03-08-2025
Cloyne clinch hard-fought win as Carrigaline left to rue missed chances
Cloyne 3-16 Carrigaline 1-19
A huge shock in the Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate hurling championship with last year's finalists Carrigaline going down to Cloyne at sun-drenched Cobh on Sunday.
There is little doubt Carrigaline were wasteful in front of goal in the first half but take nothing away from Cloyne they battled as if their lives depended on it and were worthy winners.
Carrigaline looked a side on a mission in the opening exchanges and four unanswered points in the space of five minutes had Cloyne on the ropes.
Indeed, looking at the stats of the opening eight minutes Carrigaline had accumulated five points and six wides as some of their shooting was very poor.
In fairness Cloyne kept plugging away and once the energetic James O'Brien split the posts in the eighth minute they settled into their stride.
A superb Brian Kelleher point gave Carrigaline a four-point lead in the 16th minute but Cloyne responded like a team possessed, winning the majority of dirty ball for the next 11 minutes.
In this period Carrigaline failed to score and with the sides tied in the 25th minute Cloyne were awarded a penalty.
Ashley Walsh placed a perfect assist to Brian Walsh and just as he was about to pull the trigger, goalkeeper Cian McCarthy hauled him down inside the square.
Brian Walsh stepped up for the resultant penalty and he finished it with sheer ferocity to the roof of the net.
It was fitting the hard-working Ashley Walsh would finish the half with a stunning point as Cloyne went in at the break commanding a four-point lead, 1-10 †o 0-9.
Carraigaline made three changes at the break as their management couldn't have been happy with their 10 wides tally.
Consecutive points from Kelleher and Eanna Desmond was just the start Carrigaline needed.
Cloyne continued to win the crucial dirty ball and when Steve Beausang found the back of the net midway through the half Carrigaline looked in trouble.
In truth Carrigaline kept huffing and puffing and Cloyne's Brian Walsh was on hand to drill a third goal in the 59th minute.
A late Rhys McCarthy goal gave Carrigaline a ray of hope, but time wasn't on their side as Cloyne secured the all-important win.
Credit to the Cloyne coach Killian Cronin he had his team well-prepared for a game that few pundits would have given them a chance of winning.
Scorers for Cloyne: B O'Shea 1-5 (pen, 0-3f), B Walsh 1-1, D Byrne 0-4, S Beausang 1-0, J O'Brien 0-2, C Cahill 0-2, P O'Sullivan, A Walsh (0-1 each).
Carrigaline: B Kelleher 0-10 (0-6f, 65), R McCarthy 1-3, E Desmond 0-4, K Kavanagh, D Drake (0-1 each)
Cloyne: D Cronin; J Sherlock, J Hallahan, A Sherlock; E Motherway, P O'Sullivan, C Mullins; D Byrne, A Walsh; C Cahill, B O'Shea, J O'Brien; M Cahill, S Beausang, B Walsh.
Subs: B Minihane for A Walsh (53).
Carrigaline: C McCarthy; D Stack, S Williamson, D King; H Andrews, K Kavanagh, C Vaughan; R Kelleher, J McCarthy; R O'Shea, P Mellet, R McCarthy; B Kelleher, E Desmond, F O'Connell.
Subs: D Drake for R O'Shea (h-t), B O'Driscoll for P Mellet (h-t), D Greene for H Andrews (h-t), C Kearney for J McCarthy (35), C O'Farrell for F O'Connell (41).
Referee: Pat Lyons (Bishopstown).
