Valley Rovers edge Castlemartyr in Bulter vs Kelly shootout
Pictured at Riverstick at the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship was Valley Rovers' Rory O'Sullivan challenging Castlemartyr's Ciaran Joyce. Picture Denis Boyle
A first half goal from Eoghan Crowley proved to be the difference as Valley Rovers defeated Castlemartyr 1-21 to 0-22 in the opening round of the Co Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship at Riverstick.
The game was essentially a shoot-out between Colm Butler and Mikey Kelly, with the pair scoring 23 points between them at the home of Ballymartle GAA.
The game marked another step in the right direction or Valley Rovers, a team fresh from winning promotion to Division 2 of the RedFM SHL.
Valley Rovers struck first with Rory O’Sullivan putting the ball over the bar from open play and Kelly immediately replied for his side.
This was the start of a tit for tat first half that saw the two teams level six times. Castlemartyr were the ones who had to jog along, as the pace was set by Valley Rovers who had scorers all over the park.
The east-Cork club also had to deal with the fact that they hit three wides in the first ten minutes, and that tally increased to eight at the break.
Valley’s big regret was goal chance that fell to Eoin Reilly, and a shot from the edge of the square was stopped by Derek Bowens.
They did raise a green flag when a long-ball forward was fumbled by the Castlemartyr goalkeeper and Eoghan Crowley turned the sliotar in and made the scoreboard read 1-8 to 0-8.
Valleys had their biggest lead of the game and Charlie O’Neill immediately responded for Castlemartyr.
After Kelly reduced the gap between the two teams to the bare minimum once again, Butler sent over a free and John Cottrell split the posts from open play.
Kelly and Barry Lawton hit back before the break and Valley Rovers went into the break leading 1-10 to 0-11.
The game restarted and Eoin O’Reilly scoring three times in quick succession for his club, and Valleys raced in front 1-14 to 0-13.
Butler was also chipping in, by knocking over a 65 and a free, and that built up a six point cushion.
Castlemartyr weren’t beaten. They took stock and slowly emptied their bench which put fresh legs into key positions during the fourth quarter.
The east-Cork club were patient as they tried to tear apart the Valleys cushion. That meant shooting on sight and taking simple opportunities inside of trying to create a goal chance.
Ciaran Joyce got his second score of the game during that period and Barry Lawton recorded his third.
Valley Rovers buckled down and managed to create a number of goal chances during this spell. Every time it looked like there was going to be a green flag, Bowens would pull off an incredible save and the ball was sent up the pitch with pace.
Kelly’s final score of the night made it 1-20 to 0-22 and there was once again just one point in it, with the clock in the red.
Valleys kept their cool and Crowley hit the winning score with expert precision.
C Butler 0-11 (7f, 1 65); E Crowley 1-2, E O’Reilly 0-3, C McCarthy 0-2, R O’Sullivan 0-1, J Cottrell 0-1, J Kenneally 0-1.
M Kelly 0-12 (9f); Brian Lawton 0-3, Barry Lawton 0-3, C Joyce 0-2, C O’Neill 0-1, B McGann 0-1.
J Lynch; D Murphy, M O’Leary, D Lynch, M Woods, W Hurley, E Guinane, B McCarthy, J Kenneally, C Butler, R O’Sullivan, J Cottrell, E O’Reilly, A Kenneally, E Crowley.
Subs: C McCarthy for B McCarthy (50); E O’Shea for Cottrell (50).
D Bowens; C Whyte, B O’Tuama, L Martin, D Joyce, C Joyce, M Cosgrave, C Sice, Brian Lawton, J McGann, M Kelly, B McGann, E Martin, Barry Lawton, D Leahy.
Subs: C O’Neill for Leahy (25); C Martin for Cosgrave (30), M O’Dwyer for Martin (40), J Lawton for Sice (45), P Flemming for McGann (60).
Niall Fahy (Brian Dillon's)
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