Ballinascarthy 1-17
Aghada 1-16
JOHN MURPHY REPORTS
CONALL Cullinane emerged as Ballinascarthy’s hero at blustery Ballinascarthy on Sunday as his late, late injury-time point ensured the Reds’ upward trajectory in the Red FM Division 6 Hurling League continued.
This was the third win on the trot for Bal who moved up to third in the table to stay in the promotion conversation.
When the hosts led 1-10 to 1-5 at the break despite having the elements to their back, the portents did not look too positive. In fact, inside the opening three minutes, only the agility of Bal shot-stopper Darragh Hennessy prevented Aghada from scoring a goal.
Jeremy Ryan got Bal up and running soon afterwards, but at the end of a competitive opening quarter, it was all square, following an exchange between the impressive Conall Cullinane and the hard-working Tomás Condon. Then a major breakthrough for the visitors when Fionn O’Connor billowed the Ballinascarthy rigging from the left touchline.
Cillian Cullinane then got the first of three superb white flags and in the next Bal attack, Cathal Nyhan was the service provider, Conall Cullinane the executor as the latter sent a piledriver to the net. Cillian Cullinane, Charlie Terry and Eoin O’Driscoll shared the next three scores.
Bal finished the half in positive mode, two fine scores by Conall Cullinane and Seán Ryan leaving them ahead by 1-10 to 1-5, not an insurmountable deficit for Aghada to claw back.
When Charlie Terry (free), Oscar Slye and the experienced Pearse O’Neill cut the deficit to two points, Aghada drew closer. Unperturbed, Seán Ryan and Brian O’Donovan replied with Bal scores. It was tit-for-tat now as a flurry of scores had Aghada right in the mix. It took outstanding defence by Ciarán Nyhan, James O’Brien, Chris Ryan, Aidan O’Donovan, Pádraic Cullinane and Luke Murray to prevent the citadel being breached.
In the last frenetic minutes it looked like Aghada would prevail. Firstly, Charlie Terry floated over a superb free to push them ahead, 1-15 to 1-14. When Conal Cullinane (free) and a fabulous score from Brian O’Donovan gave the Reds the narrowest of leads, the irrepressible Charlie Terry (free) ensured equality. But with almost the last action, Bal won a free and Conall Cullinane made no mistake to bisect the uprights for the winner.
‘We are steadily building momentum. The hurling is coming, the fitness is coming and the character we asked for last year is returning steadily. We have two tough games against Glen Rovers and Argideen Rangers remaining,’ said a delighted Ballinascarthy manager JC O’Flynn.
Scorers
Ballinascarthy: Conall Cullinane 1-6 (2f); Cillian Cullinane, Brian O’Donovan 0-3 each; Seán Ryan, Jeremy Ryan (1f, 1 65) 0-2 each; Eoin O’Driscoll 0-1.
Aghada: Fionn O’Connor 1-3 (1f, 1 65); Charlie Terry 0-6 (4f); Noah Devoy 0-2; Rory O’Connor, Tomás Condon, Pearse O’Neill, Oscar Slye, Jamie O’Hanlon 0-1 each.
Ballinascarthy: Darragh Hennessy; James O’Brien, Chris Ryan, Pádraic Cullinane; Aidan O’Donovan, Ciarán Nyhan, Jeremy Ryan; Luke Murray, Donagh O’Driscoll; Conall Cullinane, Cian Ryan, Cillian Cullinane; Seán Ryan, Cathal Nyhan, Eoin O’Driscoll.
Subs: Brian O’Donovan for Donagh O’Driscoll (26), Eoin O’Brien for Jeremy Ryan (44).
Aghada: John Walsh; Alan Stafford, Jack Norris, Alan Kearns; Jack McDonald, Fionn O’Connell, Cian Hegarty; Rory O’Connell, Noah Devoy; Fionn O’Connor, Oscar Slye, Charlie Terry; Jordan Halpin, Pearse O’Neill, Tomás Condon.
Subs: Eoin Motherway for Alan Stafford (27), Jamie O’Hanlon for Jordan Halpin (ht).
Referee: James Kingston (Carbery Rangers).
