Harty Cup: All-Ireland MHC winners lead the charge as Midleton CBS rout Blackwater
Midleton CBS, champions in 2019, are through to the quarter-finals of the Harty Cup in the New Year after a facile 29-point win over Blackwater Community School.
Quality in motion was emblazoned across the Fogarty bus that pulled into the Lismore venue and that's how Midleton performed on the field.
Colm Leahy and Jamie Fogarty found the net in the first half for the young men in red as they led by a whopping 20 points at the break.
Wing-forward John Ahern shot six points from play while All-Ireland minor winners with Cork Diarmuid Healy and Jack Leahy also hit a half dozen. Daniel Murnane, Timmy Wilk and David Joseph were others to stand out for the runaway winners.
Florence Flynn, Joe O'Keeffe and Jamie Power battled hard for a well-beaten Blackwater. It took them 41 minutes to register their first point. Aidan Mansfield got all their scores.
It was 0-7 to no score after just six minutes. Wing-back Daniel Murnane started the scoring when he burst forward and pointed off the hurley. Two each from John Ahern and Jack Leahy left it 0-8 to 0-0 at the first water break. Blackwater goalkeeper Florence Flynn saved well from Healy.
On the resumption, Healy soloed through on goal and despite the best efforts of Flynn, Leahy eventually whipped the ball to the net. Midleton captain Fogarty got a second goal on 22 minutes. Ahern and Leahy finished the half with four white flags each as the East Cork school opened up 2-14 to 0-0 advantage.
The leaders added eight more points in the third quarter, Healy getting the pick of them over his right shoulder near the sideline. He added two before he was substituted.
Mansfield broke Blackwater's duck from a free on 41 minutes. 2-22 to 0-1 at the second water break.
Mansfield flicked over their first from play with six minutes left. Midleton ran the subs bench and Conor O'Leary completed the rout with a late point. The final whistle was a relief for the team in black and white.
J Ahern, J Leahy (2fs, 1 65), D Healy (2fs) (0-6 each); C Leahy, J Fogarty (1-0 each); D Joseph (0-3); T Wilk (0-2); D Murnane, T Roche, C O'Leary (0-1 each).
A Mansfield (0-3, 2fs).
P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills); D Collins (Aghada), G Walsh Wallace (Killeagh), A Rooney (Carrigtwohill); J Fogarty (Killeagh), C Smyth (Midleton), D Murnane (Carrigtwohill); D Joyce (Kiltha Óg), T Wilk (Cobh); J Ahern (Kiltha Óg), D Joseph (Carrigtwohill), D Healy (Lisgoold); C Leahy (Killeagh), J Leahy (Kiltha Óg), T Roche (Midleton).
C O’Leary (Fr O'Neills) for C Leahy (39), C Barry (Carrigtwohill) for Roche (39), A Fay (Midleton) for Murnane (43), T O'Leary-Hayes (Midleton) for J Leahy (43), E Lane (Killeagh) for Smyth (43).
F Flynn (Ballyduff Upper); L Coughlan (Lismore), S Roche (Shamrocks), E O'Brien (Ballysaggart); J Henley (Tallow), S Nugent (Ballysaggart), G Nugent (Modeligo); J Power (Modeligo), C Rooney (Cappoquin); B O'Sullivan (Lismore), J O'Keeffe (Lismore), T Kelleher (Cappoquin); T Duffin (Lismore), A Mansfield (St Olivers), P McCarthy (Ballyduff Upper).
D Costin (Cappoquin) for Rooney (36), S Martin (Tallow) for Kelleher (36), J O'Dwyer (Lismore) for McCarthy (47), C Lenehan (Shamrocks) for Coughlan (50), C Hickey (Modeligo) for O'Sullivan (53).
T Walsh (Modeligo).
