Kildorrery drop points to strong Watergrasshill

COUNTY IHL DIVISION 2 Watergrasshill 2-16 Kildorrery 1-13 WATERGRASSHILL with a good second half workout claimed the points against Kildorrery in the Rochestown Park Hotel Division 2 County IHL at Castletownroche on Thursday.

In a high scoring encounter Kildorrery started at a blistering pace and helped by an Eamon O'Connor goal and a series of well taken points by Stephen Coughlan, Finbarr Stapleton and David Kelly they raced into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead by the 7th minute. Watergrasshill quickly settled with Shane O'Regan a dominant figure at midfield and moments later they were right back in the tie when Paddy O'Regan set up Ben Halbert for a goal.

Kildorrery still looked very threatening and at the end of the first quarter three pointed frees by Peter O'Brien moved them ahead 1-6 to 1-2. However as the half went on the Watergrasshill challenge quickly grew in stature.

In the 20th minute Shane O'Regan was denied a goal scoring chance when the Kildorrery keeper James McEniry made a great save off the line at the expense of a '65'. Moments later they made amends for their earlier miss when Denis O'Farrell finished to the net following a goal mouth scramble 1-7 to 2-3. In the run up to the break a number of points were traded by both teams as Kildorrery held a 1-10 to 2-5 lead at the interval.

For the second half Watergrasshill started in a very determined manner with Noel O'Riordan, Shane O'Regan, Paudie Cahill, Jason Foley, Paddy O'Regan and Eoin Barry commanding figures and five points on the trot by Jason Foley, Shane O'Regan, Ben Halbert and corner back Anthony Cronin moved them ahead 2-10 to 1-10.

Just when the East Cork side seemed in the ascendancy Kildorrery with limited possession in this half thundered their way back into the tie. Peter O'Brien pointed two frees before a long range effort by Stephen Coughlan levelled matters at 2-10 to 1-13 with ten minutes remaining.

Try as they might this proved to be Kildorrery’s last score with Watergrasshill finishing in a flurry. Shane O'Regan and Jason Foley added five points between them before substitute Michael Kennedy completed the scoring with an injury time point for the winners as they ran out deserving victors. WATERGRASSHILL: A Foley, D Quirke, I Gardiner, A Cronin 0-1, P O'Regan, N O'Riordan, B Fenton, S O'Regan 0-9 (3f, 2 '65', 1 sideline), E Barry, S O'Callaghan 0-1, P Cahill, W Connolly, B Halbert 1-0, J Foley 0-4, D O'Farrell 1-0. Subs: P Cronin for D Quirke, M Kennedy 01 for B Halbert, P Leahy for P Cahill (inj) KILDORRERY: J McEniry, T Monaghan, S Fitzgerald, J Walsh, R McEniry, M Walsh, J O'Gorman, M Lillis, C O'Baoil, F Stapleton 0-2, P O'Brien 0-7 (6f), S Kelly, D Kelly 02, E O'Connor 1-0, S Coughlan 02. Subs: J Howard for J Walsh (inj), R Lillis for R McEniry (inj), S Walsh for C O'Baoil. REF: Ml Sheedy (Shanballymore)