Dalton’s scoring prowess leads O’Neills to last four
Fr. O’Neills 1-19 Charleville 0-16
FR O’Neill’s had 6 points to spare over Charleville in the County Under-21 Premier 1 HC third round at Kilworth on Sunday. This was a lively contest played in good weather all through. Declan Dalton was in outstanding for the winners while Darrasgh Fitzgibbon excelled all through for the Rathluirc side. Declan Dalton had three pointed frees for the winenrs in the opening minutes. Conor Buckley point for Charleville. Points by Declan Dalton (free) and Billy Dunne opened up a lead 0-5 to 0-1 after 12 minutes.
Darragh Fitzagibbon pointed a free but John Hankard replied as the East Cork side moved 0-6 to 0-2 clear. Jake Madigan pointed for Charleville. Declan Dalton and Darragh Fitzgibbon exchanged pointed frees with Billy Dunne with an 18 minute point edging the winners 0-8 to 0-4 clear. Tim Hawe had a very good point for the North Cork side. Dalton pointed a sideline cut with Fitzgibbon (free) adn Colin Swayne exchanging a point as the winenrs led 0-10 to 0-6. In the closing moments both
REFEREE: Dalton and Fitzgibbon swopped another point as the winners led at the break 0-11 to 0- 7.
Charleville did well on the resumption. Four poinbts on the trot by Fitzgibbon (3) and Jake Madigan levelled at 0-11 each. Declan Dalton pointed another free and followed with a sidleine cut as the East Cork side moved two points clear. Darragh Fitzgibbon with two good points levelled at 0-15 each after 47 minutes. Adrian Kenneally and Jack Doyle swopped a point as Charleville led 0-16 to 0-14.
That was Charleville’s last score. O’Neill’s dominated in the last 13 minutes, they had a goal and six points without reply. Mark Motherway had their goal with Declan Dalton having some good points and Billy Dunne finished the scoring with a great point in injury time.
FR O’NEILLS: C Sloane, M Millerick, S O’Connor, R Kenneally, A Kenneally 0-1, G Millerick, C O’Connor, D Harrington, J Millerick, C Swayne 0-1, D Dalton 0-14 (10f, 2 s/l, 1 ‘65’), C Broderick, E Motherway, J Hankard 0-1, B Dunne 0-2. Subs: P Hassett for C O’Connor, M Motherway 1-0 for C Swayne, W Abernethy for E Motherway, A Leahy for J Millerick.
CHARLEVILLE: C Collins, D Butler, J Meade, K Cagney, S Buckley, F Cagney, C O’Carroll, J Callaghan, J Kennedy, D Fitzgibbon 0-10 (8f), J Doyle 0-1, J Madigan 0-3, C Buckley 0-1, A O’Connor, T Hawe 0-1.
REFEREE: Andrew Larkin (Shamrocks)