RedFM Hurling League: Midleton through to final following win over Carrigtwohill
Carrigtwohill's Seán Brennan clears his lines under pressure from Midleton's Patrick White during Sunday's RedFM Hurling League Division 1 game in Midleton. Picture: David Keane
Midleton qualified for the final of Division 1 of the RedFM Hurling League with two games to spare as goals helped to see them past Carrigtwohill at Clonmult Memorial Park on Sunday morning.
The Magpies’ green flags arrived in a four-minute spell in the first as a 0-7 to 0-6 lead became 3-7 to 0-7 as Conor Lehane netted twice with Paul Connaughton also striking. At that stage, a Carrigtwohill side that is battling to avoid relegation could have found themselves in trouble, given they were without a variety of key players; however, they battled back well and a super start to the second half saw them draw level again.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they were unable to move back in front and Midleton’s firepower allowed them to regain supremacy while their clean sheet was maintained thanks to an impressive performance from full-back Ciarmhac Smyth and some good saves from goalkeeper Brion Saunderson.
The result leaves them on the maximum 14 points, four ahead of a Sarsfields side that now hold second place on their own, with nobody else closer than six. Carrigtwohill are one of only three sides that can now drop to Division 2, along with Killeagh and Fr O’Neill’s, but the avoidance of defeat against Killeagh in a fortnight should see them safe.
They will certainly take encouragement from the display here. They led early on as Seán Walsh had some lovely points – he finished with 11 – and it was 0-6 to 0-4 for the away side following scores from Liam O’Sullivan and Tomás Hogan in the 12th minute.
Midleton responded through Cormac Beausang, wing-back Cárthaigh Cronin and a Conor Lehane free before the former Cork star rounded off a move involving Connaughton and Patrick White to poke the loose ball to the net.
Moments later, Midleton were seven ahead, 2-7 to 0-6, when a long-range Saunderson free was claimed by Connaughton, who turned a shot to the net; then, after a good Justin Oke point for Carrig, super work by Ross O’Regan in a tight space led to him finding Lehane for a close-range finish and a nine-point advantage.
Carrigtwohill’s response to that was a five-point burst, including two from the hardworking James Muclahy, though they did need an important Shane Devlin save to deny Beausang another Midleton goal. Even so, by half-time Midleton’s 3-9 to 0-14 lead looked secure.
The restart brought another period of Carrigtwohill dominance though, with the tone set by the assured display of Aaron Walsh Barry at full-back. Walsh was in the zone shooting-wise and Cork U20 Matthew Barrett came to the fore as well, drawing a save from Saunderson as well as scoring twice as they tied at 3-9 to 0-18 by the 36th minute.
Midleton never panicked though and Lehane had them back in front before Saunderson, Ciarmhac Smyth and Evan McGrath gave them a cushion again.
They continued to threaten goals, with Jay Horgan of Carrigtwohill doing well to get a block in on a White shot; at the other end, Saunderson did brilliantly to deny Barrett, just after Carrig had lost Mulcahy to a red card.
Midleton continued to keep the scoreboard ticking as the end neared with Walsh answering for Carrig. Victory for the hosts and a final to anticipate but positives for the beaten side, too.
C Lehane 2-5 (0-4 f), P Connaughton 1-3, C Beausang 0-4, B Saunderson (0-1 f), C Cronin 0-2 each, T O’Leary Hayes, L Dineen, C Walsh, C Smyth, E McGrath 0-1 each.
S Walsh 0-11 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), M Barrett (0-1 f), J Mulcahy 0-3 each, T Hogan, J Oke 0-2 each, S Rohan, L Sullivan, J Horgan, C O’Riordan 0-1 each.
B Saunderson; L Dineen, C Smyth, S Smyth; C Cronin, T O’Leary Hayes, C Walsh; E McGrath, K McDermott; R O’Regan, C Lehane, C Beausang; P Connaughton, A Quirke, P White.
S O’Sullivan for McDermott (7, injured), T Dunlea for S Smyth, C Morley for Quirke, A Mulcahy for White (all 51), C Beausang for McGrath (59).
S Devlin; N Coughlan, A Walsh Barry, D Joseph; S Brennan, S de Búrca, B Twomey; J Horgan, J Oke; T Hogan, M Barrett, C O’Riordan; L Sullivan, J Mulcahy, S Walsh.
M O’Connor for de Búrca (16-18), O’Connor for Coughlan (half-time), S Rohan for Hogan (46).
S Scanlon (Newcestown).
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