Cork Premier IHC: Richard Sweetnam inspires Courcey Rovers to second win on the trot

Richard Sweetnam of Courcey Rovers. File photo

Courcey Rovers 1-16 Youghal 1-11

Courcey Rovers made it two wins out of two in the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship with this five-point win over Youghal at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.

A devastating display from Richard Sweetnam, who claimed 0-10 of his side’s total - eight of those frees and one 65 - proved to be the difference as Courcey Rovers continue their perfect start which keeps them top of Group A while Youghal’s campaign is over following a second successive loss.

The sides showed in the opening exchanges that they were going to be tough to separate with centre-forward Brett Moloney on target for Youghal before Sweetnam replied for the winners.

The first goal of the game arrived in the eighth minute with Youghal corner-forward Oisin Hill winning a great ball before planting to the corner of the net.

But the men from Ballinspittle and Ballinadee responded superbly and three unanswered points before the first water break had them level.

And then, for a spell, it was a battle between the two free takers. Moloney led the way for Youghal before Sweetnam added four more converted frees in a row to leave the sides level at half-time, 1-6 to 0-9.

But in the second half Courceys - led by Sweetnam’s ruthlessness from dead-ball situations - powered past their rivals.

Sweetnam even saw a penalty saved brilliantly by goalkeeper Richard Cunningham late on but Sean Twomey’s well-taken goal shortly after the restart meant they had already secured a commanding 1-15 to 1-7 lead by that juncture.

The number 11 sent a 65 over the blackspot for his and his team’s final point before Youghal rallied to notch 0-4 without reply to add some more respectability to the scoreline.

Scorers for Courcey Rovers: R Sweetnam 0-10 (0-8 frees, 0-1 65), S Twomey 1-2, O Crowley 0-3, J McCarthy 0-1.

Scorers for Youghal: B Moloney 0-7 (0-7 frees), O Hill 1-2, P Kirk and K Brown 0-1 each.

COURCEY ROVERS: S Nyhan; K Collins, B Collins, B Mulcahy; O Crowley, F Lordan, S McCarthy; D.J Twomey, M Collins; T O’Sullivan, S Twomey, J O’Neill; R Nyhan, R Sweetnam, J McCarthy.

Subs: C Daly for T O’Sullivan (34), L Collins for R Nyhan (45), K Ryan for D.J Twomey (59).

YOUGHAL: R Cunningham; E Cronin, A F O’Connor, M Farrell; J Ormond, C Geary, R Walsh; N Roche, S O’Riordan; C O’Mahony, J O’Mahony, P Kirk; O Hill, B Moloney, K Brown.

Subs: R McMahon for P Kirk (49).

Referee: Simon Stokes (Tullylease).