Sars round up fine weekend with IAHC victory, wins also for Midleton, Blackrock and Erin's Own

Sarsfields' Aaron Myers. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Sarsfields rounded off a fine weekend by defeating Aghada by 2-12 to 0-13 in Group 1 of the Co-op Superstores Cork IAHC in Dungourney. Aaron Myers, just home from the USA, was their main threat as he hit 2-7 for the Riverstown side while Sam McNamara clipped a couple of scores and Cillian McCarthy was also on target. Fionn O’Connor was Aghada’s main scorer with 0-6 while Will Leahy had 0-3.

In Ballynoe, last year’s defeated finalists, Midleton, beat Ballygiblin by 1-18 to 1-14. Aaron Mulcahy hit 0-10 for the Magpies, Gavan Manley struck 1-1 and Rory Hartnett clipped 0-3. Joseph O’Sullivan scored 0-7 for Ballygiblin before he picked up a straight red card with eight minutes to go while Darragh Flynn chipped in with 1-2.

Blackrock got the better of Bandon by 3-8 to 0-8 in Ballymaw in Group 2. Tom Grainger was responsible for two of the goals, Sean Healy hit 1-1 and John O’Sullivan was also on target as the Rockies made it a perfect weekend.

Elsewhere in Group 2, last year’s PJHC champions, Erin’s Own’s defeated Kildorrery by 0-22 to 0-20 in Castletownroche. Alan Bowen was their main as he hit 0-16, and Tiarnan Connel 0-2 while Kieran Murphy made a late block to deny Kildorrery a winning goal at the death.

Youghal have suffered a lean few years but they got their Group 3 campaign off to the perfect start with a 2-16 to 1-11 win over Cloughduv in Church Road. Devon O’Donoghue was their top scorer with 1-5 while James Murray clipped 0-6 and Bill Cooper 0-3.

In the other game in the group, Lisgoold beat Mayfield by 4-25 to 1-12 in Castlelyons. In an impressive performance, Liam O’Shea hit 0-10 while James O’Driscoll struck for 2-4 and Izaak Walsh contributed 2-2.

In the PJHC, Dónal Óg Cusack’s Russell Rovers got their Group 1 campaign off to the perfect start with an impressive 1-23 to 1-13 win over Milford in Ballygiblin. Brian Hartnett was in fine form for the Shanagarry side as he pilfered 1-6 while Luke Duggan Murray clipped 0-5 and Fintan Murray, Mark O’Dwyer, Kevin Moynihan and Josh Beausang all hit a brace of points. Henry O’Gorman was Milford’s scorer in chief and though a Tadhg O’Flynn goal gave them hope just after half time, Rovers had too much for them in the end.

Meelin recorded an impressive 0-17 to 1-10 win over Douglas in Glanworth. Nicholas Linehan was their main scorer with 0-11 while Jimmy McAuliffe hit 0-3 and Jason O’Callaghan clipped 0-2 while Gavin O’Shea had the goal for Douglas.

In Group 2 there was no separating Barryroe and Kilbrittain after a titanic struggle in front of a large crowd in Clonakilty. The sides were level twelve times across the hour as 0-12 from Mark Hickey and 0-2 each from Ronan Crowley and Josh O’Donovan helped Kilbrittain to a 0-17 to 0-15 with the game in injury time. However, two late frees from Olan O’Donovan, who hit 0-10 overall, earned Barryroe, for whom Dónal Ó Buachalla hit 0-3, a share of the spoils.

In the other game in the group Ballygarvan easily defeated Nemo Rangers by 3-16 to 1-12 in Shanbally. Michael Cussen was Nemo’s tormentor in chief as he struck 0-7 while both Gary White and Ray O’Halloran struck for 1-2 and Evan O’Connor landed their other major.

In Group 3 Glen Rovers edged last year’s beaten finalists, St Catherine’s, by 1-16 to 1-15 in Lisgoold. Matt Mulcahy raised the green flag for Catherine’s while Sean O’Donoghue hit 0-5 and Eoin Davis 0-4 but a seven-point burst from the Glen but them into a lead that Catherine’s couldn’t overturn. Conor Dorris hit 1-6 for the city men, while Evan Murphy, Shane Busteed and Zach Lynch were all on target too.

Finally, St Finbarr’s defeated Argideen Rangers by 1-17 to 0-16 in Belgooly. The Barrs played with a strong wind in the opening half and led by 0-12 to 0-4 at the break. An Ian Lordan goal just after the break further aided the Barrs’ cause and try as they might, Argideen just couldn’t reel them in. John Michael O’Callaghan was Argideen’s main scorer while Sean Walsh and Darragh O’Donovan both hit 0-2. Lordan also clipped a point for the Togher side, while Colm Keane, Kevin O’Flynn and Andrew Casey all hit 0-2.