Kanturk deliver statement with 13-point win over Fr O'Neill's after trailing by five at half-time

Kanturk 3-25 Fr O’Neill’s 2-15 

Kanturk gave a virtuosic performance in Kilworth on Saturday, powering past Fr O’Neill’s by 13 points in the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier SHC opening round. After being five points ahead at the interval, they took control in the second half and went to town on the scoreboard.

Shooting three goals and 25 points will grab a lot of attention, and rightly so. On this display, they will be a handful for either Blackrock (next) or Glen Rovers.

They now go into the two-week break with maximum points in the football and hurling championship, which is creditable considering it is a dual club that balances both.

As a consequence, Fr O’Neill’s will have it all to do with the two city giants to come in the group.

The East Cork side were competitive in the first half, after which they trailed 2-13 to 2-8, but despite having second-half wind advantage, they eventually fell to a heavy loss.

They hit far too many wides (17 to 10) and failing to take scores at this level is costly.

A physically stronger Kanturk were six points to four in front when Colin Walsh goaled from close range in the 13th minute - a move that also involved his brothers Paul and Alan - all three were massive aerial threats up front.

Declan Dalton never shies away from a goal opportunity, and when he was fouled near the 20-metre line six minutes from the break, his execution was precise, 1-10 to 1-7.

It roused the crowd, leading to a second Fr O’Neill’s goal a couple of minutes later that drew them level, and it was a brilliant individual effort from John Millerick, who had a lot of work to do before sidestepping a few defenders to rattle the net.

Fr O’Neill’s then took the lead through a Jason Hankard point.

And it could have got better for them only for a point-blank save by Grantas Bucinskas on a Hankard strike.

The interception helped Kanturk regain their rhythm and they were able to up the pace in a critical two-minute spell just before Canice Walsh’s short whistle.

They constructed a Paul Walsh effort that skimmed over the bar. Ryan Walsh split the posts. And in stoppage time Liam O’Keeffe doubled on an Alan Walsh cross to find the net and send them into a five-point lead at half time.

The O’Neill’s wide tally was worrying. Yet a sublime Dalton sideline left it a three-point game in the 42nd minute, 2-14 to 2-11.

It was at this stage the wheels came off and they were outscored 1-11 to four points during the remainder of the match. Kanturk’s third green flag was a rocket flashed in by Alan Walsh in the 43rd minute and it came after he rose highest to collect a delivery by Conor Noonan. Cork U20 Noonan was among those to impress around the middle third.

Kanturk subsequently pulled away, and they signed off with 12 different scorers, including seven white flags raised by free-taker and captain Brian O’Sullivan. Substitutes James Fitzpatrick and Ian Walsh also joined in.

Scorers for Kanturk: B O’Sullivan 0-7 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), C Walsh 1-3, L O’Keeffe 1-2, A Walsh 1-0, P Walsh 0-3, C Noonan, L O’Neill, R Walsh 0-2 each, L McLoughlin, D O’Connell, J Fitzpatrick, I Walsh 0-1 each.

Scorers for Fr O’Neill’s: D Dalton 1-5 (0-4 f, 0-1 sl), John Millerick 1-4 each, J Hankard 0-2, K O’Sullivan, M O’Keeffe, Joe Millerick, P McMahon 0-1 each.

KANTURK: G Bucinskas; J McLoughlin, T Walsh, C Mullane; L McLoughlin, D Browne, R Walsh; B O’Sullivan (c), C Noonan; D O’Connell, P Walsh, L O’Neill; C Walsh, A Walsh, L O’Keeffe.

Subs: M Healy for C Mullane (46), I Walsh for L O’Neill (50), C Sheahan for T Walsh (53), J Fitzpatrick for P Walsh (59).

FR O’NEILL’S: P O’Sullivan; M Millerick, D Harrington, T Millerick; Joe Millerick, G Millerick, R Kenneally; E Motherway (jc), K O’Sullivan (jc); M O’Keeffe, D Dalton, R Cullinane; J Hankard, John Millerick, P McMahon.

Subs: B Dunne for R Cullinane (46), P Hassett for E Motherway (53).

Referee: Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).