Carrigaline 2-17
Ballygarvan 1-16
JJ HURLEY REPORTS
CARRIGALINE were too strong for their neighbours Ballygarvan in a group three clash in the South East Junior A Hurling Championship in Crosshaven.
Ballygarvan’s chances of advancing to the quarter-finals of the championship were dented by goals in each half for Carrigaline’s Simon O’Brien.
Just after the break, Ballygarvan looked like they had forced their way back into the contest as Mark O’Callaghan hit a long-range free that made its way to the Carrigaline net.
The goal was followed by another free from Shane Buckley as the sides were level on 33 minutes.
Following a series of tit-for-tat points, with Buckley sending over two points to an Adam Barry and Eoghan Kirwin point apiece, approaching the 41st minute it looked like fans were set for an exciting 20 minutes down the home stretch.
However, an Ian O’Donoghue point, followed by O’Brien’s second goal took the wind out of Ballygarvan’s sails as Carrigaline grabbed back the initiative.
Indeed, it was O’Brien who stamped his authority on this game within four minutes of the throw-in as he finished to the Ballygarvan net.
Stealing something of a march in the early stage of the clash Carrigaline led by 1-3 to 0-0 after eight minutes, with points from Kirwin (2) and O’Brien. Ballygarvan finally got off the mark a minute later, with the industrious Conor Dowd, but the respite was shortlived as Peter Ronayne and O’Donoghue had stretched their lead.
Possibly sensing this game was drifting away from them, Ballygarvan upped the ante as Mark Galvin, David Bouse, Fergal Ahern and Shane Buckley hit four consecutive points to narrow the score to 1-6 to 0-5 on 17 minutes.
However, Ballygarvan’s efforts were undone as Kirwin found the range with four unanswered points from frees.
As the half-time whistle approached Ballygarvan reduced the deficit as Buckley (2), Dowd and O’Callaghan knocked over four points to a pair of white flags from Kirwin and O’Donoghue, as Carrigaline led at the break by 1-11 to 0-10.
Having suffered the sucker-punch of the goal on 42 minutes, Buckley added two points from frees as Ballygarvan reduced the arrears to 2-14 to 1-15 on 49 minutes.
Unable to really trouble Cian McCarthy in the Carrigaline net and scoring six of their second half scores from frees, their efforts never really troubled Carrigaline.
Unfortunately, Ballygarvan’s lack of discipline handed Kirwin the opportunity to land a hat-trick of frees and extended their lead by 2-17 to 1-15.
Ballygarvan did manage to peg back their opponents by a single point, but the desired goal opportunities never arrived.
Carrigaline now look certain to advance to the quarter-final as Ballygarvan must beat Ballinhassig to have any chance of advancing to the next stage of the competition.
Scorers
Carrigaline: E Kirwin 0-11 (9f); S O’Brien 2-1; I O’Donoghue 0-3; P Ronayne, A Barry 0-1 each.
Ballygarvan: S Buckley 0-8f; M O’Callaghan 1-2f; F Ahern (1 65), C Dowd 0-2 each; M Gallagher, D Bouse 0-1 each.
Carrigaline: C McCarthy; S Buckley, D Cooney, S Browne; K Dwane, J Torpey, L Ahearn; A Barry, K Kavanagh; I O’Donoghue, P Ronayne, S O’Brien; E Kirwin, S McHugh, S Connolly.
Subs: P Lavery for W O’Neill, S Connolly for L Ahern (both 45).
Ballygarvan: P Murphy; C Mackey, S O’Donovan, M Sheehan; M O’ Callaghan, F Ahern, J Fenton; Z Davison, C O’Leary; M Gallagher, S Buckley, C Dowd; D O'Mahony, A Dunne, D Bouse.
Sub: C Downey for A Dunne (37).
Referee: Brian Coniry (Crosshaven).
