County Hurling League Review

By Liam Hogan

DIVISION 1

Group 1

Only one game of consequence remains this Wednesday where Drom & Inch take on Toomevara where the Mid side need a win to top the table and progress to the final, pipping Clonoulty/Rossmore, currently on eight points have their games complete.

Group 2

It’s all to play for with four teams having a mathematical chance of finishing top and reaching a semi-final, they key games this weekend are Borris-Ileigh v JK Brackens (Saturday) while on Sunday it is Mullinahone v Moycarkey/Borris and Kilruane MacDonaghs v Holycross/Ballycahill.

Group 3

Lorrha 0-14 Upperchurch/Drombane 2-17

Upperchurch/Drombane are in pole position to progress to the semi-final as winners of group 3 after scoring two late goals to see off Lorrha at Tony Reddin Park on Friday.

The visitors started the brighter with Pat Ryan and Paddy Phelan to the fore, but Lorrha finished the half strongly with points from Donnacha O’Meara and Niall McIntyre to trail 0-9 to 0-8.

Little separated the sides in the second half, and both had chances for goals with respective keepers Ciaran Shortt and Kevin Hough making excellent saves. Lorrha missed good point chances to go in front and were punished on 55 minutes when Pat Ryan goaled, and they added a second soon after through Paudie Greene. Sub Luke Shanahan also made a big impact for the winners with five points, two from play, while Lorrha managed just seven points from play in total, relying on Colm Fogarty who top-scored with nine points (7 frees).

Elsewhere in the group, Roscrea defeated Templederry Kenyons in Roscrea on Friday evening.

In the final round of games next Sunday, Upperchurch/Drombane need just a draw from their final match with Roscrea to secure top-spot but a Roscrea win and a Lorrha victory over Killenaule could see the group determined by score difference where the Mid Tipp side enjoy a healthy advantage.

DIVISION 2

GROUP 1

Cashel King Cormacs 0-19 Burgess 0-21

A good finish saw Burgess record their second win of the league when they came from behind to beat high riding Cashel King Cormacs at Leahy Park last Wednesday.

Scores were level seven times; five in the first half, in this must-win game for Burgess against an unbeaten Cashel side. The closeness of the scores made it exciting as Stephen Murray and 0-12 (10f) and Devon Ryan 0-10 (8f, 1’65) battled it out for supremacy. Murray’s placed balls plus points from play by Stephen Kirwan and Eoin Hogan had Burgess leading 0-8 to 0-6 after fifteen minutes. However, Cashel turned the deficit into a one point advantage as Devon Ryan’s frees gave the west men a half time lead of 0-10 to 0-9.

Ryan added four more frees and Ross Bonner scored from play as Cashel went two in front 0-16 to 0-14 after 45 minutes. However, Burgess got to work in those final ten with Murray adding five points, four from frees, as Eoin Grace and Kieran Grace Added a point each to see Burgess home.

Burgess 1-18 Carrick Swans 0-19

Burgess made it two wins in five days as they overturned a five-point deficit before securing a two point win over Carrick Swan at Kilcolman last Sunday.

The double victory gave Burgess a realistic chance of making the knockout stage provided they win their final game away to Gortnahoe and hope other games go their way. Burgess struggled in the opening half as Carrick Swans raced into a 0-13 to 0-8 lead after 25 minutes. However, Burgess managed to stage in touch and by half time they 0-14 to 0-11.

From the restart, the home side continued their revival with Stephen Kirwan’s goal in the 32nd minute. Both sides traded points over the next six minutes as it was parity, for the ninth time on 38 minutes before Stephen Murray gave Burgess the lead, one that stretched to three after Bill O’Flaherty made it 1-16 to 0-16 on 50 minutes. The Swan reduced the margin to two, but another Murray point had Burgess three in front, home and hosed despite only scoring two of the final five points on offer by call on time.

St Mary’s 1-16 Gortnahoe/Glengoole 3-27

Gortnahoe/Glengoole produced an impressive second half performance to overcome a disappointing St. Mary’s outfit in Clonmel on Sunday.

The South team had the best possible start when Paraic Bond scored a goal after one minute. However, Gortnahoe didn’t fret and early goals by Jack Moore (4th) and Fionn Cleary (10th) gave Gortnahoe a nice lead and the teams went into the dressing rooms with a 2-10 to 1-9 half time lead for the Mid men. Oisin Cleary’s goal in the 38th minute increased Gortnahoe’s chances of victory as Fionn Cleary scored 1-3 and Keane Hayes was accurate from frees. Adrian Maher, Jack O’Moore, Damian Corbett and Conor Gleeson were also prominent. Saint Mary’s plight was not helped by the loss of their wing back Gearoid Buckley who was dismissed in the 57th minute.

Eire Og Annacarty 0-15 Cashel King Cormacs 0-17

Cashel King Cormacs overcame the disappointment of losing to Burgess five days previous by returning first place in the group when they defeated Eire Og Annacarty at Annacarty on Sunday.

They play Silvermines in their final game and will carry the favourite’s tags against an improving ‘Mines team. The fight for the runners-up spot is wide open as the outcome of the other games.

GROUP 2

Sean Treacys 0-14 Ballina 1-14

Billy Collins ninth minute goal proved to be the difference as Ballina recorded a three point win over Sean Treacys at Kilcommon on Friday.

In a well-contested game, the scores were level six times, four in the first half as Collin’s goal made it 1-6 to 0-9 at the interval. Scores were level on two more occasions by the 38th minute before Ballina outscored the home-side 0-6 to 0-3 in the remaining minutes. Simon Grace produced a number of fine saves in goal for the winners who moved into second place in group 1 on six points, two behind leaders Clonakenny. Ballina take on Boherlahan in their final game next weekend.

DIVISION 3

GROUP 1

DROM & 3-18 MONEYGALL 4-21

Moneygall’s six-point win over Drom & Inch made safe a place in the knockout stages following their clash at The Ragg on Friday.

First half goals by Joe Fogarty, Bob Kenny and Mark Fanning helped Moneygall to a 3-11 to 1-12 half time lead. Another goal by Joe Fogarty extended Moneygall’s lead by the three quarter stage. But Drom rallied with two quick goals to narrow the gap in the closing stages before Moneygall steadied the ship and saw out the final minutes to win by seven and moved them into pole position on eight points.

Moneygall play Golden Kilfeacle who are currently in second place with seven points. Golden will want to win to avoid been overtaken by Drom who are away to Borrisokane this Thursday. Golden’s superior score difference is greater than that of Drom as both teams were all-square when they met in the first round of the league.

GROUP 2

Shannon Rovers are in a good position to qualify for the semi-finals provided they defeat Upperchurch/Drombane in the final game in Ballinderry next Sunday. Currently Rovers have five points, the same total as Cappawhite who take on table toppers Ballingarry in Ballingarry at the same time. No doubt, mobile phones will be busy keeping tabs on both games. At the moment Cappawhite has the better score difference of plus fourteen while Shannon Rovers have plus seven.