Goals provide the platform for Blarney win
Blarney 3-10 Kanturk 0-14
ALL important momentum proved decisive for Blarney to overcome Kanturk in a keenly contested Co. JAHL (Group 1) Final played at the Pairc Uí Chaoimh 4G. Goals at crucial stages swung the initiative in favour of Blarney’s third team, their ability to carve out opportunities proved decisive to the outcome.
Despite the lateness of the season, a fast moving contest surfaced, Kanturk contributing handsomely to the entertaining fare on parade. Kanturk enjoyed a decent start with Kevin Smith, Conor Breen and Eoin Geaney to the fore with Gavin Keneghen and Donough Duane popping over points.
Though Colm Sheehan answered with Blarney points, Duane kept the scoreboard ticking over for Kanturk with placed balls. However coming up to the break, the initiative veered to Blarney, Barry Dennehy performed the spadework for Damien Hyde to net.
And in a duplicate move, Hyde added a second for force parity 2-4 to 0-10 at the break. Picking up where they had laid off, the perfect restart for Blarney, good work by Sheehan set up substitute Donal O’Leary for a goal.
Blarney were really tuned in now, Sean Twomey, Brian Deasy, Padraig Conway and Robbie White catching the eye. As Kanturk attempted to redress the situation with points to Duane and Geaney, Blarney never panicked and remained a safe distance ahead by the full time whistle. BLARNEY: J Doody; A O’Shea, S Twomey, D McPolin; B Deasy, D Cronin, P Conway; C Foley, R White;
C Sheehan 0-5 (0-3f, 0-1’65), J O’Sullivan 0-1, D Kelly 0-1f; D Hyde 2-1, N Hayes, B Dennehy. Subs. D O’Leary 1-1 for N Hayes,O Hegarty for C Foley, C Buckley for B Dennehy, C Forde for D Hyde, C Sykes 0-1 for J O’Sullivan.
KANTURK: B Kenneally; A Murphy, K Smith, C Murphy; C Breen, S Walsh, E Geaney 0-1; K Holland, W Murphy 0-1; M O’Riordan`0-1, D Duane 0-6 (0-5f), C Mullane 0-1; J Carver, C Burke 0-1, G Keneghen 0-2. Subs. P Leahy for C Mullane, C O’Donoughue 0-1 for C Burke, A Corbett for W Murphy, J Buckley for G Keneghen, R Wallace for J Carver.
REFEREE: C Egan (Glen Rovers)