Lane leaves it late to help Aghabullogue see off resilient Midleton 

CLOSE QUARTERS: Midleton's Carthaigh Cronin clears his lines as Aghabullogue's James Lane closes in during their Intermediate A HC quarter-final at Carrignavar. Pic: David Keane

Cork Intermediate AHC quarter-final: Aghabullogue 1-18 Midleton 1-12 

A stunning James Lane goal with five minutes remaining laid the foundation for a brilliant Aghabullogue win over Midleton in a highly competitive Co- Op Superstores Intermediate A HC quarter final clash at Carrig na bhFear.

In a game that was competitive to the death Midleton’s inability to score in the closing 11 minutes didn’t help their cause as their opponents found another couple of gears in that period.

Midleton playing against the wind looked the livelier side in the opening exchanges as they were hoping to follow their Senior counterparts to the semi- final stage.

The mid Cork side took advantage when four consecutive points gave them the perfect start after seven minutes.

To be fair Midleton looked useful going forward and when a Conor Beausang shot was parried it fell into the path of Adam Daly who drilled a low shot to the empty net.

In fairness Midleton were winning the majority of dirty ball as both sides continued to trade points.

Aghabullogue were losing the key battles but they did manage to have a golden goal opportunity in the final minute but Mathew Bradley was hooked as he was about to pull the trigger.

However points from Sean Furey and Luke Casey ensured they went in at the break with a one point lead 0-10 to 1-6.

It only took Midleton 10 seconds on the restart to bring the sides to parity. That was followed by another white flag from Seamus O’Farrell.

Whatever was said in the Aghabullogue dressing room at the break worked the oracle as they brought far more physicality to their game in the second half.

Indeed, there was little to choose between the teams in the opening 15 minutes with the sides still all square.

When the game was there to be won Aghabullogue raised the intensity to a level Midleton failed to reach and when the energetic Shane Tarrant split the posts in the 54th it increased their lead to three points.

We then witnessed a goal of sheer class when Lane rose highest to catch a fabulous ball before showing a great burst of speed that eventually saw him find the back of the net with a lovely touch.

Midleton to their credit did battle to the wire but their final 11-minute drought came back to haunt them as Aghabullogue reached the final four with a gutsy display.

Scorers for Aghabullogue: M Bradley 0-6 (0-4f), J Lane 1-1, S Tarrant 0-3, J Foley 0-2, L Casey 0-2, J Corkery 0-2, S Furey, O O’Connell (0-1 each).

Scorers for Midleton: A Mulcahy 0-7 (0-5f), A Daly 1-0, P Haughney 0-2, C Crowley, S O’Farrell, C Beausang (0-1 each).

Aghabullogue: I Barry-Murphy; T Long, C Timmons, T J Buckley; C Gillespie, P Ring, P O’Sullivan; S Furey, O O’Connell; J Foley, J Corkery, S Tarrant; J Lane, M Bradley, L Casey.

Subs: J Buckley for S Furey (48), C Furey for J Corkery (inj 50), M Dennehy for P O’Sullivan (59).

Midleton: C Hurley; C Gunning, C Murphy, A Faye; C Burke, C Cronin, P O’Farrell; A Daly, P Haughney; A Mulcahy, S O’Farrell, C Beausang; E Fraser, C Morley, C Crowley.

Subs: A Ryan for C Beausang (38), C Beausang for C Morley (inj 49), L Hennessy for C Gunning (51), C Gunning for A Daly (inj 60).

Referee: Conor Lane (Banteer).