Shandrum come up short in replay to rampant Bride Rovers

Bride Rovers 1-23 Shandrum 1-10

BRIDE Rovers claimed the P2 MHC at the second time of asking seeing off Shandrum by 10 points in Mourneabbey last Saturday afternoon. After playing out a thrilling draw on the first occasion the sides again went at this one right from the off, but on the day the better side deservedly took the spoils.

Led by talisman Conor Barry, full-forward Brian Roche and centre back Patrick O’Flynn the Imokilly side were made to battle hard all game as the Avondhu boys put it up to their opponents from the first to the final whistle with Conor Griffin, number six Cormac O’Brien and midfielder Jack Twomey the pick of their young stars.

Any thoughts that this one may not live up to the hype were quickly dashed as the sides shared 10 points in the first 10 minutes.

Rovers just about held sway for the opening quarter with the north Cork side responding each time a question was asked, but a quick-fire 1-5 without response from the 15thto the 23rdminute rattled Shandrum.

Brian Roche’s well-worked goal on 18 minutes looked like it would be the crucial score with Barry, Edmond Cashman, Kieran Kearney and Keeny adding to the Shandrum pain.

Shandrum centre-back O’Brien kept his side in touch with a quartet of long range frees before full-forward Griffin hit two frees and a wonderfully worked goal on the stroke of the break. No question but momentum looked to be with the trailing side as they headed in for the half time interval. (1-11 to 1-09 in favour of Rovers).

Shandrum may well have had the wind in their sails but Rovers had the bit between their teeth as the champions out-gunned their opponents by 0-12 to 0-4 after the break as they cruised to a wonderful victory.

B Hogan; R O’Sullivan, J Mannix, M Quinn; J Buckley, P O’Flynn 0-2f, E Roche; K Kearney 0-1, G O’Sullivan 0-2; C Barry 0-11 (8f), C Hogan 0-1, C Ryan 0-1; E Cashman 0-2, B Roche 1-2, S Knox 0-1 Subs: O Roche for S Knox (57), S Aherne for J Buckley (58) SHANDRUM: E Finn; B Pulis, K O’Sullivan, P O’Sullivan; C Boles, C O’Brien 0-6f, S McCarthy; C Shanahan, J Twomey 0-1; J O’Riordan, L Morrissey 0-1, P Drinan; R Geary 0-1, C Griffin 1-4 (0-4f), A O’Leary Subs: C O’Mahony for R Geary (50), C O’Flynn for J O’Riordan (54), M O’Keeffe for B Pulis (56), J Twohill for S McCarthy (58), M Quinn for C Shanahan (59)

REFEREE: D Kirwan (Éire Óg)