Eire Òg get win over Valley Rovers in a thrilling encounter

OFF THE MARK: Eire Òg get two points on the board after defeating Valley Rovers. Pic: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE

Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship 

Eire Òg 3-20 Valley Rovers 1-23

Eire Òg put their first 2 points on the Premier Intermediate group stage board after a thrilling encounter with Valley Rovers that was right in the balance until the final moments.

Both were looking to kickstart their campaign and put group points on the board early. Both clubs have a heavy dual involvement and were desperate for an opening win to compensate for their respective campaigns last season, which were moderate at best. Éire Óg’s only point last year came against Watergrasshill while Valleys, though claiming a win against Youghal, failed to advance from the group.

The Ovens side finished strong to overpower Valleys but it was a first round tie that swung like a pendulum and was there for the winning right up to the final exchanges.

Hence the firecracker opening here with a goal for Valley Rovers in the opening 60 seconds. A high ball into the full forward line dropped at the feet of Charlie Lyons who flicked it past an unsuspecting Dylan Desmond.

The sides continued to duke it out, score for score, for the next 15 mins. Eire Òg producing four points on the bounce only to be cancelled out by four from the Inishannon men. On another day, Eire Òg’s seven wides might have cost them. Valley managed five consecutive points before half-time to put the first hint of daylight between the teams as they went in at the break 1-13 to 0-11 in front.

However, Eire Òg were a different unit in the second half. A bit of handbags between the sides just before the restart seemed to put some fire in the bellies of the eventual victors as they kicked into another gear, sparking an excellent second half comeback.

Thirty eight minutes in, veteran Kevin Hallissey smashed the ball past Valley’s keeper Joe Lynch after an impressive solo run down the left flank. This reduced the gap to three, and Valleys maintained that edge until the 53rd minute when David Kirwan capitalized on a melee 10 yards from goals. He smashed a breaking ball into the corner of the net making it all square with ten to play.

Key points on the home stretch from Joe Cooper, David Kirwan and free-specialist Eoin O’Shea had it looking like it would be Eire Òg’s day. They now had the momentum and looked the likelier. They hit the front in the 59th minute with another tussle in the Valleys square culminating with the sliotar falling to Jack Sheehan who was the coolest man on the pitch, placing it low past the keeper for the game-breaking score.

Scorers for Eire Og: E O’Shea 0-12 (0-10f), J Sheehan 1-2, D Kirwan 1-2, K Hallissey 1-0, J Cooper 0-2, D Desmond, O O’Shea 0-1 each.

Scorers for Valley Rovers: C Butler 0-12 (0-4f), C Lyons 1-1, K Canty 0-3, J Walsh 0-2, C Kilduff 0-2, W Hurley, E Guinane, D Murphy 0-1 each.

EIRE ÓG: D Desmond; D Dineen, J Kelleher, M Brady; J Mullins, C McGoldrick, E Kelleher; D McCarthy, K Hallissey; C O’Callaghan, D Healy, J Sheehan; D Kirwan, O O’Shea, E O’Shea.

Subs: Jer Kelleher for E Kelleher (48), B Hurley for J Sheehan (3 inj).

VALLEY ROVERS: J Lynch; J O’Driscoll, C Desmond, T O’Brien; J Cottrell, D Murphy, W Hurley; C Kilduff, E Guinane; C Butler, J Walsh, S O’Leary; K Canty, M Savic, C Lyons.

Subs: R O’Sullivan for C Lyons (42), A Keneally for J Cottrell, D O’Shea for E Guinane (both 50).

Referee: Willie Wallis (Midleton).