East Cork JAHC wrap: Bride Rovers outlast Sarsfields in extra-time classic
Daniel Dooley, Bride Rovers, scored 0-3 from play against Sarsfields in their East Cork Oil Junior A Hurling Championship quarter-final on Friday. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
It had all the makings of an extra-time classic, and it was Bride Rovers who emerged with the narrowest of cushions, two points enough to shake off Sarsfields and book their place in the East Cork Oil Junior A Hurling Championship semi-final against St Ita’s.
Their lifeline in normal time came from Cian O’Connor. Making his first appearance since a cruciate injury and sprung from the bench with 15 minutes to play, he rifled to the roof of the net in stoppage time to edge Rovers in front. Yet Sars still weren’t done. Tristan O’Leary, ice-cool with seconds left, struck to level matters and drag the contest into extra time.
Whereas Sars had started the evening slowly, they began extra time much sharper, going two points clear inside 10 minutes. Physical exchanges were constant, the collisions full-blooded. They were reduced to 14 after an off-the-ball incident late on, but refused to wilt.
The decisive act arrived with three minutes left. Sarsfields’ defenders paused, convinced a forward had thrown the ball. No whistle came. Bride Rovers played on. Cillian Barry soared for the catch, flicked over his shoulder, and O’Connor rattled in his second goal.
That blow tilted the tie. Daniel Dooley split the posts with a fine score a minute later and, when Cormac Barry nailed the closing free, Rathcormac’s men had survived.
Earlier, Rovers had flown from the traps, six without reply on the board before Sars settled. O’Leary hit back with 1-1 – his goal carved through the middle with ruthless efficiency. Still, Bride led 0-10 to 1-3, only for O’Leary and Jack Huggins to spark a late-half surge that left the game finely balanced at 1-8 to 0-11 at the interval.
Sars looked to have stolen it in the 57th minute when Rory McCarthy flicked a short free to the net. Rovers hit back, only for O’Leary to pull them level and force the long road. But O’Connor ensured it would end the right way for Bride.
There were standout turns across the field. Tadgh O’Sullivan’s defiance in defence, the relentless running of Cormac Barry and Cillian O’Sullivan at midfield, and the leadership of 36-year-old Daniel Dooley, who clipped three from play, all drove Rovers on. Man of the match was unquestionably minor hurler Barry, whose accuracy (0-11) and composure under pressure belied his years.
For Sars, Jack Darcy shone in defence, Huggins’ work-rate caught the eye, and O’Leary was deadly both from frees and open play. David Barry and Cillian McCarthy also left their imprint.
Cormac Barry 0-11 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), C O’Connor 2-0, A Hayes 0-5 (0-4 f), D Dooley 0-3, A Hynes, J Mannix, E Cashman, R O’Callaghan, C O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
T O’Leary 1-12 (0-8 f, 0-2 65), R McCarthy 1-0, J Huggins 0-3, O McCarthy, S Higgins, J Kelly 0-2 each, D O’Callaghan 0-1.
R O’Riordan; E O’Connor, O Roche, T O’Sullivan; R Prendergast, L Collins, A Hynes; Cormac Barry, C O’Sullivan; Cillian Barry, R O’Callaghan, D Dooley; A Hayes, E Cashman, J Mannix.
C O’Connor for Hayes, S Ahern for Cillian Barry, Cillian Barry for Prendergast.
A Kennedy; A McCarthy, J McMahon, J Darcy; D O’Callaghan, D Barry, Shane Higgins; J Huggins, D O’Donovan; R McCarthy, Seán Higgins, Cillian McCarthy; O McCarthy, Z Herlihy, T O’Leary.
Z O’Sullivan for O’Donovan, J Kelly for Herlihy, A King for Seán Higgins, M Reid for O McCarthy.
B Murphy (Carrigtwohill)
Carraig na bhFear shaded the reigning champions in Ballynoe, a game played on tough ground and tighter than the margin throughout often suggested.
They struck gold inside the first minute, Cormac Murphy burying to the net, and stretched five clear by half-time. That lead swelled to seven in the second half, only for Killeagh to roar back in a ten-minute burst. They saw one goal ruled out, missed another gilt-edged chance, and had Dan Landers’ penalty saved brilliantly by Cian Dorgan.
Persistence paid when Paudie Mackey cut through and blasted home. From there it was point for point, level pegging until Carraig edged the last exchange.
Rob Sheehan, Timmy Geaney and Paul Sheehan carried the fight for the winners, who’ll need a sharper showing if they are to trouble Cobh in the last four.
Killeagh, though beaten, had plenty to admire. Aidan Morrison was immense at full-back, while Matthew Murphy grew into the contest with a fine second-half display.
C Murphy 1-1, P Sheehan 0-4, B Connolly, C Dorgan (2 fs), D Foley (2 fs) 0-2 each, T Geaney, E Flynn (f) 0-1 each.
D Landers 0-6 (0-3 f, 0-2 65), Paudie Mackey 1-1, J Fogarty 0-2, A Leahy, M Murphy, D Motherway 0-1 each.
C Dorgan; T O’Donoghue, F Murphy, P Geaney; M Ahern, A Dorgan, T Geaney; P Sheehan, S Farrell; B Murphy, O Crowley, E Flynn; B Connolly, C Murphy, D Foley.
R Sheehan for B Murphy, D Sweeney for Crowley, J Ahern for Foley, S O’Donoghue for P Sheehan, J Forde for Farrell.
F Murphy; G Lehane, A Morrisson, P Leahy; G Walsh Wallace, K Murphy, R Treacy; M Fitzgerald, K Budds; S Walsh, J Fogarty, D Landers, P Mackey, M Murphy, A Leahy.
D Walsh for M Fitzgerald, D Motherway for J Fogarty.
C McAllister (Aghada)
Carrigtwohill clung to Junior A status for another season after outlasting Fr O’Neill’s in extra time, their second straight survival playoff success.
It could have gone differently. At half-time, Carrig’s lead was the minimum, 0-7 to 0-6, preserved only by Chris Keegan’s penalty save. They led most of the way, and when James O’Brien was sent off with 15 minutes left, O’Neill’s, frustrated with the officiating, looked sunk.
But the Ballymacoda/Ladysbridge side refused to fold. Liam O’Driscoll had rattled the net prior to the sending off, and they wiped out a two-point deficit in the closing minutes to force extra time, 0-15 to 1-12.
Level again at the midway break in extra time, Carrig finally made the extra man count in the final act, pulling three clear. Padraig Hogan, back after a cruciate injury, made a telling contribution, as did Sean Rohan, himself returning after a year out.
Carrig’s half-forwards grafted tirelessly, while Cormac Flynn and Daniel Nolan anchored the defence with excellent distribution.
M O’Connor 0-11 (0-8 f, 0-1 65), S Rohan 0-4, P Hogan, A Kidney 0-2 each, D Joseph, C Barry 0-1 each.
C Keegan; S Allen, S Ahern, N Harte; C Flynn, D Nolan, D Rooney; D Joseph, P Hogan; A Browne, R Power, A Kidney; S Rohan, C Barry, M O’Connor.
J McCarthy for Hogan, J Tynan for Ahern, N Coughlan for Allen.
C Sloane; S O’Riordan, O Steele, C Lowney; C Dunne, D O’Neill, M O’Neill; J O’Brien, D Sexton; R Lowney, J Finn, C O’Leary; P O’Leary, J Shine, R O’Brien.
L O’Driscoll for Shine, P Butler for P O’Leary, R O’Neill for D O’Neill, F Coakley for Sexton.
A O’Regan (Youghal)
App?
