Courcey Rovers time their run to perfection with win over Watergrasshill

The 2018 defeated finalists got the better of the East Cork side, who were unbeaten in their group

Colm Daly of Courcey Rovers picks up the breaking ball as Caoimhin O’Coileain battles with Watergrasshill's Sean Desmond at Ballyanley. Picture: Dan Linehan

Cork Premier IHC: Courcey Rovers 1-21 Watergrasshill 1-15 

Courcey Rovers will be hoping they are coming good at the right time. Having won only one of their group games in the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier IHC and still qualifying for the quarter-final, they were well on top against Watergrasshill at Ballyanley today. The 2018 defeated finalists getting the better of the East Cork side, a team that was unbeaten in their group.

They were full value for the victory too with this impressive display. Watergrasshill, on the other hand, simply never got going as their shooting betrayed them at critical times.

Even though Watergrasshill’s danger man Shane Óg O’Regan finished with 1-5, credit must go as well to Courcey’s full-back Billy Mulcahy who had a fine outing at the edge of the square.

With the wind at their backs, Courcey’s made their presence felt with a brace of quickfire points from their top scorer Richard Sweetnam.

They were 0-4 to 0-3 in front before Aidan O’Donovan struck for a Courcey Rovers goal – a move that involved Brian Ó Coileaín and Brendan Ryan. This settled them, and their lively attack and midfield proceeded to hit six points without reply – some great scores from Ronan Nyhan, Sweetnam, Jerry O’Neill, and Tadgh O’Sullivan.

Watergrasshill had two goal chances, one went wide and goalkeeper Stephen Nyhan was alert to the other. Nyhan pulled off another two valuable saves in the second-half.

Watergrasshill trailed 1-11 to 0-5 at the break, having only scored twice from play from Shane Óg O’Regan.

But they restarted with O’Regan putting the sliotar in the net, after he doubled first-time on a cross from Kieran O’Keeffe. Through the accurate free-taking of Shane O’Regan, they clawed back the deficit. However, the nearest they could get was five points.

A second yellow card for wing-back Martin Collins at the death failed to upset Courcey's momentum as they move to a semi-final meeting with Castlelyons.

Scorers for Courcey Rovers: R Sweetnam (0-11, 0-6 frees), R Nyhan (0-4), A O’Donovan (1-0), T O’Sullivan (0-3), J O’Neill (0-2), B Ryan (0-1).

Scorers for Watergrasshill: S O’Regan (0-8, 0-7 frees), S Óg O Regan (1-5, 0-1 free), D O’Leary (0-2).

COURCEY ROVERS: S Nyhan; C Ó Coileaín, B Mulcahy, C Daly; M Collins, F Lordan, B Ó Coileaín; J O’Neill, D J Twomey; B Ryan, R Ryan, T O’Sullivan; R Sweetnam, O Crowley, A O’Donovan.

Subs: S Twomey for D J Twomey (40), D Duggan for B Ó Coileaín (46 inj), M O’Donovan for O Crowley (52), J McCarthy for B Ryan (57).

WATERGRASSHILL: D O’Callaghan; K O’Keeffe, A Ricken, S Field; P Cronin, G Kelly Lynch, B Fenton; A Cronin, P O’Regan; P O’Leary, K O’Neill, S O’Regan; D O’Leary, S Óg O’Regan, S Desmond.

Subs: C Cronin for A Cronin (45), A Foley for P O’Leary (48), W Connolly for K O’Neill (53).

Referee: Ciarán O’Regan (Ballyhea).