Blarney outclass Ballyhea to qualify in SAHC with a game to spare
Blarney's Shane Barrett top-scored against Ballhyea. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Blarney secured their passage to the knockout stage of the Co-Op Superstores Cork SAHC in Glantane on Sunday with a game remaining. This 14-point pillar to post victory over Ballyhea sees them top Group 1 on score difference, with Watergrasshill in second.
A result that was never in doubt.
The North Cork side must now try to avoid battling relegation with Castlelyons.
After Blarney’s nervy last-gasp win over Castlelyons in round 1, they were keen to put on a more cohesive performance, and unfortunately for Ballyhea they felt the brunt of it.
Backed by their three county players Mark Coleman, Pádraig Power and Shane Barrett, the rest rowed in behind.
Management made one change with Declan Hanlon starting instead of Shane Mulcahy, and he repaid them by hitting a trio of points.
Ballyhea made three changes to their team with James Hennessey, John Morrissey and Darragh Crowley replacing Jamie Copps, Niall Crowley and Dean Copps.
And they were competitive up until conceding the first goal in the 19th minute, the nature of it will be so frustrating for Noel Hanley and his backroom. It came after goalkeeper Micky Browne was played a back pass, but he was dispossessed by Cathal Hegarty, who fired the sliotar to the empty net, 1-10 to 0-6.
From the moment Pádraig Power - who went off late on due to an ankle injury - opened the scoring on 15 seconds, they picked off scores at ease.
Shane Barrett nailed seven superb points in the opening 30 minutes (four frees).
Season campaigners Pa O’Callaghan and Eugene O’Leary did the bulk of the Ballyhea scoring.
In shooting the final three points of the half from Shane Barrett, Power and Hanlon, a nine-point cushion was a fair reflection of Blarney’s effort.
The scoreboard had clicked 31 times, Blarney in the ascendancy 1-18 to 0-12.
Tom Hanley left everything on the field for his team, as did so many more of his Ballyhea colleagues, but they just don’t have strength in depth.
Case in point, Blarney re-emerged with defenders Mark Coleman and Alan McEvoy landing two-in-a-row.
During the third quarter, the contest swung completely in Blarney’s favour.
McEvoy got a second point, Eoghan Kirby, Cian and Shane Barrett among those to extend the advantage.
In the 47th minute, Power finished to the net after Shane Barrett picked him out from the left wing, 2-24 to 0-13, while O’Leary hit the sole Ballyhea flag.
A goal they could have badly done with was kept out by keeper Conor Murphy.
The top-of-the-table clash between Blarney and Watergrasshill is sure to draw a big crowd to Grenagh on Saturday week.
S Barrett 0-10 (0-7 f), P Power 1-2, C Hegarty 1-1, C Barrett, D Hanlon 0-3 each, O Hegarty, A McEvoy, D McSweeney, E Kirby 0-2 each, M Coleman 0-1.
P O’Callaghan 0-6 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), E O’Leary 0-4, J Hickey 0-3 (0-2 f), W Carroll, J Morrissey 0-2 each, Tiernan Hanley, M O’Sullivan, Tom Hanley 0-1 each.
C Murphy; S Crowley, C Power, S Mullane; O Hegarty, M Coleman, A McEvoy; D McSweeney, P Crowley; D Hanlon, S Barrett, C Hegarty; E Kirby, P Power, C Barrett.
S Mulcahy for P Power (50 inj).
M Browne; A Barrett, L Hanley, D Crowley; J Hennessey, Tiernan Hanley, C Crowley; M O’Sullivan, W Carroll; J Morrissey, C Cox, E O’Leary; P Daly, Tom Hanley, P O’Callaghan.
G Morrissey for C Cox, K Morrissey for P Daly, J Hickey for J Morrissey (all 41), D Copps for D Crowley (45).
Wayne King (Banteer).
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