Kilbrin win through despite horrific weather conditions
PLAYED in probably the worst weather conditions possible Kilbrin with a powerful first half display swept aside the challenge from Cloughduv in the Co JAHC at Castletownroche on Saturday.
The opening half saw Kilbrin aided by the elements (driving wind and rain) dominate most of this half. Indeed it was Cloughduv that opened the scoring when Mark Verling pointed from long range and they also missed a goal scoring chance in the early stages when Joe Ryan’s attempt at goal went narrowly wide.
Kilbrin were back on parity in the fifth minute when Stephen O’Reilly pointed a free and they never looked back from here with Garrett Lenihan, Shane Crowley, William Egan, Thomas O’Reilly, Eoin Sheahan and Stephen O’Reilly turning in huge displays that effectively finished the game as a contest by the half-time whistle.
Four points on the spin by Garrett Lenihan (2) Stephen O’Reilly and Eoin Sheahan pushed them 0-5 to 0-1 ahead before they struck for the games opening goal in the 10th minute when a puck-out by the Kilbrin keeper Paudie O’Callaghan found Thomas O’Reilly in midfield whose delivery deceived everyone going to the net.
Two minutes later a good solo run by Garrett Lenihan picked out Eoin Sheahan for a second goal 2-6 to 0-1. William Egan added another long range point by the end of the first quarter.
Cloughduv now faced an uphill battle. Mark Verling pointed a free before they were given a lifeline when a well worked movement involving Donal Corkery, Sean Curzon and Brian Aherne saw Joe Ryan breach the Kilbrin backline for a well taken goal 2-7 to 1-2.
Kilbrin continued to push forward regularly. In the 20th minute they had their third goal when a free by Stephen O’Reilly was broken down on the edge of the square with Eoin Sheahan finishing to the net following a goal mouth scramble 3-8 to 1-3.
The remainder of half was very much point for point with Shane Crowley, Mark Verling, Darren Daly, Brian Aherne, Mark Walsh and Stephen O’Reilly trading points before the half time whistle that had the beaten Duhallow finalists ahead at the interval by 3-12 to 1-6.
On the changeover Cloughduv needed a big start to have any chance to get back into the tie. They looked threatening early on but on a number of occasion they found it difficult to break down a stubborn Kilbrin backline.
The Mid Cork side had two wides in quick succession before Brian Aherne had a point in the 35th minute.
However, any chance of a revival was quickly dashed seven minutes later when a great clearance out of the defence by Wesley Corkery found Garrett Lenihan whose delivery set up Shane Crowley for their fourth goal to surge into a 4-14 to 1-7 lead.
With the game over a contest the last 18 minutes were merely going through the motions. Cloughduv to their credit battled hard but they were too far adrift at the interval.
Mark Verling, Joe Ryan and Kevin Walsh added three more points for them before the full time whistle, while Eoin Sheahan completed the scoring for Kilbrin with a point. Kilbrin now meet Russell Rovers in the county quarter-final this Friday night in Fermoy.
KILBRIN: P O’Callaghan, W Corkery, T O’Reilly 1-0, C Buttimer, D Sheehan, W Egan 0-1, C Carroll, S Crowley 1-1, D O’Sullivan, G Lenihan 0-4, M Lenihan, S O’Reilly 0-6 (0-2f) D Daly 0-1, E Sheahan 2-2 W Heffernan Subs: E Murphy for D O’Sullivan, D O’Sullivan for D Daly
CLOUGHDUV: J Buckley, J Moynihan, P O’Sullivan, A Cronin, L Long, A Ahern, A Murphy, D Corkery, S Curzon, K Walsh 0-1, M Verling 0-5 (0-3f. 0-1 ‘65) M Walsh 0-1, B Ahern 0-1, J Ryan 1-2, E Clifford Subs: S O’Connor for S Curzon, J McCarthy for P O’Sullivan, L Kelleher for L Long, B Verling for E Clifford, K Murphy for B Ahern
REFEREE: Dave O’Farrell (Jnr) (Mitchelstown)