Ballinascarthy 2-21
Clonakilty 2-11
BALLINASCARTHY have guaranteed their place in the knock-out stages of the RCM Tarmacadam junior A hurling championship with a game to spare.
JC O’Flynn’s men were comprehensive winners over neighbours Clonakilty in wind-swept Kilbrittain on Saturday, as they made it two wins in two games in Roinn 3.
A strong wind blowing into the village goal was the dominating factor and when Clonakilty found themselves a goal in arrears at half time, having played with the wind, they knew their race was run.
Bal put the game to bed in the third quarter when they registered seven points to Clon’s one, and Connall Cullinane lashed home his second goal in the 38th minute.
‘We played the West Cork final last year in exactly the same conditions and we learned a lot that day. It really stood to us today, how to cope with the wind. We came here looking for the win and we got it,’ said a delighted Bal manager JC O’Flynn.
‘We did the hard work in the first half against the wind and were delighted to be leading at half time. We warned them at half time that Clon would not give up in the second half, that we needed a quick start to build on our lead. The players did exactly what we wanted and picked off the points.’
With the strong wind, Clon were slow to start with only a single point from Seán White in the opening minutes, Bal replying with points from Eoin O’Driscoll and Jeremy Ryan. Clon began to find their feet, hitting four unanswered points from Brian White (two frees), Fergal Murphy and Mark White to open a three-point gap before Jeremy Ryan (free) made it 0-5 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Bal outscored Clon by four points to one to take the lead. Seán Ryan, Jeremy Ryan, Luke Murray and Ciarán O’Neill found the target, with centre back Tim McCarthy replying for Clon. They weren’t helped by poor shooting from long distance as they hit 13 wides in the half.
When Cian Ryan cut through to set up Connall Cullinane for a goal in the 25th minute, Bal were in the driving seat, four points in front, and the lead was trimmed to three by half time, 1-8 to 0-8.
As expected, Bal took control in the third quarter. Six points in a row in seven minutes, including a brace each from midfielder Ciarán O’Neill and centre forward Seán Ryan, had them eight to the good. When Connall Cullinane grabbed a long puckout to billow the Clon net in the 38th minute, the game was over as a contest.
Seán White, one of the few Clon successes on the night, picked up an injury but before he left the field he scored a cracking goal, set up by brother Brian. Clon played some good hurling in the closing stages but were limited to two pointed frees from Brian White. There was no stopping a rampant Bal as they continued to trouble the point umpire with Luke Murray, Connall Cullinane, Timmy Cullinane, impressive sub Colm O’Brien, and Jeremy Ryan all raising white flags.
Clon kept their best moment for the 60th minute when blood sub James Murnane hit a rocket of a shot to the top corner of the Bal net from 30 metres.
OUR STAR: Bal corner forward Connall Cullinane scored two decisive goals.
Scorers - Ballinascarthy: Connall Cullinane 2-2; Jeremy Ryan 0-6 (5f, 1 65); Ciarán O’Neill 0-3; Seán Ryan, Luke Murray, Colm O’Brien 0-2 each; Cillian Cullinane, Timmy Cullinane, Cian Ryan, Eoin O’Driscoll 0-1 each. Clonakilty: Brian White 0-5 (5f); Seán White 1-1; James Murnane 1-0; Tim McCarthy 0-2; Eoin McCormack, Mark White, Fergal Murphy 0-1 each.
Ballinascarthy: Darragh Hennessy; Padraic Cullinane, Chris Ryan, James O’Brien; Donagh O’Driscoll, Ciarán Nyhan, Jeremy Ryan; Ciarán O’Neill, Luke Murray; Cillian Cullinane, Seán Ryan, Eoin O’Driscoll; Cian Ryan, Cathal Nyhan, Connall Cullinane. Subs: Timmy Cullinane for D O’Driscoll (16), Colm O’Brien for E O’Driscoll (ht), Gearóid O’Leary for C O’Neill (52), Donagh O’Driscoll for T Cullinane (60).
Clonakilty: Edward Morrissey; Ciarán Crowley, Seán Coffey, Tom Palmer; Jack O’Mahony, Tim McCarthy, Mark White; Eoin McCormack, Cian O’Donovan; Chris Kenneally, Seán White, Kevin Cormican; Fergal Murphy, Fionn McCarthy, Brian White. Subs: Matt Murphy for F McCarthy (ht), Niall Barrett for T McCarthy (40), Des Kenneally for F Murphy (44), James Campbell for S White (47), Kieran Calnan for C O’Donovan (55), James Murnane for K Cormican (blood sub).
Referee: Anthony O’Regan (Kilbrittain).
