Carrigtwohill seize control of group with Cloyne victory

They found their range in the end, as points from Sean Walsh, Liam Gosnell, Brendan Twomey and James Mulcahy saw them home.

Sat, 12 Aug, 2023 - 16:42

John Coleman

Carrigtwohill 0-19 Cloyne 1-11

Carrigtwohill eventually took control of Group C in the Co-op Superstores Cork SAHC after they enjoyed a narrow win over their divisional rivals from Cloyne in Killeagh on Saturday afternoon.

They looked so comfortable at the three-quarter stage, as James Mulcahy’s third point sent them 0-15 to 0-10 clear as they seemed to have weathered Cloyne’s post-interval surge.

Then the game flipped on its head as Niall O’Neill awarded Cloyne a penalty for a foul on Ian Cahill. Brian O’Shea converted and Cloyne had a lifeline. Brian Walsh then brought them to within one as Carrig hit five successive wides.

They found their range again in the end though, as points from Sean Walsh, Liam Gosnell, Brendan Twomey and Mulcahy saw them home.

Cloyne made hay while playing with the wind in the opening half against Fermoy last weekend, but here they failed to make history repeat itself. They did skip into an early advantage as three points from Brian O’Shea and a fine effort from Noel Cahill put them 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after ten minutes, Sean Walsh and James Mulcahy with the points for Carrig.

The game was a bit lacklustre, but this suited Carrigtwohill as they gradually began to take control. Two more points from Walsh and a super score from Cian O’Riordan gave them the lead for the first time as Aaron Walsh Barry’s presence as the spare man in the Carrig defence became more obvious and more crucial.

O’Shea levelled matters for the second time before Carrig began to pull away as three more from Walsh, two of which were frees, and Mulcahy’s second pushed them four clear. One sensed Cloyne needed a goal, and for a moment Keith Dennehy threatened to provide it only to be brilliantly hooked by Daniel Murnane.

The remainder of the half was equal as two O’Shea frees for Cloyne sandwiched further points for Carrig from Walsh and Tomás Hogan to leave their side leading by 0-11 to 0-7 at the interval.

Points from Noel and Ian Cahill halved the deficit on the resumption but points from Gosnell and Davis Murnane restored Carrig’s advantage. O’Shea and Walsh then traded scores before Mulcahy seemed to make things safe but ultimately, Cloyne’s sting in the tail wasn’t enough.

Scorers for Carrigtwohill: S Walsh (0-9, 0-7 frees), J Mulcahy (0-4), L Gosnell (0-2, 0-1 free) D Murnane, B Twomey, T Hogan, and C O’Riordan (0-1 each)

Scorers for Cloyne: B O’Shea (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65), N Cahill (0-2), M Cahill and B Walsh (0-1 each).

CARRIGTWOHILL: S Devlin; O O’Sullivan, S de Búrca (JC), A Walsh Barry; B Twomey, J Horgan, D Murnane; J McCarthy, P Hogan; C O’Riordan, L Gosnell (JC), T Hogan; S Walsh, L O’Sullivan, J Mulcahy. Subs: S Brennan for McCarthy (inj, 40),

CLOYNE: A Walsh; B Minihane, Eoin Motherway, T O’Regan; K Dennehy, S Beausang, D Byrne; C Cahill, Eánna Motherway; J Hallihan, B O’Shea, B Walsh; N Cahill, I Cahill, M Cahill.

Subs: E Treacy for M Cahill (47), C O’Sullivan for N Cahill (61).

Referee: Niall O’ Neill (Midleton).