Cobh 5-7

Urhan 0-14

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

URHAN are facing a relegation play-off to maintain their McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier JFC status following this defeat to Cobh.

Five goals helped Cobh see off their Beara opponents in a deserved Group 2 win in Dunmanway on Friday. That outcome saw the winners progress to a second consecutive county semi-final.

As for Urhan, a relegation play-off victory against Na Piarsaigh is required to maintain their premier junior status.

Worryingly, already shorn of the talents of many first-team regulars, Urhan suffered another bout of injury-forced withdrawals during this latest loss. Hopefully, there will be enough time for Urhan’s walking wounded to heal ahead of the Beara club’s relegation showdown.

‘It is hugely important we get those players fit,’ Urhan manager Ciarán O’Sullivan said.

‘We have some serious injuries. Dylan Crowley looks like he has a torn hamstring after tonight. We’re under pressure, there’s no point saying otherwise.

‘It is a cliché but goals win games. They got two in the first half and went in five up. I felt at that time they weren’t five points better than us.

‘The second half was very different. They got two quick goals and it’s very hard to come back from that.

‘We’re under pressure with numbers and all that. I’m not making excuses. Our lads trained very hard but we came up against a better team tonight.’

Ben Sullivan opened the scoring, but Cobh replied with Adam Lynch cutting in along the endline and side-footing into the net. Alan Elphick notched Urhan’s second score, though Cobh’s direct running approach saw Eoin Hastings convert two frees to make it 1-3 to 0-3.

Then, Urhan enjoyed a purple patch with two superb Ben Sullivan points plus a Jamie O’Neill brace of frees levelling the score after 18 minutes.

Just when it seemed Urhan were gaining a foothold, the concession of a second goal undid all their good work. Ben Geary strode up from full-back and fired home a rebounded shot to make it 2-3 to 0-6.

Ben Sullivan scored again, but Eoin Cullimore and Cork U20 hurler Timmy Wilk replied at the opposite end. A converted Hastings free extended Cobh’s lead to five points at the break.

Cobh made sure of their win with two goals inside the opening two minutes of the second half – Adam Doran raised a green flag prior to Eoin Cullimore punching into the net.

Urhan responded and fought until the final whistle. Ronan McCarthy, Cian Crowley and Joe O’Shea scores reduced the deficit. Cobh mustered another response, however, and scored a fifth goal through Evan Cummins.

The remainder of an untidy second half saw Sean Cummins add Cobh’s final point while Ben Sullivan (two) and Alan Elphick completed Beara’s total.

OUR STAR: Urhan's Ben Sullivan played superbly and scored six points in his side's defeat.

Scorers 

Cobh: E Hastings 0-4 (2f, 2ptf); E Cullimore 1-1 (1f); A Lynch, B Geary, A Doran, E Cummins 1-0 each; T Wilk, S Cummins 0-1 each.

Urhan: B Sullivan 0-6; J O’Neill (2f) 0-2; A Elphick, C Crowley (2ptf) 0-2 each; R McCarthy, J O’Shea 0-1 each.

Cobh: J Bates; A Stanton, B Geary, J McCarthy; T Wilk, G Keating, S Cummins; M O’Rourke, C McLoughlin; A Hastings, E Cullimore, E Hastings; A Lynch, E Cummins, A Doran.

Subs: A McCarthy for E Cullimore (52), C Morrissey for A Doran (59).

Urhan: R Crowley; D Elphick, C O’Sullivan, E O’Shea; M Shea, J O’Shea; C O’Shea; A O’Sullivan, M McCarthy; J O’Neill, A Elphick, J Sullivan; C Crowley, B Sullivan, D Crowley.

Subs: N O’Shea for E O’Shea (20, inj), O Lynch for J O’Neill (27, temp), J O’Neill for D Crowley (30, inj), D Harrington for D Elphick (ht), R McCarthy for J O’Neill (34), J Healy for M McCarthy (55).

Referee: M Collins (Clonakilty).