flynn made that double save, to deny Tobin and Herlihy a goal. Dungourney worked the ball down the pitch and Kevin Cody Byrne played the ball to Hegarty to score, to make it 3-14 to 1-15.
Two more from Leahy, along with points from Ahern and Mike Leahy, extended their lead to 3-20 to 1-17. Late points from Tobin and Paul Lyons were no more than consolation scores after a highly entertaining game.
J Leahy 0-10 (0-3 f), J Ahern 1-3, S Hegarty, C O’Callaghan 1-1 each, M Leahy 0-2, N Motherway, N McGrath, B Forbes, R Harney 0-1 each.
M Tobin (0-4 f), P Herlihy 0-5 each, K Sheehan, P Healy 0-3 each, D Hayes 1-0, L Buckley 0-2, P Lyons 0-1 65.
P Flynn; R Harney, C Griffin, D Healy; C Murphy, J Griffin, M McGrath; J McCarthy, S Hegarty; C O’Callaghan, J Leahy, N McGrath; K Cody Byrne, J Ahern, B Forbes.
N Motherway for S Hegarty (11-13 bs), N Motherway for N McGrath (36), M Leahy for C Murphy (57), C O’Doherty for C Griffin (58).
T Hickey; B Kingston, G Daly, L Buckley; P Healy, G Lenihan, T Doyle; P Lyons, K Sheehan; P Herlihy, N O’Riordan, B Murphy; M Tobin, D Hayes, M Kelleher.
L Malone for M Kelleher (20 inj), F Woods for N O’Riordan (ht).
David Daly (Brian Dillons).
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