'Just have a go off it': Courcey Rovers' goalkeeper reflects on his late point that secured draw

Nyhan matched Cork and Ballinhassig goalkeeper Patrick Collins’ tally of three points during their enthralling 0-23 apiece draw in the opening game of the Cork Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship.

HE'S A KEEPER: Courcey Rovers goalkeeper Stephen Nyhan's late point secured a draw with Ballinhassig. Pic: Martin Walsh.

Anything Cork and Ballinhassig goalkeeper Patrick Collins can do apparently Courcey Rovers’ number one Stephen Nyhan can do just as well.

Or at least that was the case on Saturday night in Kilbrittain when Nyhan matched Collins’ tally of three points during their enthralling 0-23 apiece draw in the opening game of the Cork Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship.

But Nyhan’s efforts just about shaded those of his opposite number given it was his sensational, long-range point from play with the last puck of the game eight minutes into injury time that ultimately secured his side a share of the spoils from this derby.

“Pat is a class operator, striking there, you knew the ball was coming to the square every time. They're a very quality side, they'll do fine in Senior ‘A’, no problem,” began Nyhan, before discussing his own heroics that could prove crucial in Group 3.

“I scored a point earlier in the league as well. We work on it in training - I’d say everyone does it - and I said ‘look the time is going’ so I just said ‘look, just have a go off it’ and thankfully I got the ball, and it went over.

“It was just a nice one, it was good to get over the line and get the draw but it's kind of special to score from in goal so often too, it's nice.

“If it went wide, we lost the game and we're on the back foot going into the Carrigtwohill game in three weeks’ time so just delighted really to get the draw.

“You’re alive. If you lose, you're on the back foot but if you're drawing… I heard Carrigtwohill lost tonight against Inniscarra so if we win that we're on three points, Carrigtwohill are under pressure so look, the aim is to get out of the group and go from there.

“It's a tight group, everyone in this grade is very even so hopefully we get over the line the next day and hopefully I won't need to score a last-minute point!

Sean Twomey (Courcey Rovers) gains possession ahead of Conor Desmond (Ballinhassig) in the Co-Op Superstores Senior A Hurling Championship in Kilbrittain. Picture: Martin Walsh.

“It was nip and tuck all the way through, sure there was never more than a point or two in the game.

“They went a point up, we went to equalise, we went a point up so no goals either side, very little goal chances even because it was so man to man. We're both happy to get the draw to get through and hopefully get through the group.

“Like Ballinhassig coming up were always going to be very good and we just knew last year was disappointing for us, so it was going to be a tough battle, it was basically relegation finalist last year versus promotion.

“There's people whose fathers and sons played against each other and there's been local history in the south-east for a long time and it's the first time we've played a championship in years.

“But like everyone watching the game there, there was intensity and a lot of tackling, no backward stepping, it was that way all the way through and it was actually a very good game in the end and no foul struck thankfully.

“It was very close, there’s a big rivalry for years there so it was nice to grind out a draw. Disappointed not to win but again when you get the last point to draw, you’re thankful for the draw because you’re still alive in the group.”