O’Sullivan sparkles in victory
The silken skills of Cork minor Maurice O’Sullivan was the main difference between the sides. He made light of the difficult underfoot conditions to score a goal and six points of his side’s tally.
In a full-blooded contest, where there wasn’t a foul blow struck, two evenly matched sides were level at the break 0-6 (Ballyhea) to 1-3. But when O’Sullivan finished a splendid three- man move to the net in the 37th minute followed by a succession of points the defending champions led 1-10 to 1-4 and the signs looked ominous for Mallow.
Hurling with tremendous conviction Ballyhea took complete control and a second goal by Edward Rea put his side into an unassailable lead.
Scorers, Ballyhea: M O’Sullivan 1-6 (0-1 free), E Rea 1-1, E O’Regan 0-2, S O’Sullivan, T Shanahan 0-1 each.
Mallow: B Carey, S Leahy 1-2 each, S Cusack 0-2 (0-1 free).
BALLYHEA: D O’Donoghue, H O’Leary, M Morrissey, K O’Riordan, J O’Riordan, B Coleman, L O’Connor, O O’Sullivan, E O’Regan, E Rea, J O’Sullivan, T Shanahan, M O’Sullivan, S Coleman, S O’Sullivan. Sub. C O’Riordan for S Coleman.
MALLOW: J Hayes, R O’Sullivan, D Hayes, J Lucey, R Daly, D Coughlan, D O’Callaghan, S Cusack, B Gleeson, B Carey, K O’Halloran, E Carroll, B O’Riordan, S Leahy, C Stokes. Subs. J Cronin for Lucey, F O’Neill for Carroll.
Referee: W Magnier (Castletownroche).
