Hurlers must go again in bid for county title honours
CHARLEVILLE’S hurlers’ bid for senior status was put on hold, but they lived to fight another day when they drew with Ballinspittle side, Courcey Rovers, before a large local contingent at Pairc Ui Chaoimh in the County final of the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship last Sunday on a score-line of 1-9 to 0-12.
The locals had a nervous start, were slow to settle, and the Rovers were first on the score sheet with a point and it took five minutes before Darragh Fitzgibbon had Charleville’s first after a series of wides by a number of players. In fact, they were to hit a total of 16 wides throughout the game, thus flittering away their chances of success.
The Charleville defence was resolute and competently dealt with the Courcey forwards.
The teams were evenly matched and swapped score for score with points from Tim Hawe and Mark Kavanagh, until Darragh Fitzgibbon’s goal on the 20th minute put some daylight between the teams. But not for long, as back came Rovers with a point to make it a two-point game. However, Mark Kavanagh’s free taking tacked on another point to bring the game to half-time with Charleville leading by 1-3 to 0-3.
The second half was a repeat of the first with neither side getting on top, but Charleville went three points up only to be hauled back by a determined Rovers, who finished strongly, earning the draw practically at the final whistle to deny the North Cork men on the above score line.
The game will be replayed next Monday at Pairc Ui Rinn at 3.15pm.
Scorers for Charleville were; D. Fitzgibbon ( 1-2), M. Kavanagh (0- 4 0-3 from frees), T. Hawe, D. O’Flynn and J. Doyle (0-1 each). The team; C. Collins, D. Butler, J. Meade, F. Cagney, A. Dennehy, J. Buckley, C. Carroll. J. O’Callaghan, J. Doyle, M. Kavanagh, C. Buckley, D. Fitzgibbon, A. Cagney, D. O’Flynn, (Capt.), T. Hawe; subs: J. Kennedy for J. O’Callaghan (bs), P. J. Copps for A. Cagney, J. Kennedy for T. Hawe.