Paudie points the way as Cashel’s late burst stuns Midleton

Cashel CS 2-11 Midleton CBS 1-9

In many ways, this was a tough result for Midleton to swallow as after battling mightily for 55 minutes and leading 1-9 to 1-7 with eight minutes remaining, Cashel upped the tempo.

Paudie White, scorer of all his side’s seven second-half points, hit four late gems and substitute Ivan O’Dwyer-McNamara added a late goal to leave Midleton now facing a must-win game against Waterford Colleges.

There were some terrific performers in both camps, with the all-action Ryan O’Dwyer showing his class early with a Cashel point after only 10 seconds.

Sean Hennessy too was making his presence felt for Midleton as three frees from the centre forward had his side 0-3 to 0-2 ahead after the opening quarter.

Midleton, with the wind at their backs in the opening half, continued to pile on the pressure and with Paudie Wall and Evan O’Keeffe on top at midfield, points from the former and another Hennessy free had the Cork side motoring nicely.

But Cashel were full of menace and a terrific run by the live-wire O’Dwyer in the 23rd minute set up Tommy Comerford for a goal and three minutes later, Brian Maher had another disallowed for an infringement.

The Midleton reply was incisive and when Eoin Aherne pounced for a 27th minute goal to give them a 1-5 to 1-4 lead, the portents for a good second half were clear.

And a cracking second half it was as Midleton, with Pádraig O’Sullivan now hurling well at centre back, stretching their lead with a point from new free-taker Alan Morrissey. But Cashel, steely in defence where James Heffernan and Mike Heelan were outstanding, were well up for the fight and after the third quarter it was 1-7 apiece and a real no-nonsense contest.

Heelan went so close for Cashel, O’Sullivan likewise for Midleton and when Hennessy and Brian Lawton tacked on Midleton points it was looking good for the Cork side.

But the keen eye and marksmanship of White and O’Dwyer-McNamara’s late goal, after being set up by James Hayes, won the day for Cashel.

Scorers: Cashel CS - P White 0-7 (0-4 frees), T Comerford, I O’Dwyer-McNamara 1-0 each, R O’Dwyer 0-2, E Barrett, J Forrestal 0-1 each. Midleton CBS - S Hennessy 0-5 (0-4 frees), E Aherne 1-0, B Lawton 0-2, E O’Keeffe, A Morrissey (free) 0-1 each.

CASHEL C.S: J Dudley; J O’Keeffe, J O’Dwyer, J Keane; M Heelan, J Heffernan, P Hayes; J Hayes, B Maher; T Comerford, R O’Dwyer, J Forrestal; E Barrett, P White, D O’Brien. Subs: A Maher for Barrett, I O’Dwyer-McNamara for Comerford.

MIDLETON CBS: C Cronin; C Fogarty, C Leahy, A Kearney; J O’Mahony, L Day, P O’Sullivan; P Wall, E O’Keeffe; A Morrissey, S Hennessy, A Roberts; B Lawton, J Walsh, E Aherne. Sub: P O’Shea for Roberts.

Referee: M Meade (Limerick).