Cork IAHC: Éire Óg hold nerve to see off Sars 

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Éire Óg 0-20 Sarsfields 2-9 

A strong performance saw Éire Óg edge past Sarsfields in this opening group game in the Cork Intermediate A Hurling Championship game, which was played in Ballygarvan.

Other than the opening minutes, Éire Óg were slightly the better team, but they hit 18 wides to Sarsfields' nine, which meant that the game was in the melting pot until the last five  minutes, and they were also thankful to goalkeeper Dylan Desmond, who made four good saves at crucial times.

Sarsfields started well and had the opening two points from Ben Graham placed balls, but points from Ciaran Sheehan, Hallissey, and O’Shea had the sides level after 12 minutes. O’Shea put the Ovens side  ahead but they were rocked in the 18th minute when Aidan Hackett goaled for Sarsfields after a long Tadgh Óg Murphy delivery.

O’Shea and O’Callaghan pushed Éire Óg  ahead again, but when Graham goaled from a free after he was fouled himself, Sarsfields led 2-3 to 0-7 after 24 minutes. Graham and Cormac Duggan had points for Sarsfields, but similar scores from O’Callaghan, Considine, and Hallissey saw the sides level 2-5 to 0-11 at the interval.

O’Callaghan and a brace from Hallissey saw the winners open a three-point lead by the 38th minute, but three Graham points from placed balls had the sides level again after 45 minutes.

The impressive O’Shea hit a brace to push Éire Óg two points ahead, but a long-range free from Gary Gray left only a point between the sides after 50 minutes, but that was to be their final score.

Points from the Cooper brothers John and Joe, Hallissey and impressive addition to their ranks Lar Considine put the seal on a good outing for Éire Óg.

Scorers for Éire Óg: K Hallissey 0-6 (2f), E O’Shea 0-5 (3f, 1 65), C O’Callaghan 0-3, L Considine 0-3, C Sheehan 0-1, John Cooper 0-1, Joe Cooper 0-1 

Scorers for Sarsfields: B Graham 1-7 (1-3f, 0-3 65, 1 LB), A Hackett 1-0, C Duggan 0-1, G Gray 0-1 (f).

ÉIRE ÓG: D Desmond; J Mullins, D O’Herlihy, C McCormack; D Dineen, John Cooper, B Corcoran; E O’Shea, R O’Toole; C O’Callaghan, K Hallissey, C Sheehan; B Hurley, D Goulding, L Considine. Sub: Joe Cooper for B Hurley (45).

SARSFIELDS: C Looney; N Fitzpatrick, E Gaffney, K Walsh; K Crowley, G Gray, D Barry; D Kenneally, T Og Murphy; B Graham, A Hackett, T Murphy; C Duggan, K Murphy, J O’Leary. Subs: P O’Driscoll for A Hackett (40), S O’Driscoll for T Murphy (40).

Referee: