Cashel get a drubbing as Midleton CBS forwards cut loose
With outstanding performances from Conor Lehane, Barry Lawton, Brian Hartnett, John Cronin, Daniel Moynihan and team captain Finbarr O’Mahony, the Midleton lads, except for a brief period in the first-half, ruled supreme all over the field.
Forming a lethal right flank of attack, Lawton and Lehane scored 2-10 between them while left corner forward Hartnett hit over four points. Cronin was magnificent at midfield while Moynihan and O’Mahony were commanding figures in the heart of defence as Midleton swept the Cashel challenge aside.
Despite playing against the wind in the first-half, Midleton were a class apart and thanks to the scoring feats of Lawton, Hartnett, Lehane and centre-forward Eoin Healy opened up a 1-4 gap between the sides.
Following Cashel’s first score, a point from corner forward Seanie Ryan in the ninth minute, the picture changed dramatically and two snap goals in the space of 60 seconds from Ryan and full-forward John Grogan, left the Tipperary side leading by a point at the end of the opening quarter. With left corner-forward Pa Ryan unerring from place-balls for Cashel and Lawton and Lehane replying for Midleton a stirring battle followed that left the sides deadlocked at 2-6 to 1-9 apiece at half-time.
A pointed free from Brian Hartnett edged Midleton back into the lead shortly after the resumption and when Lehane set up Lawton for a superb goal in the 36th minute the tide turned completely in Midleton’s favour. Midleton took almost total control and extended their lead to 2-12 to 2-6. To their credit, Cashel did offer some resistance and two points — from Kevin Maher and Pa Ryan — left four between them entering the closing quarter.
But then Midleton really cut loose and all their forwards chipped in as Cashel were overwhelmed in an avalanche of scores.
Scorers for Midleton CBS: C Lehane (1-6, 0-1 free), B Lawton (1-4), B Hartnett (0-4, 0-2 frees), J Cronin (0-2), D Moynihan, E Healy, C Walsh, K Daverstock (0-1 each).
Cashel CS: S Ryan (1-1), J Grogan (1-0), P Ryan (0-6, 0-5 frees), K Maher (0-1).
MIDLETON CBS: W McCarthy, K Burke, F O’Mahony, P O’Mahony, D O’Mahony, D Moynihan, A Hayes, J Cronin, R Smart, B Lawton, E Healy, C Walsh, C Lehane, K Daverstock, B Hartnett. Subs: C McCarthy for Hayes, S O’Brien for Lehane, D Dineen for Lawton.
CASHEL CS: O Quirke, D Carbery, K O’Leary, R Heffernan, MK O’Dwyer, E Carew, S Boland, J Ryan, A White, K Maher, C Quigley, S Maher, S Ryan, J Grogan, P Ryan.
Referee: D Farrell (Mitchelstown).
