Cormac Barry's late goal sends Bride Rovers past Erin's Own and back to East Cork U21 final
Cillian Tobin impressed at centre-back for Bride Rovers in their win over Erin's Own. Picture: Howard Crowdy
Fortunate? Maybe. Dramatic? Undeniably.
For the second time in a matter of weeks, Bride Rovers won it with the late-late show. Cormac Barry was the hero on this occasion, his added-time free dropping into the net in additional time to see them defeat Erin’s Own by a point in Castlelyons.
Rovers are now back in the Mulcahy Steel East Cork U21 A Hurling Championship final for the second straight season, and a rematch with Midleton lies ahead.
Rovers had dictated for long stretches, only reeled in on 44 minutes. That Erin’s Own lead was brief, though, Rovers sub Connor O’Riordan teeing up Cormac Barry for an outstanding finish in the 50th minute to leave it 1-13 to 2-8 in favour of Bride.
But Erin’s Own were classy in reply. Finn O’Brien clipped over two frees, Shane Irwin bent one a brilliant strike, Peter O’Shea added another, and in four ruthless minutes, the goal deficit was gone, 2-12 to 1-13.
An Adam Walsh free got Rovers back within one, Erin’s Own went looking for the insurance score in the 59th minute. O’Brien, Matt O’Riordan, O’Shea and back to O’Brien – but Rovers swarmed, hooks and blocks forcing them backwards.
Eventually, on the hour Erin’s Own got one over, Sam Foley and Darragh O’Connell setting up O’Shea for his third point, 2-13 to 1-14. Still time for one more swing.
In the 61st minute, Dave Barry won a free, Cormac Barry stood over it – shot accurately, but dipping. Not enough to clear the bar, but just enough to kiss under it and slip perfectly into the roof of the net and put Rovers back in front with seconds to go.
Erin’s Own had one last chance. An O’Brien free, from a tough angle. But under pressure from a crowd that made themselves impossible to ignore, his effort tailed wide.
It was a stinging end for the Caherlag side, but their fight in the latter half deserves credit.
O’Brien’s excellent goal two minutes into the second act dragged them right into it, and his free soon after levelled matters for only the second time at 2-4 to 0-10. They would bounce between level and Rovers one front, until O’Shea and O’Brien swung it the other way, right before the late chaos took hold.
The first half was cagey, the rain leaving the Castlelyons surface a slippery battleground. Rovers were aided by the breeze and racked up frees, Walsh and Tobin combined for seven placed-ball scores before the break.
They led 0-4 to 0-1 inside 10 minutes, and might have been further, but for a superb Oran O’Regan intervention on Ronan O’Connell.
By the 16th minute, it was 0-5 to 0-3 in favour of Bride. Erin’s Own would only score once more in the first half, Oran O’Regan, superb throughout at centre-back, saw his long-distance free drop short and saved – only to fall perfectly for Shane Irwin – who whipped to the net. Rovers, though, answered with four more frees to take a 0-10 to 1-3 interval lead.
The battle continued and the tension rose, but once again, when chaos beckoned, Bride Rovers found a way.
Cormac Barry 2-3 (1-0 f), A Walsh 0-8 (0-7 f), C Tobin 0-2 f, C O’Sullivan 0-1.
F O’Brien 1-7 (0-6 f), S Irwin 1-1, P O’Shea 0-3, M O’Riordan 0-2 f.
R O’Riordan; J Ahern, D Cashman, D Fitzgerald; C Hazelwood, C Tobin, L Collins; Cormac Barry, C O’Sullivan; Cillian Barry, R O’Connell, L Roche; J Mannix, A Walsh, D Barry.
K Cotter for Hazelwood, C O’Riordan for Mannix (both 43), C O’Sullivan for Roche (55).
M Twohig; B Nolan, T Connell, S Hennessy; C Dunphy, O O’Regan, J Mulcahy; D Collins, P O’Shea; S Irwin, M O’Riordan, S Foley; C Power, F O’Brien, D Mulcahy.
R Dineen for Nolan (5 inj), L Dunlea for Power (43), J McGrath for D Mulcahy (57).
B Murphy (Carrigtwohill)
App?
