RedFM Hurling League: Home comforts help Charleville to stay in the hunt

While a ground named after a Bishop would be unlikely to be suitable for a ‘Welcome to Hell’ message, Dr Mannix Gaelic Sportsfield has not been a fruitful destination for visitors.

Tuesday night’s RedFM Hurling League Division 1 victory for Charleville against St Finbarr’s, 0-28 to 0-19 the final score, made it 20 unbeaten at the venue for the hosts – you have to go back to a four-point defeat to Sarsfields on March 27, 2022 for their last reversal on home soil.

The result lifted Charleville into a four-way share of second place in the table with the Barrs, Douglas and Sarsfields, four points behind leaders Midleton.

As they gear up for a Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC campaign where they will look to match and better last year’s quarter-final appearance, Charleville manager Dominic Foley is keen that the home record remains a key plank of their approach.

“I said to the boys before the game, we have a proud record over the last few years at home,” he said.

“Nobody's come here and beaten us, we want to keep that going and just get that little tradition – ‘Oh jeez, we have to go to Charleville again!’

“It means a big lot, because we've Noel Hanley with us as a selector; he used to play for Ballyhea and the city teams used to hate going there because they were in for a tough battle.

“We want to make it the same down here – anytime someone comes, if they win, they earn it.”

On Tuesday, Charleville led all through against a short-handed Barrs side, though Foley’s side were far from full-strength themselves.

“Before every league match seems to have the same story, we're down five or six,” he said.

“You just go out and play, you have to win what's in front of you yeah and I'm delighted with the performance, especially in difficult conditions with the heat.

“We're delighted with our shooting, especially in the first half. We got some great scores, though every time I looked at the scoreboard, the Barrs were close.

“Seven or eight points is always a dangerous lead because a goal could change it quickly, but our goalkeeper Conor Reynolds didn’t really have a save to make that's testament to the fellas in front of him.”

At the other end, players like David Forde, Tim Hawe and Robert Carroll provided valuable ball-winning outlets as well as end-product.

“Of course, we'd be critical and say that, when they do grab some of high deliveries, they won't always get the chance to shoot, so we need runners to create the odd goalscoring chance!” Foley laughed.

“Overall, we have to be delighted. The boys went to extra time in football on Friday night as well, we picked up a couple of injuries with that, so we’re happy to come through the Barrs game with a win and stay in the mix.”