Saints have too much for Grenagh in first round

St Catherines 1-17 Grenagh 0-15

NEWLY promoted St Catherines had five points to spare over Grenagh in the County IHC at Killavullen on Sunday.

Exchanges were close for long periods. A goal for St. Catherine’s in the 49th minute proved a match winning score. Grenagh opened the scoring through Paul Barry Murphy. Conor Kearney levelled in the third minute.

The sides were level 0-2 and 0-3 each by the 12th minute. Daniel Mangan with a very good point edged the winners ahead. Shane O’Brien (2) and Philip Keane opened up a lead 0-8 to 0-3.

Aonghus Duggan struck a long range point for the Mid Cork side. Further pressure by the winners had them ahead 0-9 to 0-4 after 22 minutes. A long range delivery by Kelvin Cummins found Adrian O’Neill who added a point.

Brian Mulcahy replied for Catherine’s. In injury time a sideline by Kevin O’Neill led to a great Adrian O’Neill point as the lead was down to four at the break 0-10 to 0- 6.

Catherines did well on the restart but two good saves by Conor Buckley kept the score down. Good play by Liam O’Connor led to a great Daniel Mangan point. Seamus Cronin replied with a pointed free.

Grenagh moved Tom Kenny to centre-forward with Sean Bourke going to the edge of the square. Good play by Kelvin Cummins and Gerry Russell led to a number of Grenagh attacks and scores that cut the lead to the minimum 0-14 to 0-13 entering the final quarter.

The deciding score came in the 49th minute when Shane O’Brien worked well for Daniel Mangan who goaled. Grenagh replied with a point by Seamus Cronin. Sean O’Brien and Kelvin Cummins swapped a point with Sean O’Brien (free) and Daniel Mangan completing the scoring as St Catherine’s advanced to Round 3.

Grenagh will now await the beaten side from St. Finbarr’s v Mayfield.

E Aherne, E Wallace, S Morris, K Neville, L O’Connor, C Hegarty 0-1, J Neville, S O’Brien 0-7f, C Kearney 0-1, R Galvin, B Mulcahy 0-2, S Cotter, R Galvin, D Mangan 1-3, P Keane 0-2 Sub: B O’Brien 0-1 for R Galvin

GRENAGH : C Buckley, A Kiely, K Cummins 0-1, P McCarthy, A Duggan 0-1, G Russell, M O’Riordan, K O’Neill, P Barry-Murphy 0-1, A O’Neill 0-3, S Bourke 0-3f. S Cronin 0-4 (0-2f), L Walsh, T Kenny 0-1, P McSweeney 0-1 Sub: A Buckley for L Walsh.

REFEREE: Dave Farrell (Jnr) (Mitchelstown)