Carrigaline eyeing derby duel with Ballinhassig after Youghal win

Cork's Premier IHC knockout phase is: Courcey Rovers and Castlelyons straight through to semi-finals.Quarter-finals: Kilworth v Valley Rovers and Ballinhassig v Carrigaline

Youghal's Peter Kirk, who goaled late on the reduce the gap to a point.

Cork Premier IHC: Carrigaline 1-16 Youghal 3-8

Carrigaline have qualified for the knockout stages of Cork's Premier IHC and a local derby against Ballinhassig, after getting over a rallying Youghal in tough conditions Saturday night in Killeagh.

Carrigaline burst out of traps in the opening stages with a quickfire point from Eanna Desmond after 15 seconds. It was quickly followed up by point from David Drake and a Brian Kelleher free. Brett Moloney registered Youghal’s first score of the night in the seventh minute from play.

Eanna Desmond scored a superb point on the right flank quickly followed by Rob O’Shea.

But it was Youghal who broke the deadlock with a bullet from 18-year-old Oisín Hill, who impressed on the night, reducing the gap to two points at the opening water break.

Quick points from Ciaran O’Mahony and Moloney (free) saw the game level in the 20th minute. Pat McBarron and Moloney exchanged points before a second green flag was raised for Youghal. Nigel Roche won a dirty ball in midfield, sending a bullet into the night sky, only to be spilled over the line by Carrig keeper Mark O’Mahony. And, with Kelleher and Hill sharing points in the latter stages, Youghal led by three points at the break.

But Carrigaline turned things around in the early part of the third quarter, scoring 1-4 without reply. A Kelleher free got the ball rolling before some great work by David Drake on the byline keeping the ball in and was pulled on first time by Dave McCarthy into the Youghal net.

Kelleher tacked on a further free along with two Simon O’Brien points.

Moloney got Youghal’s first of the second half in the 43rd minute and with points shared by Kelleher and Moloney, Carrigaline were now in the ascendency by three points at the second water break.

Kelleher got his seventh of the night before Youghal pounced again after a long ball from Kyle Brown ended up at the edge of the square and pulled on first time by Peter Kirk to reduce the margin to the minimum.

A nail-biting finish saw a pair of points from sub Finn O’Connell saw Carrigaline hold out for a place in the quarter-final, while Youghal retained their Premier Intermediate status by a single point.

Scorers for Carrigaline: B Kelleher (0-7, 5f); D McCarthy (1-0); E Desmond, S O’Brien, F O’Connell (1f) (0-2 each); D Drake, R O’Shea, P McBarron (0-1 each).

Scorers for Youghal: B Moloney (0-5, 4f), O Hill (1-2); N Roche, P Kirk (1-0 each); C O’Mahony (0-1).

CARRIGALINE: M O’Mahony; C Vaughan, S Williamson, D Stack; Kieran Kavanagh, Kevin Kavanagh, R McCarthy; R O’Shea, E Desmond; B Kelleher, P McBarron, S O’Brien; D McCarthy, D Drake, D McBarron.

Subs: K Dwane for E Desmond (30’-32’, blood); F O’Connell for B Kelleher, K O’Reilly for D Drake (both 54).

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

Sub: A Frahill O’Connor for S O’Riordan (47).

Referee: David Copps (Ballyhea)