Mortell's side used pain of last year's defeat to overcome Courcey

From the throw-in this one had championship tie written all over it with little between the sides in every position on the field.

Mon, 07 Aug, 2023 - 07:17

Diarmuid Sheehan

SAHC Round 1

Ballyhea 1-20 Courcey Rovers 1-15

Ballyhea got their 2023 SAHC challenge off to the best possible start on Saturday with a hard fought but fully deserved win over last year’s beaten finalists Courcey Rovers in Mallow and manager John Mortell couldn’t be happier.

“We know from last year the importance of winning the first round and obviously after the pain that Courcey Rovers inflicted on us in last year’s County quarter-final we really had targeted this game and thankfully we got the result – we are thrilled” Mortell to The Examiner at full time.

“Ourselves and Courceys have a good old record between us now and it is always going to be close. There is very little between these sides. The crucial moment of this game really was mid-way through the second half when they went down and got their goal but Pa (O’Callaghan) went straight back down the other end and got ours – that really was massive for the game and for us.

“You can’t rest on your laurels. We had a great win today but we have to back that up next week against Newcestown - the pressure is still on.”

From the throw-in this one had championship tie written all over it with little between the sides in every position on the field.

Courcey’s were first to impress with a trio of points early on, Sean Twomey dominating the early exchanges from his position at wing forward.

Richard Sweetnam was also clinical throughout the opening half with five frees and a sixty five in a very impressive showing from the corner forward.

On the other side, O’Callaghan was immense in the opening 30 with five points (three frees and two of the most sensational scores one could hope to see on a hurling field).

O’Callaghan, Eugene O’Leary and Tom Hanley all showed well in the first half with the ever eager Dean Copps and full forward John Morrissey both doing their bit to ensure that the men in red and white didn’t get a march on the Avondhu side in the opening half.

Nothing to choose between the sides at the short whistle – 10 points apiece a fair reflection of the first half exploits – Ballyhea had the wind in the second.

The sides traded scores on the restart before Daniel O’Donovan’s goal, that was cancelled out by O’Callaghan’s brilliance turned the momentum in Ballyhea’s favour.

A brace of long range frees from O’Callaghan and points from the impressive second half substitute Joseph Hickey pushed Ballyhea into the lead for the first time – a lead they would extend right the way to the finish.

Scorers for Ballyhea: P O’Callaghan 1-09 (five frees); E O’Leary 0-6; J Hickey 0-2; C Cox, J Morrissey, T Hanley 0-1 each.

Scorers for Courcey Rovers: R Sweetnam 0-8 (seven frees, one sixty five); D O’Donovan 1-0; S Twomey 0-2; R O’Callaghan, S Nyhan (one free), F Lordan, L Collins, DJ Twomey 0-1 each.

BALLYHEA: M Browne; A Barrett, J Hennessy, L Hanley; T Hanley, T Hanley, J Copps; C Cox, M O’Sullivan; G Morrissey, P O’Callaghan, D Curtin; D Copps, J Morrissey, E O’Leary.

Subs: J Hickey for L Hanley (bs)(33, rev 37), R O’Callaghan for D Curtin (39), L Crowley for D Copps (39), M Mortell for G Morrissey (59), N Crowley for T Hanley (64).

COURCEY ROVERS: S Nyhan; C Daly, B Collins, K Collins; L Collins, F Lordan, C Roche; DJ Twomey, M Collins; O Crowley, M O’Donovan; S Twomey; B Ryan, D O’Donovan, R Sweetnam.

Subs: J McCarthy for B Ryan (49), D Collins for O Crowley (50), R Nyhan for D O’Donovan (52), R O’Callaghan for R Sweetnam (58).

Referee: Wayne King (Banteer)