Midleton lead the way for scores in Division 1 HL while Walsh tops both scoring charts

Two rounds of action remain in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League, and Midleton are already certain of their place in the final with Sarsfields the most likely outfit to join them.

The Riverstown club take on Fr O’Neill’s this weekend with an opportunity to bolster their chances, while Fr O’Neill’s will need to win if they want to avoid the drop. They must close a two-point gap to eighth placed Carrigtwohill if they are to remain in Division 1.

Kevin O’Sullivan has again been excellent for O’Neill’s from placed balls this season, and he’s got a total of 0-63 scored so far across seven games.

Still leading the way though as the Division’s top scorer both overall and from play is Seán Walsh, the Carrig forward boasting 4-66 from the seven games, with 3-33 from play.

He’s got the highest points-per-game ratio from play of any player in the top flight with 5.9, and with placed balls factored in, that rises to 10.9. He accounts for 46% of Carrigtwohill’s overall scoring this year.

Sarsfields’ Jack O’Connor remains his closest challenger from play with 2-29, while that haul is enough to leave O’Connor ninth on the overall scoring charts.

Ben Cunningham has fallen from second to third in the overall chart after missing St Finbarr’s defeat to Charleville, but his 1-51 remains particularly impressive given its come from five games. He’s averaging 10.38 PPG, though that’s not as much as Patrick Horgan.

In just four games, the former Cork star has scored 4-32 for an average of 10.69 PPG, which leaves him fourth in the overall scoring charts.

Charleville’s David Forde has jumped up to fifth after scoring 0-10 against the Barrs, while Jack Cahalane’s 0-3 against Killeagh boosts his total scoring to 3-17 overall, leaving him tied for third with Douglas’s Mark O’Brien in the from play table.

Horgan and Walsh have the most goals so far with four each, while Sarsfields goalkeeper Donnacha McCarthy and St Finbarr’s duo Seán Daly and Shane Hurley are all tied for the most minutes with 440.

Midleton have used the most players so far with 35, while Fr O’Neill’s follow close behind with 34. The Magpies have also been scoring the most, averaging a score of 25.1 PPG ahead of Sarsfields 24.3 PPG. Carrigtwohill have the third-highest scoring rate of 24.0 PPG, but Carrig’s concession rate of 25.0 PPG is the highest of anyone else in the division bar Killeagh, who are conceding 28.9 PPG.

Sarsfields have the best defence in the division, averaging 17.0 PPG across the seven games so far.

Killeagh are the only team that don’t have at least one player in either top 10, with Ryan McCarthy their top scorer with 3-19.

Division 1 HL overall top 10 scorers after seven rounds:

1 Seán Walsh (Carrigtwohill) 4-66 (1-33 f, 0-1 65) 

2 Kevin O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s) 0-63 (0-38 f, 0-6 65s) 

3 Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr’s) 1-51 (0-30 f, 0-4 65s) 

4 Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers) 4-32 (1-19 f, 0-6 65s) 

5 David Forde (Charleville) 1-37 (0-18 f, 0-2 sidelines, 0-1 65) 

6 Robbie Cotter (Blackrock) 2-33 (1-0 pen, 0-16 f, 0-3 65s) 

7 Daniel Hogan (Sarsfields) 1-28 (1-21 f, 0-2 65s) 

8 Mikey Finn (Midleton) 0-37 (0-24 f, 0-2 65s, 0-1 sideline) 

9 Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields) 2-29 

10 Mark O’Brien (Douglas) 2-25 (0-6 f) 

Division 1 HL top 10 scorers from play after seven rounds:

1 Seán Walsh (Carrigtwohill) 3-33 

2 Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields) 2-29 

3 Jack Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) 3-16 

3 Mark O’Brien (Douglas) 2-19 

5 Tim Hawe (Charleville) 2-15 

6 Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr’s) 1-17 

6 Dean Brosnan (Glen Rovers) 1-17 

8 David Forde (Charleville) 1-16 

9 Kevin O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s) 0-19 

10 Michael O’Halloran (Blackrock) 1-14 

10 Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers) 3-8 

10 Patrick Walsh (Carrigtwohill) 1-14