Cork Premier IHC: Seán O’Donoghue rescues Inniscarra in shootout with Watergrasshill 

O'Donoghue hit 2-4 for the winners while Shane Óg O’Regan shot 2-10 for the losers

Sean O'Donoghue in action for Inniscarra. Picture: Larry Cummins.

Inniscarra 4-13 Watergrasshill 2-17

Cork star Sean O’Donoghue hit 2-4 as Inniscarra defeated Watergrasshill in this thrilling Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship tie in Grenagh on Saturday.

Inniscarra took early command with points from Owen McCarthy, Shane O’Mahony and a Fergal O’Leary free before Watergrasshill settled thanks to scores from Shane Óg O’Regan and Sean Desmond.

The first of the game's six goals came in the 10th minute: O'Leary applying the finish for Inniscarra. But Watergrasshill's response was swift with Óg O'Regan converting a penalty and Anthony Cronin landing a fine point from distance.

Points from O'Donoghue and O'Mahony kept Inniscarra in touch but sensing danger Watergrasshill upped gears again and a second Óg O'Regan goal looked to have them in control

Back came Inniscarra and O'Donoghue's first goal of the afternoon just after the second water break reduced the gap to four points. That strike gave them renewed confidence and that self-belief was rewarded when Colm Casey raced through and buried to the Watergrasshill net. 

In a dramatic and tense conclusion, Óg O’Regan edged Watergrasshill back ahead as the clocked ticked down

But fittingly O'Donoghue was to be the Inniscarra hero scoring 1-1 to snatched victory to keep their 2021 championship hopes alive.

Scorers for Inniscarra: S O’Donoghue (0-2 frees) 2-4, F O’Leary (0-3 frees) 1-3, C Casey 1-0, S O’Mahony 0-4, J Harrington, O McCarthy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Watergrasshill: S Óg O’Regan (1-0 pen, 0-10 frees) 2-10, S Desmond 0-3, C Roche, P O’Regan, A Cronin, C Cronin 0-1 each.

INNISCARRA: J O’Keeffe; J O’Sullivan, L Ryan, B O’Mahony; A McCarthy, S Sheehan, C Lombard; J Harrington, O McCarthy; S O’Donoghue, S O’Mahony, K Rice; M O’Connell, C Casey, F O’Leary.

Subs: J Enright for Rice (HT), S Bulfin for O’Connell (47) 

WATERGRASSHILL: D O’Callaghan; J Gowan, A Ricken, P Cronin; D O’Farrell, K O’Neill, B Fenton; A Cronin, J McCarthy; C Cronin, P O’Regan, T Dinane; S Desmond, S Óg O’Regan, C Roche.

Subs: P O’Leary for McCarthy (49) C Healy for C Cronin (53).

Referee: Brian Murphy(Carrigtwohill).