Barryroe 1-18 

Argideen Rangers 0-17

TOM LYONS REPORTS

A HUGE crowd, a marvellous atmosphere and sun streaming down provided the backdrop as local rivals Barryroe and Argideen fought for the honour of the little village.

In the end, the bragging rights went to the sky blue of Barryroe in this second round Co-op Superstores Premier Junior Hurling Championship.

It’s a result that guarantees Barryroe their spot in the knockout stages with one game to spare.

Argideen are still in the hunt and know a draw or win against St Finbarr’s on September 5th will see them join Barryroe in the business end.

In a highly sporting contest, the vital score arrived in the 49th minute when Barryroe’s Luke Murphy, with the game level for the ninth time, billowed the net from 30 metres, set up by Ryan O’Donovan. 

All the momentum was with Barryroe after that and there was no catching them in the closing minutes. 

Argideen, who had looked slightly the better side in the first half against the diagonal breeze, didn’t help their cause in the dying minutes when they hit four wides. 

A scoring burst of four in a row before half time gave Barryroe a three-point lead at the break but Argideen battled back level by the 42nd minute. Barryroe surged two in front again only for Argideen to draw level and it was anybody’s game before Murphy struck for the crucial goal. 

Argideen Rangers' Finbarr Butler and Barryroe's Diarmuid McCarthy in a race for possession. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

‘That’s as sweet a win as we ever had, a real local derby and 32 years since we last beat them in adult hurling. They don’t come much better than this,’ said a delighted Barryroe manager Kevin McCarthy. 

‘It was hard-earned, they looked the better side for much of the first half but we are very fit, a lot of work done in both codes and we showed that in the second half against the breeze. 

‘Nothing between the sides, we expected that, until Luke’s goal. He can do that in a game and he delivered today. It’s a far cry from last season when we had to beat Meelin in the relegation final to stay up. 

‘We’re qualified now but we’ll definitely treat the Mayfield game as a must-win. 

‘We’ll celebrate this one. I’ve been involved a lot of years since I retired from playing 13 years ago and this was certainly sweet. 32 years was a long road.’

This game in Clonakilty started at a frantic pace. It was Argideen who raised the first flags against the breeze from a John Michael O’Callaghan free and Seán Walsh. The game was level for the first time when Tomás Ó Buachalla and Olan O’Donovan (free) responded for Barryroe. 

Walsh and Ryan O’Donovan, Finbarr Butler and Olan O’Donovan (free) swapped points in a ding-dong struggle before Charlie Twomey (free) and James Crowley put the maroon brigade two in front. 

Back came Barryroe with a pointed free from goalkeeper Mícheál Whelton. It was 0-6 to 0-5 at the end of a hectic and entertaining opening quarter.

Barryroe began to assert their authority with the breeze in the second quarter, with Ryan and Olan O’Donovan and Tomás Ó Buachalla very lively up front. Level at 0-8 all following points from Brian O’Donovan and Jack Murphy for Barryroe and James Crowley for Argideen, it was Barryroe who finished the half stronger with four points from Ryan O’Donovan, Michael Ryan, Brian O’Donovan and Whelton. 

Charlie Twomey’s free was Argideen’s only response. It was 0-11 to 0-8 in favour of Barryroe at the break.

Barryroe's David O'Sullivan under pressure from Argideen Rangers' Eoin Lawton. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

With the support of the breeze and good work from Darragh O’Donovan, Fergal Walsh, Bill Fleming, Seán Henchion, Seán Walsh, James Crowley and Finbarr Butler, Argideen fought back to level with points from Twomey (free), Walsh, Eoin Lawton and Butler, 0-12 each after 43 minutes, Tomás Ó Buachalla getting Barryroe’s only score. 

The Blues regrouped and pushed two in front, from Adam McSweeney and Jack Murphy, as the pace and intensity understandably waned a little.   

Two points from Darragh O’Donovan, a big loss when he had to go off injured, had Argideen level again but the breeze had died. Then Murphy struck for the crucial goal in the 49th minute. 

It was point for point then, Philip Flynn and Paudie Butler for Argideen and Olan O’Donovan and Tomás Ó Buachalla for Barryroe. 

The Barryroe backs, led by Jerome O’Brien, James Moloney, Daniel Moloney and David O’Sullivan, put up the shutters, forcing Argideen to hit wides from distance. It was all over when Ó Buachalla and Murphy pointed, the icing on the cake for Barryroe.

‘Of course we’re very disappointed,’ said Argideen manager Christy Crowley. 

‘We just weren’t clinical enough in the first half when we were on top but it was still to be won when they got the crucial goal. 

‘That goal was the killer; Luke’s a serious talent. 

‘It was frustrating to hit those wides near the end, scores we should have been getting. It’s a knockout game now against the Barr’s, winner takes all. We’ll gather the troops and go again. Well done to Barryroe.’

OUR STAR: This was a real real effort from both sides but we liked the play of Tomás Ó Buachalla in the half-forward line for the winners. He scored three points, and his enthusiasm was infectious. 

Scorers - Barryroe: Luke Murphy 1-1; Olan O’Donovan 0-4 (3f); Tomás Ó Buachalla 0-3; Jack Murphy, Brian O’Donovan, Ryan O’Donovan, Mícheál Whelton (2f) 0-2 each; Michael Ryan, Adam McSweeney 0-1 each. Argideen Rangers: Charlie Twomey 0-4 (4f); Seán Walsh 0-3; Darragh O’Donovan, James Crowley, Finbarr Butler 0-2 each; Philip Flynn, Eoin Lawton, Paudie Butler, John Ml. O’Callaghan (1f) 0-1 each. 

Barryroe: Mícheál Whelton; Daniel Moloney, Jerome O’Brien, David O’Sullivan; Killian Sheehy, James Moloney, Michael Ryan; Adam McSweeney, Diarmuid McCarthy; Brian O’Donovan, Tomás Ó Buachalla, Jack Murphy; Luke Murphy, Ryan O’Donovan, Olan O’Donovan. Subs: Conn Dineen for D McCarthy (42), Conor O’Regan for B O’Donovan (45), Seán O’Riordan for M Ryan (46). 

Argideen Rangers: John Sheehan; Jack Twomey, Ger Crowley, Bill Fleming; Seán Murray, Fergal Walsh, Seán Henchion; Darragh O’Donovan, Cathal O’Donovan; Charlie Twomey, Eoin Lawton, John Ml. O’Callaghan; Seán Walsh, James Crowley, Finbarr Butler. Subs: Philip Flynn for D O’Donovan (blood, 26), Philip Flynn for C O’Donovan (42), Paudie Butler for E Lawton (45), Dara Walsh for D O’Donovan (52).

Referee: Robert Whelan (Gleann na Laoi).