Hayes masterclass helps Bride Rovers beat Carrigtwohill and reach the JAHC knock out stage

Bride Rovers 1-16 

Carrigtwohill 1-9 

Bride Rovers are dancing into the knockout phase of the East Cork Oil JAHC after a sparkling 1-16 to 1-9 victory over Carrigtwohill in Glenville on Thursday night.

In a performance dripping with class, midfield maestro Adam Hayes stole the show, rifling 0-9 and conducting proceedings like a man possessed.

Rovers now await Saturday's permutations: a 16-point Dungourney win over Sars would deny them top spot and a precious semi-final bye.

Rovers exploded from the traps. Hayes, ice-cool from placed balls, clipped 0-2 inside two minutes before Luke Kelly O'Regan finally opened Carrig's account on ten minutes.

What followed was attritional, the swirling wind and rain wreaking havoc as wides piled up.

Then Rovers shifted through the gears. Eddie Cashman and Tadhg O'Sullivan stretched the lead, Mark O'Connor replied with a majestic 65', but Cillian Barry delivered the hammer blow with a thunderous 1-1 blitz that left Carrig reeling at 1-8 to 0-4 at the interval.

Hayes resumed his hot streak with a brace after the restart, opening daylight at nine points.

O'Connor, heroic with 0-6 on the night, kept Carrig flickering and when Luke Kelly smashed home a 42nd-minute goal after two O'Connor frees, suddenly it was a four-point game 1-11 to 1-7. Momentum swung.

But, when class was needed Hayes rose to the call three unanswered beauties on the trot silenced the comeback and broke Carrig hearts.

Sam Allen tagged a late consolation, but Hayes had the final word to seal a seven-point triumph.

Scorers for Bride Rovers: Adam Hayes 0-8f/0-1(65), C Barry 1-1, T O'Sullivan, E Cashman 0-2 each, J Mannix, Adam Hynes 0-1 each.

Carrigtwohill: M O'Connor 0-6f, L Kelly O'Regan 1-1f A Kidney, S Allen 0-1 each.

Bride Rovers: B Hogan; K Cotter, O Roche, T O'Sullivan; D Fitzgerald, L Collins, Adam Hynes; G O'Connell, Adam Hayes; C Barry, O Kielty, D Buckley; M Kenny, E Cashman, J Mannix.

Subs: B Knox for E Cashman, S Knox for D Buckley, E Cashman for O Kielty, D Buckley for G O'Connell (inj) 

Carrigtwohill: C Keegan; S Allen, S Ahern, N Harte; C Flynn, A Cullinane, D Rooney; J Barrett, A Kidney; D Joseph, T Walsh, S O'Sullivan; L Kelly O'Regan; D McCarthy, M O'Connor.

Subs: J Flanagan for D Joseph, N Coughlan for D McCarthy, C Seymour for S O'Sullivan, C Cashel for J Barrett.

Referee: Peter O'Donovan (Carraig na bhFear)