O’Callaghan points way for slick Charleville
The result extinguishes Chríost Rí’s hopes of success and means Charleville will face off against St Caimin’s to determine who will join Our Lady’s Templemore in the last eight.
But for some erratic shooting in the first-half when they were backed by a hefty breeze, Charleville would have been further ahead than their 1-7 to 2-1 advantage. They were also denied a few green flags by the resilient defending of Chríost Rí goalkeeper Paul Delaney, and defensive duo Conor Horgan and Eoin Finn.
Charleville’s attack did produce the goods though, by posting a fine total of 1-15 over the hour including eight points against the wind in the second-half. Pat O’Callaghan and John Morrissey were their leading marksmen while Mark Kavanagh and Dean Copps posed a decent threat to the Chríost Rí defence as well. The Charleville defence had a few outstanding individual performers as well in John Madigan, Shane Butler and David Reidy.
Chríost Rí’s first-half challenge was essentially founded on the two goals that they managed to plunder against the run of play. Alan Nolan availed of a slip by TJ Garvey to bundle to the net in the 9th minute while a Tomas Lawrence free in the 16th minute deceived the Charleville defence to raise Chríost Rí’s second green flag.
Charleville found the net in the 13th minute when Copps batted to the net after O’Callaghan displayed a searing turn of pace to weave his way through the Chríost Rí defence and create the opening. Morrissey, James O’Brien, Kavanagh, Sheehy and O’Callaghan all proved accurate point takers as well, yet the excellence of Chríost Rí’s defending entitled them to maintain hope at the break.
The Capwell sides challenge received a huge fillip after the interval when Shane O’Keeffe whipped a fierce drive to the net after a huge clearance from deep by Conor Horgan. Tomás Lawrence popped over a pair of splendid points for the city school and by the 42nd minute they were only a single point adrift at 1-10 to 3-3.
Charleville weathered the storm to mount a series of successful attacks. Morrissey and O’Callaghan were instrumental in stretching the North Cork team’s advantage, while Kavanagh and Timmy Rea pushed them further ahead in the finale.
Scorers for Charleville CBS: P O’Callaghan 0-5 (three frees); J Morrissey 0-4; M Kavanagh 0-3 (one ‘65); D Copps 1-0; D Sheehy, J O’Brien, T Rea 0-1 each.
Coláiste Chríost Rí: T Lawrence 1-2 (1-0 free); S O’Keeffe 1-1; A Nolan 1-0; E Finn (one free), E Ahern, E Smith 0-1 each.
CHARLEVILLE CBS: TJ Garvey; J Walsh, J Madigan, S Butler; A Dennehy, D Reidy, C Twomey; D Sheehy, M O’Loughlin; J Morrissey, M Kavanagh, T Rea; P O’Callaghan, J O’Brien, D Copps. Subs: G Kelleher for Rea (half-time), Rea for O’Brien (43).
COLÁISTE CHRÍOST RÍ: P Delaney; S O’Brien, C Horgan, S Cronin; L Corry, E Finn, K Coughlan; E Ahern, J Ryan; C Crowe, E Smith, T Lawrence; G Joyce, S O’Keeffe, A Nolan.
Subs: I Lucey for Joyce (28), D Scannell for O’Brien (inj) (48), TJ Murphy for Crowe (53).
Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg)
