Blarney power surge ends Duhallow U-21 hurlers challenge

Blarney 1-17 Duhallow 0-17

BLARNEY made a winning start to the County Premier 1 U-21 Hurling Championship after overcoming a gritty Duhallow in a lively encounter at Glantane last Sunday.

At crucial stages to this delayed opening round, the first touch of Blarney proved much more efficient. For the best part of the hour, it was anybody’s game with the sides swapping the lead before Blarney talisman Padraig Power came up with the dividends to shoot a 0-13 tally, his closing three scores divided the sides.

Greasy conditions didn’t hinder the early exchanges with entertaining endeavour from both sides. Blarney had started with a sense of urgency with Power, Cathal Hegarty and Shane Barrett on target. A wind assisted Duhallow came more into the picture, availing of the solid workrate of Cian Crowley, Ryan Walsh, Neil Flahive and Tomás Howard to the fore and a run of points helped alter the scoreboard in their favour. However Blarney capitalised on a decent move, William Crowley placed namesake Patrick for a cracking goal, helping Blarney enjoy a 1-9 to 0-11 advantage at the break.

On the restart, Blarney held the initiative, driven on by the influence of Declan Hanlon, Ben Ahern, Alan McEvoy, Barrett and Power. White flags from Power and substitute Cian Dunlea helped the Mid Cork side consolidate their position.

Credit Duhallow for mounting a buoyant challenge, points to the powerful Walsh and Howard helped square up the contest for the 10th occasion. With the possibility of extra time looming, Blarney held the whip-hand on the run in, Power bisecting the uprights from both play and frees.

Late on Duhallow attempted to rescue the situation yet a number of late raids bore no reward of a needed goal. Some compensation for Duhallow, they can avail of a back door and a meeting against Fr. O’Neills while Blarney taking a direct route and a clash against Shandrum this weekend. BLARNEY: C Murphy; G Mullane, C Power, O Hegarty; D Quill, D Hannon, B Ahern; A McEvoy, M J Shine; C Hegarty 0-1, P Crowley 1-0, S Barrett 0-2; M Cummins, P Power 0-13 (8f), W Crowley. Subs: C Dunlea 0-1 for C Power (20 inj), S Mullane for C Hegarty (52).

DUHALLOW: B Kenneally (Kanturk); C Coughlan (Banteer), A Browne (Newmarket), D Buckley (Millstreet); B O’Sullivan (Kanturk), C O’Callaghan (Dromtariffe), P Browne (Newmarket); R Walsh (Kanturk) 0-8 (5f), N Flahive (Millstreet); C Crowley (Newmarket) 0-2, C Browne (Newmarket) 0-2, E Murphy (Dromtariffe) 0-1; A Coughlan (Banteer), T Howard (Dromtariffe) 0-4, N Linehan (Meelin). Subs: R O’Keeffe (Newmarket) for A Coughlan (39), J Curtin (Meelin) for A Browne (42), C Murphy (Banteer) for D Buckley (47), L Philpott (Banteer) for P Browne (49), D Murphy (Castlemagner) for C Browne (49).

REFEREE: J Murphy (Castletownroche)