Barryroe up tempo to see off Kinsale

AFTER an unsettled opening half, favourites Barryroe upped gears and powered to victory in this Evening Echo Cork Junior A Hurling Championship tie at Ballinspittle on Saturday.

Barryroe struggled against an eager Kinsale side for the opening 20 minutes before responding with a flurry of points late in the first half to establish flattering 0-11 to 0-6 interval lead.

It was an action-packed opening half, with both goalkeepers, Kinsale’s Ger O’Regan and Barryroe’s Ger Keohane coming to the rescue of their sides on two occasions.

The reason Barryroe began to pull clear before the interval was mainly due to the point scoring ability of Kieran Griffin, who impressed from all angles and distances.

Brian Coughlan knocked over three frees for Kinsale, but probably didn’t take the wisest course when he went for goal from a penalty only to have his shot saved. That was at a stage late in the half when Kinsale were just two points shy of their opponents.

Even though Barryroe faced into the second half against the wind, the boost of those late first-half points paid dividends and they pulled away inside two minutes.

Kevin McCarthy shot a point after 20 seconds and then John O’Donovan grabbed the first goal with a powerful shot that O’Regan was unlucky not to stop.

Barryroe’s passage to the final was secure after eight minutes when Paudie Collins got the second goal for a 2-12 to 0-7 lead.

Each side had three points as spectator interest waned and Barryroe just went through the motions.

Scorers for Barryroe: J. O’Donovan and P. Collins 1-1 each, K. Griffin 0-8, K. McCarthy 0-2, D. Harrington, B. Coleman, K. Hurley 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kinsale: B. Coughlan 0-4, N. O’Sullivan 0-2, L. Kiely, B. O’Connor, K. O’Regan, C. O’Brien 0-1 each.

BARRYROE: G. Keohane, B. O’Brien, T. Carroll, T. Harrington, G. Coleman, J. Fleming (captain), A. White, C. Hurley, K. McCarthy, P. Fleming, A. Fleming, K. Griffin, D. Harrington, P. Collins, J. O’Donovan.

Subs: C. Cahalane for P. Fleming (38), B. Coleman for A. Fleming, G. Whelton for O’Donovan (both 41), M. Finn for White (49)

KINSALE: G. O’Regan, R. O’Sullivan, B. Murphy, M. O’Sullivan, D. Coughlan, L. Kiely, G. O’Leary, C. Quigley (captain), N. O’Sullivan, K. O’Regan, G. Clerkin, C. Lane, D. Murphy, C. O’Brien, B. Coughlan.

Subs: R. O’Brien for Clerkin, M. Coughlan for M. O’Sullivan (both 36), P. Forde for B. Coughlan, D. Ward for Quigley (both 52), M. O’Leary for G. O’Leary (55, injured).

Referee: J. O’Connell (Lisgoold)