Valley Rovers squeeze out Kinsale in Carrigdhoun Junior A Hurling final

Valley Rovers 0-18 Kinsale 1-12 

Eoghan Galgey proved to be the difference as the Innishannon men saw off Kinsale in a competitive Ross Oil South East Junior A Hurling Final at Shanbally.

Valleys now face new Avondhu champions Dromina in the first round of the Co-Op Superstore County Junior A Championship.

This was an even contest, with both sides trading scores, but Kinsale will look back on a 10-minute period before the break where Valleys registered five unanswered scores as the turning point.

Kinsale had started well as John O’Brien sent over a free, but Valleys thundered into the contest as Conor Taheny's shot was saved by Timmy Broderick. The Innishannon men didn’t have to wait long for their first score as Galgey sent over the resulting 65.

Two more scores, one from Galgey and a first from Eoin O’Reilly, left Valleys out in front by 0-3 to 0-1. However, a superb individual effort by Michael Murphy saw him lash the ball into the net.

A point apiece from Galgey and O’Brien left the score at 1-2 to 0-4 midway through the half. Kinsale added two scores to a superb long-range free from Seán O’Regan as Kinsale held onto a two-point lead.

From there to the break, Valleys hit five unanswered points, with Galgey claiming three, as they led 0-10 to 1-4.

The second half saw both sides land 0-8 apiece, with Kinsale claiming the first of their scores from O’Brien and Ollie Buckley. The revival was short-lived as five unanswered points, two from Cottrell, had Valleys leading by 0-15 to 1-6 on 46 minutes.

With Galgey and O’Brien trading points with three minutes remaining, there were four between the sides. Despite Kinsale’s efforts to come up with a couple of elusive goals, they had to be satisfied with outscoring Valleys by three points to two, while Charlie O’Sullivan proved to be outstanding in the Valleys rearguard.

Man of the Match Galgey fittingly claimed the last score of the game.

Scorers for Valley Rovers: E Galgey 0-10 (0-6 f, 0-2 65), J Cottrell, E O’Reilly, K Dart O’Flynn 0-2 each, S O’Regan (f), C McCarthy, C Taheny 0-1 each.

Kinsale: J O’Brien 0-9 (0-8 f, 0-1 65), M Murphy 1-0, O Buckley, C Fitzpatrick, M Murphy 0-1 each.

KINSALE: T Broderick; N McCarthy, K O'Callaghan, D O'Leary; J Murphy, O Ryan, B Coughlan; C Fitzpatrick, B O'Neill; N Ryan, O Buckley, J O'Brien; D Forde, C Fitzpatrick, M Murphy.

Subs: G Finn for N Ryan (43), C O’Leary for O Buckley (51).

VALLEY ROVERS: J Lynch; N Daly, C O'Sullivan, E Duarte; S O'Regan, D Lynch, E Delaney; C Kilduff, E O'Reilly; C McCarthy, K Dart O'Flynn, J Cottrell; S McEntee, C Taheny, E Galgey.

Subs: D Carthew for S McEntee (43), S O’Leary for C McCarthy (48).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).