Fr O'Neill's end season on a high to relegate Douglas from Premier Senior ranks
Fr O'Neill's John Barry drives past Douglas' Brian Turnbull during their Premier SHC relegation playoff match at Carrigtwohill. Picture: David Keane.
Fr O’Neill’s had seven points to spare in their Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship relegation play-off with Douglas in Carrigtwohill on Sunday.
Ultimately, it was a superb team effort led by county seniors Declan Dalton and Ger Millerick, while goals from Jason Hankard and sub Peter Hassett proved to be the difference.
They had fallen a point behind when Hankard goaled in the 15th minute, and they wouldn’t trail again.
Ahead 1-10 to 0-8 at the interval, Hassett netted for the east Cork side 10 minutes from time, and there were no more chances for Douglas to recover.
The southside club will drop down to senior A, with Cork forward Shane Kingston - marshalled by his intercounty colleague Ger Millerick - their most prominent player.
Millerick was one of five brothers who lined out for the east Cork outfit.
Initially Douglas led 0-5 to 0-4 before a Mark O’Keeffe run resulted in Hankard’s goal, which he finished off the ground.
Previously keepers Paudie O’Sullivan and Donal Maher saved from Joe Harte and O’Keeffe.
Prompted by the hard work of Dalton, Fr O’Neill’s extended their lead with a pair of frees.
Shane Kingston did summon a response, but another brace from Dalton and Billy Dunne put them 1-8 to 0-6 up.
The advantage was two clear goals approaching the break, Joe Harte narrowing the gap to five at the change of ends.
Fr O’Neill’s then enjoyed another spell of supremacy whereby the lead went to six, but it could have got better for them, except Hankard’s batted goal attempt was stopped by Maher.
When Kevin O’Sullivan grabbed his third point and Daniel Harrington found the range, 1-14 to 0-10.
Having dominated, it was now Douglas’ opportunity to fight back, and they rattled off four points without reply between the 42nd and 48th minute from Shane Kingston (2), Mark Howell and Conor O’Donovan.
Just when it was getting interesting, Tom Millerick set up Hassett and the sub did really well from 20 metres to fire low past Maher.
With 10 minutes of regulation remaining, Fr O’Neill’s went six clear again, and there was no way they were going to yield.
Twice Douglas trimmed the deficit to five, but the club from Ballymacoda/Ladysbridge closed out with Ger Millerick and Hankard points.
D Dalton 0-8 (0-4 f, 0-1 65, 0-1 sl), J Hankard 1-1, P Hassett 1-0, K O’Sullivan 0-3, B Dunne, M Wall, G Millerick, D Harrington, M O’Keeffe, John Millerick, and P McMahon 0-1 each.
S Kingston 0-9 (0-3 f), M Howell, J O’Brien 0-2 each, J Harte, C Lucas, C Kingston, C Baldwin, Conor O’Donovan 0-1 each.
P O’Sullivan; M Millerick, D Harrington, E Motherway (jc); T Millerick, G Millerick, J Barry; Joe Millerick, K O’Sullivan (jc); M Wall, D Dalton, M O’Keeffe; John Millerick, J Hankard, B Dunne.
R Kenneally for E Motherway (35 inj), R Cullinane for M Wall (40), P Hassett for Joe Millerick (45), P McMahon for B Dunne (58).
D Maher; E O’Flynn, C Kingston, D Harte; L Kelleher, M Howell, Cillian O’Donovan; A Cadogan, J O’Brien; C Lucas, S Kingston (c), M O’Brien; B Turnbull, J Harte, R Dooley.
S O’Leary for D Harte (20 inj), Conor O’Donovan for M O’Brien (half-time), K McSweeney for L Kelleher (40 inj), C Baldwin for A Cadogan (44 inj), C O’Keeffe for B Turnbull (54).
Mark Maher (St Finbarr’s).
App?
