Newcestown to win tough battle with Ballyhea
WITHOUT question the match of the round, between two clubs steeped in hurling tradition. Both should have won this grade before but have always come up short. Ballinhassig’s promotion to the senior ranks has now opened the way.
This is the third meeting in a row between the sides, with the results standing at a win apiece. On each occasion only a point separated the teams. Ballyhea are young but full of enthusiasm. Neil Ronan is their top player, with Maurice O’Sullivan, Aidan Crowley, Ian Ronan and long-serving Ollie Morrissey all set to start.
Newcestown, who will be without John Crowley because of a broken finger, showed just how serious they are by not letting any of their players play with the division in the senior championship on Wednesday night.
They will field a very experienced side including Jim O’Sullivan, Pat Kenneally, Kevin Long, John Wilson, along with youngsters Ger O’Driscoll and Cathrach Keane, and will start as slight favourites.
: A Newcestown win.
BECAUSE they used only one sub in their senior victory over Castlelyons midweek, Blackrock field a very strong side. Joe Young, Gary Norberg, David Coughlan, Kevin Murphy, Kevin Cummins, TJ Coughlan and Paul O’Sullivan should all figure.
Ballygarvan are hit by the loss of Ken Ashman (knee injury) and Finbarr Barry (shoulder). Their league form hasn’t been great and it will take a massive effort on the part of Ger Spillane, his brother Joe, Stephen White, Shane O’Leary, Cian Ó Conchúir and Damien O’Sullivan to win.
: A Blackrock win.
DUHALLOW, who won two county titles in the early ‘90s, are one of the few divisions who take the SFC seriously. Unfortunately they will be without Barry O’Leary, who broke a leg in a recent challenge game against Kerins O’Rahilly’s, but there is an amount of talent within the division.
They include Kieran Murphy in goal, with Dromtarriffe’s Seamus O’Sullivan, Colm Murphy, Denis O’Brien (Newmarket), Dave O’Riordan (Kanturk), and Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond).
Depending on what players make themselves available — CIT are in the middle of exams — the students could field a very strong side. Five Cork Under-21 footballers are eligible — Ray Carey, Paul O’Flynn, Daniel Goulding, James McCarthy and Kevin Canty. They must plan without injured captain Eamon O’Connor, however.
: A Duhallow win.
YOUGHAL are decimated with injuries. John Grace (broken finger), Cathal Casey (hamstring), Michael O Laochada (suspended) are unavailable. Brendan Ring is a serious doubt.
County minor Lee Desmond plays, along with evergreen Vincie Murray, Mike O’Brien, Killian Coleman and Martin O’Brien. But they will have to play well to better an Inniscarra team with their own problems.
Exams have hampered their preparations, while regular goalkeeper Kevin Murphy is injured. Jonathan Olden, John O’Mahony, Gerard Burke, Dan O’Connell and county minor John O’Callaghan all start.
: An Inniscarra win.
The Barr’s league form has been poor but are boosted by the availability of senior panellists Fergal O’Mahony, Aidan Cronin, Colin Maher, Niall Hosford and Ross O’Dwyer.
Aghabullogue have put in a huge effort. Long-serving Richard Tarrant (he won a county junior medal in 1991), Tim Buckley, Dan Twomey and Pat Finnegan — a county minor last year — play. Their form has been excellent, qualifying for the semi final of the Liam Breathnach Cup and they have five points out of six in the league. But in championship hurling, underestimate the Barr’s at your peril.
: An Aghabullogue win.
NEMO will be without four of the team which contested last year’s final. Paul Brophy has a broken hand, Mick Daly is away on army duty, Michael Morgan is suspended and goalkeeper Mark Cotter is recovering from an achilles tendon operation.
Alan Cronin is due back from the US today, but is unlikely to start. On the credit side Peter Morgan, James Masters, William Morgan, Martin Cronin and David Niblock will play.
While they will be without Donal Óg O’Donovan and Paul O’Brien due to exams, the Glen will field an experienced side, including David Ellis in goal, Killian Spain, Gavin Moylan, Niall Harte and David Busteed, and it’s hard to see them slipping up.
: A Glen Rovers win.
