Everard stars as Saints march on

St Mary’s goal after only 35 seconds

St Mary’s 2-21                                               

Kilbrittain 1-9

JOHN MURPHY REPORTS

A FIRST-MINUTE goal set St Mary’s on their way to victory in this RCM Tarmacadam South West JAHC round two clash against Kilbrittain at sun-baked Timoleague last Friday.

It was all too easy for the Ballineen/Enniskeane combination that ran out convincing 15-point winners but greater tasks wait on the horizon, as manager Kevin Murray admits.

‘We did a lot of work after the Clonakilty game. We were defensively very poor that day and today we tried to offset that problem. We were missing five of last year’s team so we had to rebuild and this win is a stepping stone,’ Murray emphasised.

‘It was a solid performance, but we have a lot of work to do and will not get it as easy in the next round.’ 

St Mary’s backline sextet were soundness personified, led by captain Brian Brady. The midfield duo of Dylan Scannell and Niall Kelleher were in cruise control, while up in the engine-room, Brian McCarthy, Joe Crowley and the Everard duo of Brian and Ciarán made scoring hay as the sun shone from a cloudless sky. 

It was all too intense for a lacklustre Kilbrittain who rang the half-time changes, veteran Owen Sexton taking up a post on the mark with long-serving Denis Murphy slotting in at left half forward. It upped the ante somewhat, but they were a well-beaten side long before the final whistle.

Shot-stopper Eoghan Galvin, James and Jack O’Donovan in defence, Dylan Twohig in the middle third and Eamon Lyons, Cian O’Leary and accurate free-taker Patrick O’Mahony up front were not found wanting, but really it was a bridge too far from early on.

After Ciarán Everard’s opening goal, the points flowed as the Everards, nippy corner forward Joe Crowley, Brian McCarthy and Niall Kelleher sent the scoreboard operators into overdrive, the Saints 1-11 to 0-4, in a commanding interval lead.

Only the accuracy of Kilbrittain’s dead-ball expert Patrick O’Mahony, with three frees, and a lovely point from Eamon Lyons kept the losers in touch.

When Ciarán Everard smashed home his second goal after a bullet-like drive by Ryan Scannell came back off an upright in the 34th minute, it was game, set and match to the Saints, now a staggering 2-13 to 0-5 to the good. 

Granted, Kilbrittain put a degree of respectability on the scoreboard when Cian O’Leary scored a wonderful solo goal in the 39th minute, but it was just that as St Mary’s romped past the winning post with furlongs to spare.  

Scorers

St Mary’s: Ciarán Everard 2-3, Brian Everard 0-6 (1f), Joe Crowley 0-4, Dylan Scannell 0-4f, Brian McCarthy 0-3, Niall Kelleher 0-1.

Kilbrittain: Cian O’Leary 1-2, Patrick O’Mahony 0-4f, Eamon Lyons 0-2, Ciarán Byrne 0-1. 

St Mary’s: Gearóid Harrington; Kevin O’Neill, Billy O’Brien, Brian Brady; Mark O’Driscoll, Michael O’Driscoll, Rory O’Connor; Dylan Scannell, Niall Kelleher; Ryan Scannell, Brian McCarthy, Jack Hurley; Ciarán Everard, Brian Everard, Joe Crowley.

Subs: Adrian Flahavan, Diarmuid Healy, Diarmuid Whooley, Noel Lane, Shane O’Driscoll (all second half).

Kilbrittain: Eoghan Galvin; Shane Sweetnam, Eoghan Byrne, Darren Burke; Tadhg Kearney, James O’Donovan, Jack O’Donovan; Dylan Twohig, Ian Hodge; Darragh Hayes, Eamon Lyons, Patrick O’Mahony; Denis Twohig, Cian O’Leary, Ciarán Byrne.

Subs: Owen Sexton for Denis Twohig (ht), Denis Murphy for Darragh Hayes (ht), Denis Twohig for Eamon Lyons (inj, 52).

Referee: Ian McCarthy (Bandon).