RedFM Hurling League: Midleton take over in second half to see off Charleville
MY BALL: Charleville's Darren Butler makes a fine catch under pressure from Midleton's Cian Stack during their SHL clash at Midleton. Picture: David Keane.
A strong start to the second half allowed Midleton to push on well against Charleville on Sunday morning, making it five wins from five in Division 1 of the RedFM Hurling League.
The Magpies led by 0-8 to 0-7 after a tight first half played in heavy rain at Clonmult Memorial Park and a similar scenario seemed likely as David Forde levelled for Charleville on the resumption.
However, the visitors’ next point, from full-back Jack Meade, would not arrive until the 52nd minute – in between, Midleton had put together an unanswered 1-7 to put themselves firmly in control.
Midfielder Killian McDermott maintained the fine form he has been showing during the league and a pair of good points from him gave them daylight for the first time before wing-back Cormac Walsh linked well with Séadnaidh to land a big effort from the sideline.
The three-point lead was doubled on 41 minutes as Evan McGrath played in sub Conor Morley to score with his touch and Midleton continued to augment their lead.
Pa White was influential after moving from the full-forward to half-forward line while Conor Lehane added a couple of points and Cormac Beausang benefited from good play by wing-backs Walsh and Carthaigh Cronin to land two as they opened up a ten-point advantage.
After Meade ended Charleville’s wait for a score – corner-back Jake Madigan did well to assist – Midleton struck back with a second goal. Again, Morley was the scorer, reacting well to poke a loose ball home after another replacement, Seán O’Sullivan, sent a searching delivery in from the wing.
McDermott brought his tally to five before Charleville did have late points from Oran O’Connell, Forde and Robert Carroll but Lehane had the final say as Midleton restore a two-point cushion at the top of the table.
Charleville led for most of the first half, but the only time that more than a point separated the sides was when Gareth Gleeson and Robert Carroll had the first two scores of the encounter for the north Cork side.
Goal chances were slim to non-existent as the conditions made matters attritional, with Midleton struggling from placed balls. Two David Forde frees, either side of the impressive McDermott’s second point, had Charleville 0-6 to 0-5 ahead on 28 minutes before Mikey Finn, having taken over the frees from Lehane, levelled.
Strong work from Conor Buckley won the ball from a ruck, allowing Tim Hawe to put Charleville back in front but it was the last time they led.
The industrious McGrath, McDermott and Cian Stack set up Beausang to tie matters again before David Cremin linked with Finn to give Midleton the lead. Cremin might even have finished the half with a goal after a good move but his shot from the 20m line was dealt with by Conor Reynolds.
Midleton took over in the third quarter, though.
C Morley 2-0, K McDermott 0-5, C Lehane 0-4 (0-1 f), C Beausang 0-3, M Finn (0-1 f), C Walsh 0-2 each, D Cremin 0-1 each.
D Forde 0-4 (0-3 f),R Carroll (0-1 f),T Hawe 0-2 each, O O’Connell, J Meade, G Gleeson, C Buckley 0-1 each.
B Saunderson; T Dunlea, C Smyths, S Smyth; C Cronin, T O’Leary Hayes, C Walsh; M Finn, K McDermott; E McGrath, C Beausang, D Cremin; C Stack, C Lehane, P White.
S O’Sullivan for Cronin (23-26), C Morley for Stack (40), L Dineen for Cremin (48), E McCarthy for White (59).
C Reynolds; D Butler, J Meade, J Madigan; F Cagney, J Buckley, B O’Connell; S Bresnan, O O’Connell; C Buckley, D Forde, R Carroll; G Kelleher, T Hawe, G Gleeson.
K Cagney for Kelleher, DJ Collins for J Buckley (54).
N Fahy (Brian Dillon’s).
App?
