Green flag tallies helping Midleton reach their goals

While one place in the final of Division 1 of the RedFM Hurling League is up for grabs – and could well go to the wire – Midleton have locked down one spot with two games to spare.

Sunday’s win against Carrigtwohill at Clonmult Memorial Park was the Magpies’ seventh from seven games and moved them to 14 points – four clear of second-placed Sarsfields and six ahead of the three-team chasing pack behind the county champions, who have also won the last three leagues.

The final scoreline in the local derby was 3-21 to 0-25 and that followed a trend that has been apparent in many of Midleton’s games. They have now scored 12 goals and conceded just four, with three of those coming in one game, against St Finbarr’s.

The 1-24 to 3-17 triumph against the Togher outfit in the second round of fixtures was the only one where Midleton were out-goaled – the one they scored that day came from a late match-winning free by Brion Saunderson.

The Cork panellist scored two points on Sunday, one free and one from play, but his primary duties have been just as important, according to Midleton manager Pádraig O’Shea, who is also pleased with the green-flag return.

“I wouldn't say it's a conscious effort to create goals,” he said, “but it's just all we're saying is give the ball to the man in a better position.

“So, in fairness, they have been doing it. I think we have been scoring fairly high tallies and then at the other end Brion has been a huge addition to us.

“He made a couple of outstanding saves again on Sunday. Everybody knows he’s a good goalkeeper and he’s an important leader in the dressing-room, too.

“We’re a young team, we’ve brought in a couple of good young lads this year – even though Brion is still young himself, he has a couple of extra years of senior hurling under his belt, so it’s good to have his voice around there as well.”

On Sunday, three goals in four minutes – two by Conor Lehane and one from Paul Connaughton – put Midleton into a strong position in the first half but a strong Carrigtwohill response brought them level soon after half-time.

Midleton did not fall behind in the second half though and had sufficient firepower to take control of the game again.

“I don't really know,” O’Shea said, “we were actually the same on Friday night with the intermediates, we were in a heavy-legged for some reason.

“We did have a very heavy week last week and you could see at times on Sunday we didn't really get going, but in saying that we scored 3-21.

“It was a positive return and we got five or six subs on as well everybody got a run, so the weekend itself was good. I think, of the panel, about 30 fellas got a full hour across the two games so it's good.

“We'll just regroup again now next week, we've Douglas next so that's our main focus.”