Kilmichael and Grenagh advance to Muskerry hurling semi-finals

BRENDAN KENNEALLY reports on Mid Cork’s two junior hurling championship quarter-finals 

Kilmichael 1-20

Éire Óg 0-12

KILMICHAEL are through to an MJK Oils Muskerry JAHC semi-final clash with Dripsey after an impressive win over Éire Óg at Cloughduv.

After an impressive early campaign, an under-strength Kilmichael had slumped to a heavy defeat in their final group game but, restored to a full panel, they were in sparkling form.

The winners were massively boosted by the only goal of the game from Peter Kelleher in the third minute, which helped his side to lead by 1-5 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter. By half-time, Kilmichael had extended their lead to ten points, 1-13 to 0-6, and when they still held this advantage after a fiery third quarter, the writing was on the wall.
Kelleher terrorised the Éire Óg defence in the early stages and his goal in the third minute left an indelible mark on the outcome. Cathal Sheehan had opened the scoring from an Éire Óg free but Kelleher equalised from another free after he had been fouled. Then, Andrew Kelleher dropped a long-range free into the Éire Óg goalmouth, Kelleher held the sliothar despite the close attention of the defenders, turned and belted the ball to the net.

Within seconds, the goalscorer was fouled under another dropping ball and tapped over the free. Another point resulted from a similar situation in the eighth minute and it was 1-3 to 0-2, all Kilmichael scores coming from the talented full forward. The second Éire Óg point had come from another Cathal Sheehan free.

Kilmichael were doing well at midfield with Conor Cotter and Ronan Murphy working tirelessly, backed by solid defending of Cathal Foley and Finbarr Dromey and all over the field they were chasing in packs and harrying their opponents relentlessly. With Kelleher a constant threat, Brendan Cotter at his side began to benefit from the nervousness in the Éire Óg defence and despite the determined response from the Ovens side, Kilmichael began to draw further ahead. Conor Cotter was scoring from long-range frees, his brother Brendan from close-range play and Cathal Sheehan frees were the main source of scores for Éire Óg. At half-time the lead of 1-13 to 0-6 had Kilmichael in a good place and the teams added only two points apiece in a third quarter which was highly competitive with Éire Óg trying to get back into contention and Kilmichael not for yielding.

Referee Kieran Furey was busy keeping matters from boiling over and thankfully he succeeded. Ten minutes elapsed before Peter Kelleher pointed a free for the first score of the half while Lar Considine – an effective Éire Óg second-half substitute – replied and the same players repeated this exercise to leave Kilmichael 1-15 to 0-8 ahead at the start of the final quarter.
Éire Óg never gave up and battled to the end but Kilmichael matched them and never eased up. Andrew and Peter Kelleher, Brendan and Conor Cotter, all added to the scoresheet for the winners while Considine and Fintan O’Leary had points for Éire Óg. However, despite their every effort, the Kilmichael defence stood firm and denied the Ovens men the goals they needed and goalkeeper Stephen O’Leary made a superb diving save from a Dermot Herlihy close range blast near the finish to further embellish the winners’ display.

Scorers

Kilmichael: Peter Kelleher 1-8 (7f), Brendan Cotter, Conor Cotter (3f) 0-5 each, Chris O’Connell, Andrew Kelleher 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: Cathal Sheehan (0-5f), Lar Considine (0-2f) 0-5 each, D Foley, F O’Leary 0-1 each.
Kilmichael: Stephen O’Leary; Gerard Murphy, Shane Foley, Luke Hennigan; Eoghan Murphy, Cathal Foley, Finbarr Dromey; Conor Cotter, Ronan Murphy; Alan McCarthy, Chris O’Connell, Andrew Kelleher; Brendan Cotter, Peter Kelleher, Finbarr Buckley.

Sub: Kevin Kelleher for Cathal Foley (52, injured).

Éire Óg: Chris Kelly; Cathal Mullins, Seán O’Flynn, Kevin Cooper; Colm Clifford, Dermot Herlihy, Culann Malone; Willie McCarthy, Rian O’Flynn; Dylan Foley, Alan O’Mahony, Darragh Coakley; Keith Riordan, Cathal Sheehan, Fintan O’Leary.

Subs: Cian Kidney, Lar Considine (both half-time), Joe W Kelleher (48), Adam McCarthy (55), John McCarthy (58).
Referee: Kieran Furey (Cill na Martra).

***
Grenagh 1-18

Blarney 1-8

A REPEAT of last year’s MJK Oils Muskerry JAHC final looms as Grenagh set up a clash with champions Ballinora following a win at Donoughmore.

In a tight first half, there was little between the sides and the interval score of 0-6 to 0-3 reflected the dominance of defences, but Grenagh would not have been happy with a tally of 11 wides. A goal immediately on the resumption was a major boost to the winners. Gaining in confidence, they began to break the tackle and run with the ball and with Seán Joyce, Ted and Dan Twomey now in scoring form, the points tally on the board mounted as they put the game beyond the reach of Blarney, who never gave up.
Grenagh had the benefit of the cold northerly, slightly crossfield, wind in the first half and started well with three points to their credit after six minutes, Dan Twomey, Ultan Duggan, and Seán Joyce the scorers. Jerry Murphy then opened the Blarney account but with Grenagh on top in defence and wasting chance after chance in attack, the score remained unaltered until the 22nd minute, when Seán Joyce pointed a free for Grenagh. Ted Twomey added a point from long range five minutes later but before the break, Blarney had two points from Jerry Murphy frees to trail at the break by 0-6 to 0-3.
On the resumption, Michael O’Riordan fired in a pass to Dan Twomey, who took the tackle before releasing to the waiting David Coleman in front of goal and the full-forward promptly dispatched the ball to the net to give Grenagh a six-point lead. Points were twice exchanged before Grenagh went further in front to lead by 1-11 to 0-6 by the 50th minute, Mark O’Leary and Jerry Murphy on target for Blarney. Grenagh finished strongly with some further scores from Ted Twomey, Joyce and Dan Twomey. Blarney got a goal from Joe O’Connor, the ball scrambled over in a crowded goalmouth in the 60th minute but Grenagh were by then comfortably in control.

Scorers

Grenagh: Seán Joyce 0-7 (5f), Ted Twomey 0-5 (1f, 1 65), David Coleman 1-1, Dan Twomey 0-3, Ultan Duggan, Michael O’Riordan 0-1 each.

Blarney: Jerry Murphy 0-5 (4f), Joe Cronin 1-1,  M O’Leary 0-2.
Grenagh: James Walsh; Tadgh Walsh, Paul Barry-Murphy, Alex Kiely; Paul Ahern, Christopher Buckley, Ted Twomey; Michael O’Riordan, Seán Joyce; Cathal Cronin, Shane Dorgan, Ultan Duggan; Seamus Cronin, David Coleman, Dan Twomey.

Subs: Kevin O’Neill (37), Dara O’Shea (41).
Blarney: Dylan Farrell; Michael John Shine, Stephen Mullane, Darragh Kelly; Tiernan Buckley, Ben Ahern, Seán McSweeney; Ray O’Donovan, Joey O’Dwyer; Tommy Sweeney, Paul O’Connor, Mark O’Leary; Joe Cronin, Colin Murphy, Jerry Murphy.

Subs: Adam O’Mahony for Colin Murphy (half-time, injured).
Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg).