O’Riordan’s 2-4 fires Dripsey to Mid Cork junior hurling final showdown with champs Ballinora

Dripsey 2-19

Kilmichael 1-16

BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS

DRIPSEY were dominant in the final quarter of Sunday’s MJK Oils Muskerry JAHC semi-final at Ovens on Sunday.

Despite the weather, the sides served up an entertaining contest, level at half-time and still tied at the three-quarter stage, 1-12 each, before the winners made their push.

A second goal from Diarmuid O’Riordan gave Dripsey a huge boost and they quickly added a string of points to consolidate their position and they maintained their advantage to the finish.

Dripsey opened the scoring with Michael O’Riordan point from a second-minute free but Kilmichael settled and three points in a row from Peter Kelleher frees had them leading by 0-3 to 0-1 after six minutes.

Points were exchanged, Peter Kelleher from a free and Andrew Kelleher twice from play for Kilmichael, and Manley, O’Riordan and Eoghan Maher for Dripsey and it was 0-6 to 0-4 after the opening quarter.

Dripsey’s Shane Burke cut the gap to a single point but Kilmichael got in for the first goal of the game, a long-range shot from Alan McCarthy going all the way to the Dripsey net to open up a four-point gap. Again, points were exchanged on two occasions before Dripsey got a badly-needed boost in the 30th minute.

Diarmuid O’Riordan, on the ground, got his stick to the sliotar to propel to the net and his brother Michael then pointed a free to leave the sides level at 1-8 each at half time, Dripsey the happier side to be level at that stage.
Peter Kelleher opened the scoring on the resumption to put Kilmichael back in front but Dripsey responded well with four points in a row to open up a three-point gap. Kilmichael rose to the challenge, points from Kelleher’s two frees and one from Ronan Murphy levelling the scores at 1-12 each at the three-quarter stage.
Diarmuid O’Riordan struck the vital blow for Dripsey with his second goal from a ferocious lash in the 46th minute. He added a point, matched by a Finbarr Buckley point for Kilmichael, but Dripsey added two more, Diarmuid O’Riordan and Shane Burke the scorers and now enjoyed a five-point advantage. After an exchange of points, Dripsey introduced the not-fully-fit John O’Riordan into their defence as a cover for their full-back line and saw out the remainder of the game in containment mode.
Dripsey, back in the divisional championship this season after a lengthy sojourn in the intermediate grade, have now earned themselves a place in the Mid-Cork final with a very experienced panel at the selectors’ disposal and could cause Ballinora serious problems in the latter’s search for three in a row.

Scorers

Dripsey: Diarmuid O’Riordan 2-4, Michael O’Riordan 0-6 (5f), Jamie Manley, Eoghan Maher, Shane Burke, Mark O’Sullivan 0-2 each, Mark O’Connell 0-1.

Kilmichael: Peter Kelleher 0-8f, Conor Cotter 0-3f, Alan McCarthy 1-0, Andrew Kelleher 0-2, Brendan Cotter, Ronan Murphy, Finbarr Buckley 0-1 each.

Dripsey: Aidan Buckley; Dean O’Sullivan, David O’Sullivan, Eoin O’Connell; Shane O’Riordan, John Carey, Jamie Manley; Mark O’Connell, Eoghan Maher; Killian Kelleher, Diarmuid O’Riordan, Mark O’Sullivan; Shane Burke, Michael O’Riordan, John Buckley.

Subs: Colm O’Connell for Manley (35), James Cotter for Killian Kelleher (48), John O’Riordan for John Buckley (52).

Kilmichael: Stephen O’Leary; Gerard Murphy, Shane Foley, Luke Harrington; Eoghan Murphy, Cathal Foley, Finbarr Dromey; Conor Cotter, Ronan Murphy; Alan McCarthy, Chris O’Connell, Andrew Kelleher; Brendan Cotter, Peter Kelleher, Finbarr Buckley.

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg).