Tom Huggins leads CBC charge to Dean Ryan Cup semi-finals

CBC will face Thurles CBS in the Dean Ryan Cup semi-finals after their 12-points victory over Midleton CBS.

Tom Huggins scored seven points for CBC as they defeated Midleton CBS to reach the Dean Ryan Cup semi-finals. Pic: David Creedon

Dean Ryan Cup: CBC Cork 1-20 Midleton CBS 0-11

Christian Brothers College Cork will meet Thurles CBS in the semi-finals of the Dean Ryan Cup after they comfortably defeated Midleton CBS on the SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh astro-turf on Friday afternoon.

Christians had nine different scorers across the hour and a strong second half performance was enough to see off their Cork rivals to book their place in the last four of the Munster GAA Post Primary Schools U17 A hurling championship.

Playing with the wind in the first half, Midleton started brightly and thanks to the superb free taking of Sam Ring, they led 0-5 to 0-2 by the 20th minute.

But they ought to have led by more though as they also led the wide count 5-2 at that juncture while also spurning a couple of goal scoring opportunities.

CBC would make them pay the price for those missed chances as they finished the first period strongly and Danny O’Donovan’s powerful finish to the net after Ben Hayes’ point attempt came back off the post helped them lead by the minimum at the break, 1-4 to 0-6.

That goal would be all that separated the sides by the 37th minute, with the help of Tom Huggins’ converted free which began a period of dominance that ultimately won the game for Christians.

They would register the next six points without reply, thanks largely to Huggins, before Conor Ronayne finally ended the sequence for Midleton in the 47th minute to leave the score 1-15 to 0-10.

CBS needed goals but all they could muster was one more point from Sam Ring before full-time while CBC added to their tally through Huggins and Bobby Power to seal a showdown with Thurles in the semis in style.

Scorers for CBC Cork: T Huggins (0-7, 6f), D O’Donovan (1-1), B Hegarty and B Power (0-3 each), B Hayes (0-2), C McCarthy, A Maher, G Kingston and J Punch (0-1 each).

Scorers for Midleton CBS: S Ring (0-6, 5f), C Ronayne and J O’Sullivan (0-2 each), L Walsh (0-1).

CBC CORK: K Abdelrazik (Castlelyons); J Harrington (Ballincollig), P McCarthy (Blackrock), D Cronin (Blarney); C Kelly (Midleton), C Stack (Blackrock), C McCarthy (Ballincollig); B Hayes (Bishopstown), A Maher (Sarsfields); G Kingston (Mallow), B Hegarty (Ballinora), J Punch (Blackrock); T Huggins (Sarsfields), D O’Donovan (Douglas), B Power (Ballincollig).

Subs: A Kirwan (Blackrock) for J Punch (45), S Lynch (Sliabh Rua) for C McCarthy (45), S Riordan (Kilworth) for B Hegarty (52), O Kingston (Ballinora) for A Maher (57), B Ó Dálaigh (Midleton) for D O’Donovan (57).

MIDLETON CBS: W Stokes (Midleton); B Dunlea (Midleton), D Guiney (Lisgoold), C O’Brien (St Colman’s); D Cahill (St Colman’s), F Cahill (Midleton), C Smiddy (Kiltha Óg), A Hennessy (Midleton), C Ronayne (Midleton); C McCarthy (Midleton), D Sheehan (St Colman’s), P Murphy (Fr O’Neills); J O’Sullivan (Midleton), S Ring (Carrigtwohill), L Walsh (Midleton).

Subs: A Molumby (Midleton) for C McCarthy (38), P O’Connor (Lisgoold) for P Murphy (47), D Walsh (St Colman’s) for D Sheehan (54).

Referee: Mark Maher (St Finbarr’s).