Carrigaline beat St Finbarr's to take Division 2 hurling title 

Kevin Kavanagh, Carrigaline gets the sliotar away despite the tackle of Andrew Casey, St. Finbarrs in the Red FM hurling league division 2 final at Pairc Uí RInn. 

Carrigaline 2-20 St Finbarr’s 1-16 

Sharpshooter Brian Kelleher struck 15 points and there was 2-1 for Kevin O’Reilly as the good times continued for Carrigaline adding the RedFM Cork Division 2 hurling league title to last week’s Division 1 football silverware at Páirc Uí Rinn on Thursday.

St Finbarr’s were minus their senior county players while former winning captain Billy Hennessy and Ben Cunningham were injured. Among the Carrigaline absentees was David Drake who is getting married tomorrow (Friday).

Even though it was a Premier IHC club versus a Premier SHC club, Eddie Murphy’s side were full value for their victory with six of the Carrigaline starting 15 having played on the victorious football team.

It was two points apiece before Carrigaline started to pull away in the opening quarter, 0-8 to 0-3, Kelleher hit six.

The lead could have been greater, in the 20th minute St Finbarr’s goalkeeper Shane Hurley pulled off a magnificent save to deny O’Reilly’s bullet in what looked like a certain goal.

When the teams met in the group, Carrigaline won by 10 points.

Carrigaline joint captains Rob O'Shea and David Griffin are presented with the trophy from Derek Connolly, Cork County Board after they defeated St. Finbarrs in the Red FM hurling league division 2 final at Pairc Uí RInn.

This time they took a double-scores lead 0-10 to 0-5 with seven minutes to go to the half.

But St Finbarr’s were right back in it after they outscored their opponents five points to one - William Buckley, Jack Cahalane (2), Sam Cunningham and John Wiggington Barrett - to end the first half 0-9 to 0-11 in arrears.

Carrigaline made three changes at half-time, St Finbarr’s one.

It was Carrigaline who got the perfect start, Kelleher and O’Reilly opening up a four point margin. They also had a goal opportunity from Kelleher but one couldn’t be critical of their best forward.

O’Reilly pushed him hard for the accolade, and more than made up for his opening half miss with brilliant goals in the 43rd (on his knees) and 46th minute. Kelleher’s 14th point made it 2-18 to 0-14 entering the final 10 minutes.

St Finbarr’s, primarily through Cahalane, fought back giving Carrigaline some nervous moments and when Cahalane netted in the 55th minute, the gap was reduced to five. A second point from sub Finn O’Connell eased the nerves.

The final say, fittingly, was a Kelleher free.

Scorers for Carrigaline: B Kelleher (0-15, 0-9 frees), K O’Reilly (2-1), F O’Connell (0-2), É Desmond and D Griffin (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: J Cahalane (1-5, 0-4 frees), W Buckley (0-4), J O’Kelly, E Finn (0-1 free) and S Cunningham (0-2 each), J Wiggington Barrett (0-1).

CARRIGALINE: R Foster; D King, C Vaughan, D Stack; Kevin Kavanagh, D Griffin (J-Capt), R McCarthy; C Barry, R Kelleher; D Greene, E Desmond, R O’Shea (J-Capt); B Kelleher, K O’Reilly, H Andrews.

Subs: Kieran Kavanagh for D King, N O’Keeffe for C Barry, F O’Connell for H Andrews (all half-time), K Dwane for D Greene (53), C Barry for E Desmond (59).

ST FINBARR’S: S Hurley; E Keane, J Burns (Capt), A Barry; C Doolan, E Finn, A Buckley; S Cunningham, C Crowley; J Cahalane, W Buckley, J Wiggington Barrett; K O’Flynn, J O’Kelly, A Casey.

Subs: D Murray for J Cahalane (17-20 bs), D Murray for A Casey (half-time), M Nason for K O’Flynn (53), R O’Sullivan for E Finn (60).

Referee: Aidan Hyland (Kilworth).