Kilbrittain 2-18

Midleton 0-19

TOM LYONS REPORTS

THE black and amber flags are still flying in Kilbrittain, the home of the All-Ireland junior hurling champions, but it was back to action in the opening round of the Division 5 county league on Saturday.

Kilbrittain celebrated their great victory in style but they showed little signs of it as they emerged with the two league points to their credit.

‘Of course we celebrated,’ smiled manager Joe Ryan.

‘It was an amazing achievement and an amazing feeling to win an All-Ireland title but we’ve been back in training for the past two weeks and today was a great opportunity to shake out the cobwebs.

‘We’re down a couple of players from last season, a couple gone travelling, but we have young lads coming through. Adam Griffin was a minor last year and he started his first game at this level at midfield, doing very well.

‘This was our first outing on grass as we have been doing all our training and strength and conditioning on astro. And the weather certainly hasn’t helped but we were lucky the pitch was in good condition even though on the soft side.’

Two early goals – in the fourth and sixth minutes – by Ronan Crowley and Luke Griffin were to provide the gap between the sides all through the game, after Midleton had opened the scoring with points from their top two players, Josh Hogan and Cian Stack, free. It was the only time Midleton led in the game.

A strong cross-field wind was slightly in Kilbrittain’s favour in a high-scoring first half, which produced most of the good hurling.

Following the two early goals, Midleton answered with two points from Josh Hogan and Conor Morley to reduce the lead to two. With Colm Sheehan and Aaron Holland prominent in defence, Seán Sexton motoring well at midfield and Josh O’Donovan, Conor Crowley and Luke Griffin lively in attack, the hosts hit a purple patch with points from Mark Hickey (two frees), Crowley and Sexton to lead by 2-4 to 0-5 at the end of a lively first quarter. Stack had Midleton’s only reply from a free.

The second quarter produced some fine hurling in trying conditions as the players again found their scoring touch.

Stack and Crowley swapped points before Midleton took control. Josh Hogan (two frees) and Stack reduced the deficit to two, before Hickey (free), Colm Sheehan and O’Donovan stretched it back to five.

The hectic action and scoring continued as the sides split eight points evenly in the closing stages of a most enjoyable first half. Young Adam Griffin hit two good scores for Kilbrittain, with O’Donovan and Crowley adding another pair. Midleton were not found wanting as Niall Coughlan, Darragh Scanlon, Stack (free) and Hogan (free) all raised white flags. It was Kilbrittain 2-12 to 0-13 in front at the break.

Kilbrittain manager Joe Ryan.

It was no surprise that the hectic pace and scoring exploits of the first half slowed considerably in the second period. Only five scores were registered in the third quarter. Sexton, Luke Griffin and Conor Hogan pointed for Kilbrittain and Hogan (2) responded for Midleton.

Despite the slight advantage of the wind, Midleton failed to close the gap between the sides as Kilbrittain led by 2-15 to 0-15 at the end of the third quarter.

Midleton badly needed a goal in the last quarter but never looked like getting it as goalkeeper David Desmond and the Kilbrittain defence kept control of their goal area. Kilbrittain were happy to see out the game, answering point for point. O’Donovan, Hickey (free) and Crowley pointed for the winners as Stack (two frees), Hogan and Scanlon closed out Midleton’s total.

‘We are in the same division of the league as last season, but in the championship it will be up a grade to intermediate,’ Joe Ryan explained.

‘We’re in a tough group with Bandon, Aghada and Russell Rovers. The local derby with Bandon will be one to look forward to. For now, we’re just concentrating on getting the players fit and keeping them free of injuries. That’s always the most important thing so early in the season.’

OUR STAR: A word for Josh Hogan, outstanding at midfield for Midleton, and for Ronan Crowley, 1-4 for Kilbrittain, but the nod goes to Kilbrittain midfielder Seán Sexton who was very influential at midfield, scoring two points.

Scorers

Kilbrittain: Ronan Crowley 1-4; Luke Griffin 1-1; Mark Hickey 0-4f; Josh O’Donovan 0-3; Seán Sexton, Adam Griffin 0-2 each; Colm Sheehan, Conor Hogan 0-1 each.

Midleton: Josh Hogan 0-8 (4f); Cian Stack 0-7 (5f); Darragh Scanlon 0-2; Niall Coughlan, Conor Marley 0-1 each.

Kilbrittain: David Desmond; Charlie Kenny, Tomás Sheehan, Eoin O’Neill; Aaron Holland, Colm Sheehan, Owen Byrne; Seán Sexton, Adam Griffin; Mark Hickey, Josh O’Donovan, Ronan Crowley; Conor Ustianowski, Luke Griffin, Conor Hogan.

Subs: Ivan Burke for E O’Neill (ht), Patrick O’Mahony for C Hogan (43), Micholai Kalitzka for C Kenny (55), Keith Hunt for A Griffin (55), Séamus O’Sullivan for M Hickey (58), Gavin Kenny for S Sexton (58).

Midleton: Brian Rossiter; Seán McSharry, Adam Faye, Matthew McSweeneyl Cathal Gunning, Evan McCarthy, Cian Crowley; Darragh Egan, Josh Hogan; Cathal Beausang, Darragh Scanlon, Niall Coughlan; Cian Stack, Conor Marley, Padraig Nagle.

Subs: Eoin Aherne for A Faye (42), Darragh Codd for P Nagle (42).

Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).