Easy win for Cork Minor hurlers
Cork Minor hurlers eased their way to the semi-finals of this year’s Electric Ireland Munster Minor HC when they ran out easy winners over Limerick in this round robin format at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Tuesday evening. Over the hour the winners had some very impressive displays with corner forward Ross O’Sullivan in devastating form finishing with a personal tally of 3-9.
The opening stages saw Cork who defeated Kerry in their opening game start in a very determined manner. Ross O’Sullivan and James Murray had two points each as they moved 0-4 to no score in front by the 6th minute. Limerick opened their account soon after when Tadgh Hourigan set up Pierce Connery for a well taken point.
At this stage Cork were creating most of the running. In the 8th minute Timmy Wilk set up Ross O’Sullivan who was denied by a great save by the Limerick keeper Fionn O’Brien at the expense of a ‘65’. At the other end Limerick created a couple of chances but a number of their efforts dropped short and were dealt capably by the Cork keeper Daniel O’Connell. Cork struck for the first of their four goals in the 11th minute when a delivery by the impressive Tadgh O’Leary-Hayes resulted in Sean O’Donoghue cutting through the Limerick defence and billowing to the net from a tight angle 1-5 to 0-1.
Over the next couple of minutes Ross O’Sullivan, Pierce Connery, Jayden Casey and Darren Collopy swapped points before Limerick came thundering back into the contest in the 14th minute when a good clearance by Diarmuid Lyons saw Darren Collopy win possession on the edge of the square and he finished to the net from close range.
The margin was down to three points soon after when Bradley Moran with a huge free back in his own half backline closed the gap to 1-7 to 1-4. Limerick tried very hard to reduce the deficit further but it was the better equipped Cork side that dominated the remainder of the half with Tadgh O’Leary-Hayes, James O’Brien, Daniel Murnane, Peter O’Shea, Ben Walsh, Timmy Wilk, Ross O’Sullivan, James Murray and Sean O’Donoghue commanding figures. In the 20th minute Cork were denied a certain goal when Ben Walsh set up Ross O’Sullivan who was denied by a marvellous save by the Limerick keeper Fionn O’Brien. Nevertheless some well taken points increased their advantage to 1-10 to 1-5 before they struck for their second goal in the 26th minute when a great delivery by James Murray was fetched by Ross O’Sullivan on the edge of the square who scored a cracking goal. In the closing moments James Murray, Bradley Moran, Timmy Wilk and Darragh Langan swapped some fine points as Cork deservingly held a 2-12 to 1-7 lead at the interval.
On the changeover the expected Limerick challenge never ignited and instead it was Cork that continued to set the tone. Ben Walsh, Adam O’Sullivan and James Murray reeled off early points before the home side struck for their 3rd goal in the 34th minute when Ben Walsh and Timmy Wilk linked up well with Ross O’Sullivan eventually finishing to the net following a goal mouth scramble 3-15 to 1-7. Limerick who had some good displays by Conor Frawley, Bradley Moran, Pierce Connery and Mark Field regrouped once again. In the 39th minute Fionn O’Brien’s puckout was gathered by Pierce Connery on the ‘40’ who scored from long range. Two minutes later Mark Field cut through the heart of the Cork rearguard to score their second goal that closed the margin to 3-15 to 2-8.
Any hopes of a Limerick revival were dashed in the 43rd minute when good work by Adam O’Sullivan saw Ross O’Sullivan score his third goal that raced Cork ahead 4-17 to 2-9. The last quarter was merely going through the motions. Darren Collopy (3) Ross O’Sullivan (2) Ciaran McMahon, Adam O’Sullivan, Timmy Wilk and Pierce Connery having points for their respective sides as Cork marched onto the semi-finals. Limerick who had a bye last weekend are still in the hunt for a place in the semi-finals. They face Kerry next week and they should be expected to come through to join Cork in the semi-finals with Waterford, Clare and Tipperary battling it out in the other group.
Scorers for Cork: Ross O’Sullivan 3-9 (0-4f) James Murray 0-4, Adam O’Sullivan 0-3, Sean O’Donoghue 1-0, Timmy Wilk 0-2, Jayden Casey 0-1, Ben Walsh 0-1, Daniel Murnane 0-1.
Limerick: Darren Collopy 1-5 (0-4f) Pierce Connery 0-4, Bradley Moran 0-3 (0-2f, 0-1 ‘65’), Mark Field 1-0, Darragh Langan 0-1, Ciaran McMahon 0-1.
Cork: Daniel O’Connell (Dromina), Tadgh O’Leary/Hayes (Midleton), James O’Brien (Fermoy), Eoin Guinane (Valley Rovers), Sean Ahern (Bandon), Daniel Murnane (Carrigtwohill) Matthew Woods (Valley Rovers) Peter O’Shea (Erins Own) Ben Walsh (Killeagh), Adam O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), Timmy Wilk (Cobh), Jayden Casey (Youghal), Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh) James Murray (Youghal) Sean O’Donoghue (St Catherine’s). Subs: Cian Buckley (St Finbarr’s) for Sean Ahern, Eoin O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum) for Ben Walsh, Dylan McCarthy (Killeagh) for Ross O’Sullivan, Stephen Lynam (Glen Rovers) for Sean O’Donoghue, Oisin Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s) for Daniel Murnane (inj).
Limerick: Fionn O’Brien (Bruree), Billy Earls (Patrickswell), Shane Fitzgibbon ( Dromin-Athlacca/ Banogue), Jack Daly (Croom), Diarmuid Lyons (Newcastlewest), Conor Frawley (Bruree), Darragh Langan (Monaleen), Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret/St Paul’s), Owen Meaney (Bruff), Pierce Connery (Kilmallock), Bradley Moran (Na Piarsaigh), Mark Field (Monaleen), Tadgh Hourigan (Pallasgreen), Josh Sheehan (Na Piarsaigh), Darren Collopy (Murroe-Boher). Subs Michael O’Riordan (Bruff) for Josh Sheehan, Ben Murnane (Monaleen) for Diarmuid Lyons, Ciaran McMahon (KildimoPallaskenry) for Bradley Moran, Patrick Mooney (Staker Wallace) for Jack Daly, Sean Hartigan (KildimoPallaskenry) for Tadgh Hourigan.
Referee: Jarlath Donnellan (Clare).