BY BRENDAN KENNEALLY
THE Mid Cork Junior A Hurling Championship threw in last weekend with four games across the two groups.
The format this year sees ten teams divided into two groups of five, with the top two from each advancing to the semi-finals. Group 1 includes Ballincollig, Inniscarra, Donoughmore, Blarney and Aghabullogue, while Ballinora, Grenagh, Dripsey, Éire Óg and Kilmichael are in Group 2.
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Donoughmore 3-18
Inniscarra 0-14
Donoughmore, recent winners of the junior A hurling league, brought their good league form into this opening game, and beat the second seed in Group 1.
Scores were level, 0-4 each, in the 14th minute but a goal from Donoughmore full forward Adam Dinan in the 17th minute put his side five points clear. They led 1-10 to 0-7 at half time.
Early in the second half, Inniscarra were reduced to 14 men. Donoughmore added a goal from Daniel Holland after 31 minutes and another from Mark Lucey on 47 minutes. The final scoreline did not flatter the winners and they will be strongly fancied to emerge from the group.
Also in Group 1, Blarney led Aghabullogue by 1-6 to 0-8 at half time, and 1-11 to 0-13 at the three-quarter stage. Blarney led by the goal, 1-14 to 0-14, after 50 minutes, and held a four-point advantage, 1-17 to 0-16, at the finish.
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Grenagh 0-21
Dripsey 0-12
Seeded second and third in Group 2, a win here was very important to each team. The opening exchanges were very even and it was 0-7 apiece by the 23rd minute. From there until half time Grenagh forged ahead, adding five points without reply to lead by 0-12 to 0-7 at the break.
The second half saw Grenagh maintain their grip on proceedings, going 0-17 to 0-9 ahead at the three-quarter stage. With the winner’s defence not going to concede the goal Dripsey needed, the result was likely well before the end.
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Éire Óg 0-17
Kilmichael 0-16
Éire Óg snatched victory from the grasp of Kilmichael with three points in injury time in Group 2, a cruel outcome for the western side but a victory celebrated by Éire Óg who looked destined for defeat for most of the second half.
The teams were level, 0-2 each, after ten minutes but Éire Óg, despite hitting a dreadful amount of wides, moved clear by 0-8 to 0-3 by the 22nd minute. Three late Kilmichael points brought them within reach as the teams retired for the break with Éire Óg leading by 0-8 to 0-6.
The Éire Óg defence had been on top for most of that half with Colm Clifford, Chulainn Malone and Micheál Sheehan very prominent in the half back line.
A Brian Horgan point levelled the scores on the restart, two from Conor Cotter and a Chris O’Connell point put Kilmichael in front for the first time, 0-10 to 0-9. After Seán Hurley levelled for Éire Óg, Kilmichael hit a scoring purple patch and four points in a row, including three from Conor Cotter, had them in a good position at the three-quarter stage, leading 0-14 to 0-10.
With four minutes left, Kilmichael led by two, before Darragh Coakley cut the deficit to one with a fine point. When Fintan O’Leary shot over an equaliser on 62, the Éire Óg side was jubilant but there was more joy to follow. From the puck out, Keith O’Riordan sent over the winner with the second-last puck of the match.
