O’Brien goals the spur for Carrigaline

A HAT-TRICK of goals from Carrigaline’s Simon O’Brien proved the difference at Feenagh, yesterday.

Robert Foley and Tony Murphy got the Cork side off to a promising start, before O’Brien had his first goal, after five minutes.

Nenagh had to wait until the 21st minute before Donnacha Maher had their opening point, and having already conceded 1-4, knew they had an uphill battle. The same player earned two further points, and at 1-6 to 0-4 at the interval, they were still in with a chance of turning it around.

The second half produced an avalanche of goals and some quality hurling.

Tony Murphy sent over the first point for Carrigaline, but Nenagh’s Maher and Robbie Whelan pointed to leave just four between the sides.

O’Brien goaled with a cracking second goal, and at 2-7 to 0-6, they began to look really comfortable.

The lively Maher kept Nenagh motoring with a timely goal, in 41 minutes, followed by another from Jim Conroy 60 seconds later, and now it was all to play for at 2-9 to 2-6.

Once more, Carrigaline began to pull away and Murphy and Stephen White stretched their advantage. Conor McIvinchey raised a green flag at the other end to cut the deficit to a manageable two points, but sensing the danger, O’Brien fired home his third, making it 3-11 to 3-6.

Neither was Maher finished, and with three minutes remaining, and his team reduced to 14 players, he grabbed his second goal. Murphy was on target to leave three points between them, but Nenagh finished on a high for Maher and McIvinchey to keep fans in their places to the last whistle.

Scorers: Carrigaline CC: S. O’Brien 3-2, T. Murphy 0-5, S. White 0-3, M. O’Sullivan, R. Foley 0-1 each. Nenagh CBS: D. Maher 2-5, G. McIvenchey 1-1, J. Conroy 1-0, R. Whelan, D. Nolan 0-1 each.

CARRIGALINE CC: S. Barry; G. Roynane, C. Hurley, T. O’Connor,, P. Donnellan, S. White, J. Cowhig; O. Ronayne, R. Foley; D. Drake, N. Coakley, M. O’Sullivan, S. O’Brien, T. Murphy, P. Campbell.

Sub: J. O’Sullivan for Drake.

NENAGH CBS: S. Healy; M. Hynes, S. Maher, P. Kelly, G. McIvinchey, M. Flannery, C. Coughlan; C. McGrath, J. Conroy; T. Williams, P. Murphy, D. Maher, O. Slattery, R. Whelan, J. Sheedy.

Sub: D. Nolan for Slattery.

Referee: D. Ryan (Limerick).