Conor O’Callaghan goals help Éire Óg to victory 

David Kirwan, Éire Óg, blasts in a goal. Pic: Larry Cummins.

Cork PIHC: Éire Óg 3-16 Youghal 0-13 

Éire Óg made a fine start to life in the Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship with this 12-point victory over Youghal at Caherlag on Sunday afternoon.

The opening exchanges were competitive and scores were exchanged at both ends. Brett Maloney was in fine form as he slotted over a total of six efforts from frees in the first 30 minutes of play for Youghal.

But Éire Óg gradually got into gear, as Ciaran Sheehan, Joe Cooper, and John Cooper impressively put the ball over for well-taken points.

Things got better for Éire Óg just before the end of the opening 30 minutes of play, when Cork senior footballer Colm O’Callaghan converted to the back of the net with a fine finish after Sheehan teed him up well. Éire Óg held the advantage at the half-time break, 1-8 to 0-9.

Maloney got the opening score of the second half through another accurate effort from a placed ball. However, Éire Óg responded in kind through another Sheehan point, before they found the back of the net for a second occasion.

O’Callaghan was to hit the target once again from the breaking ball, giving the Youghal shot-stopper little chance as he blasted the ball home emphatically.

Éire Óg from there saw the better of the exchanges for large portions of the second half of play. Kevin Hallissey contributed with some fine pointed efforts, which were added to by Sheehan and a fine individual score by Ronan O’Toole.

Éire Óg were to strike for a third goal before the contest was out, as David Kirwan was on hand to finish well to the back of the net after a free-flowing collective passing move, involving some fast reactions from Sheehan in the full-forward line.

Hallissey landed a free for the Ovens men just shy of the 60-minute mark, while at the other end Maloney capped off a fine solo performance with further points.

Scorers for Éire Óg: K Hallissey 0-7 (7 frees), C O’Callaghan 2-0, D Kirwan 1-0, J Cooper, C Sheehan 0-3 each, John Cooper 0-2, R O’Toole 0-1.

Scorers for Youghal: B Maloney 0-10 (10 frees), N Roche, J O’Mahony, R McMahon 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: D Desmond; J Mullins, D O’Herlihy, C McGoldrick; B Corcoran, John Cooper, D Dineen; R O’Toole, D McCarthy; Joe Cooper, K Hallissey, C O’Callaghan; D Goulding, C Sheehan, D Kirwan.

Sub: J Sheehan for O’Callaghan (41).

Youghal: R Cunningham; E Cronin, J Ormond, N Roche; Jake Cooper, C Geary, R Walsh; M O’Farrell, J O’Mahony; C O’Mahony, B Maloney, P Kirk; R McMahon, A Frahill O’Connor, R Cody.

Subs: O Hill for McMahon (40), S O’Riordan for Cody (46).

Referee: I McCarthy (Bandon)