Wayward shooting hampers Kanturk in county minor decider

REBEL ÓG PREMIER 2 MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

St Colman’s 2-11 Kanturk 0-15

KANTURK failed to do themselves justice on the big stage by incurring a narrow loss to St. Colmans in a dramatic Rebel Óg Premier 2

Minor Hurling Championship Final at Páirc Uí Rinn.

The truth is Kanturk contributed enormously to their own downfall on failing to captialise on glorious opportunities.

Excellent approach work was offset by finishing that lacked the polish required, not least on shooting 18 wides as against six for the Cloyne and Russell Rovers combination.

Kanturk might well had goaled early on, full-forward Alan Walsh narrowly wide of the target.

At the opposite end, St Colmans maximised hard won possession, goals from Craig O’Driscoll and Noel Cahill swept the East Cork side ahead 2-2 to 0-0 inside 10 minutes.

Having passed up a glut of chances, Kanturk settled from points to Rory Sheahan, Brian

O’Sullivan and Colin Walsh. However Kanturk were thankful to ‘keeper Grantas Bucinskas on denying Ruairi Cummins a goal chance.

Colmans extended their position on points from Eanna Motherway and Conor Cahill only for Kanturk to answer from points to Brian O’Sullivan and Colin Walsh to trail 2-6 to 0-7 at the interval.

Kanturk stepped up the tempo after the restart, points from Matthew Hooton, Walsh, O’Sullivan and Sheahan levelled matters to ensure an absorbing last quarter. O’Sullivan nudged Kanturk ahead yet there remained a second coming from Donal Óg Cusack young charges on regaining the initiative and late points from Daniel Cronin and Noel Cahill swung a close contest in favour of St Colmans.

D Costine; A O’Lomasney, A Sherlock, C O’Brien; S Walsh, E Motherway 0-1, J De Vries; O McGovern, D Byrne; J Falvey, D Cronin 0-1f, C Cahill 0-3; R Cummins, N Cahill 1-5, C O’Driscoll 1-1. Sub: M O’Dwyer for J Falvey (33).

G Bucinkas; C Sullivan, E Hayes, E McAuliffe; S Hopkins, T Walsh, C Sheahan; B O’Sullivan 0-7 (6f), O O’Connor; D Grey, C Walsh 0-4, M Hooton 0-1; D O’Connor, A Walsh 0-1, R Sheahan 0-2.

C Carroll for M Hooton (55).