Castlelyons clinch quarter-final spot with impressive win over Cloyne

Cloyne must now prepare for a relegation playoff with Carrigtwohill.

Sat, 07 Sep, 2024 - 21:00

John Coleman

Castlelyons 0-30 Cloyne 0-14

Castlelyons booked their spot in the quarterfinals of the Co-op Superstores Cork SAHC after they enjoyed an emphatic win over Cloyne in Dungourney on Saturday. Last year’s Premier Intermediate champions laid down the marker in a stunning opening period in which they hit 0-19, with every last one of them coming from play.

Despite their best efforts, Cloyne had no answer to the whirlwind, and they must now prepare as best they can for a relegation playoff with Carrigtwohill while Castlelyons will have a crack off Na Piarsaigh for a place in the final four.

Castlelyons knew that nothing but a win would do here, and they simply gave Cloyne no time to settle as they played the game at a ferocious intensity. They had 26 shots at the target, scoring 19 of them. James Kearney, Keith O’Leary and Alan Fenton all hit 0-4 while the outstanding Niall O’Leary hit two monstrous efforts from wing back. The only problem they faced in the opening period was the loss of Leon Doocey to injury after he had clipped two points.

Cloyne did hit 0-8 from play in the opening half, Brian Walsh with two of them, but they crippled themselves by wasting ten shots at the goal. They trailed by 0-16 to 0-7 with three minutes to half time when they were given a lifeline. Ian Cahill was fouled while waiting for a long delivery by Cian Motherway, Brian Sweeney gave the penalty, but Jack Barry saved from Ashley Walsh, and when Castlelyons hit three of the last four points of the half, the game seemed up.

There was an understandable drop in tempo on the resumption, but all Castlelyons had to do was keep the scoreboard ticking over, and that they did. Brain and Ashley Walsh and Éanna Motherway carried the fight for Cloyne, hitting 0-5 between them in the fifteen minutes after half time, but a brace from captain Colm Spillane and one each from Fenton and O’Leary meant Castlelyons led by 0-23 to 0-13 going into the final quarter.

That quarter belonged to Fenton as he brought his tally to 0-11 with six more points while O’Leary brough the evening to a close with his fourth of the game. Ashley Walsh landed Cloyne’s soul response, but the loss of Noel Cahill to a red card won’t help their cause against Carrigtwohill.

Castlelyons have no such worries, however, as they can look forward to knockout hurling once again.

Scorers for Castlelyons: A Fenton (0-11, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ’65), N O’Leary, J Kearney and K O’Leary (0-4 each), L Doocey, A Spillane and C Spillane (0-2 each), B Murphy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cloyne: E Motherway (0-4), B Walsh (0-3), A Walsh (0-2, frees), T O’Regan, C Motherway, C Cahill, N Cahill and I Cahill (0-1 each).

CASTLELYONS: J Barry; C Barry, O Hallihan, L Sexton; N O’Leary, C Spillane (c), D Spillane; J Kearney, A Fenton; A O’Sullivan, B Murphy, K O’Leary; A Spillane, L Doocey, D Morrison.

Subs: E Maye for Doocey (inj, 27), C McCarthy for Morrison (53), B Spillane for Murphy (60).

CLOYNE: D Costine; A Sherlock, Eoin Motherway, J Sherlock; T O’Regan, C Motherway, D Byrne; Eanna Motherway, A Walsh; C Cahill, S Beausang, N Cahill; M Cahill, I Cahill, B Walsh.

Subs: C Mullins for M Cahill (43), C Whyte for I Cahill (56), B O’Shea for Byrne (56).

Referee: Brian Sweeney (Erin’s Own).