Carrigaline beat Kilworth in nine-goal PIHC thriller as winners go through on points difference
Carrigaline’s Dave Griffin gets to the high ball ahead of Kilworth Will Condon. Pic: Noel Sweeney
Carrigaline beat Kilworth by seven points at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday – and that was enough to beat Ballymartle by four.
While Valley Rovers’ status as the winners of Group 3 of the Co-op SuperStores Premier IHC could not be shaken by events in the final round of fixtures, the other three sides had hopes of finishing as runners-up.
Down by two points at half-time, 2-10 to 1-11, against their north Cork opponents, Carrigaline scored the first three points of the second half and led thereafter, moving five ahead before Kilworth opened their second-half account.
The margin was a moveable feast, however, and it was down to three as the game moved into injury time when Eoin Carey goaled from a Kilworth 20m free – 4-20 to 5-14.
Three minutes of added time were announced but they brought four Carrigaline points, which confirmed victory here. Referee Brian Murphy’s final whistle brought silence as phones were checked for events in Ballinspittle – news of Ballymartle’s one-point triumph brought relief for Carrigaline; the four points in injury time were the exact difference in the final reckoning. Kilworth did at least have the consolation of avoiding the relegation play-off by a point.
The winning of the game owed much to the three-goal haul of corner-forward Kevin O’Reilly, who struck twice during their purple patch after half-time. The first of those, his second, followed good work from Rhys McCarthy and Brian Kelleher to make it 2-15 to 2-10 – then, after a Liam Óg Hegarty free for Kilworth, O’Reilly repaid the favour for Kelleher to fire home.
By the 49th minute, it was 4-17 to 2-12 when O’Reilly reacted well to poke the loose ball home following a scramble and Carrigaline looked home and hosed.
That they enjoyed such a status was down to goalkeeper Robert Foster as much as the attackers. Coming up to half-time, Kilworth led by 2-9 to 1-9 when the excellent Eoin Carey set up Brian Sheehan in space but Foster bravely dived to smother the shot and what could have been a six-point margin was down to two when Kelleher pointed with the next play for Carrigaline.
Moments after the restart, Carey had a chance of his own but Foster saved well and after the trio of points to put Carrig in front, it was Noel McNamara denied by the custodian.
In the closing stages, though, it was McNamara who profited from a Pierce Riordan pass to goal for Kilworth. While Finn O’Connell’s third point and one from sub Ciarán Kearney gave Carrigaline breathing space at 4-19 to 3-14, McNamara struck again after Austin O’Hara, Michael Sheehan and Eoin Carey had linked well, his ground shot cutting the lead to five.
O’Connell made it six again before Carey – who had earlier seen a free blocked – drilled one beyond the Carrig cover and they were within touching distance of the draw that would have sent them through.
Carrigaline, with David Griffin impressive throughout, kept their composure, though. O’Connell’s fifth made it a two-score game again and they added the priceless clinching points.
Early on, Jamie Sheehan’s goal gave Kilworth the lead – O’Reilly’s first green flag had Carrig 1-3 to 1-2 in front before Luke Carey’s driving run was capped with another goal for them and was the difference for much of the half.
They were never able to shake off their opponents, however, with Foster’s intervention keeping Carrig in touch at the break before they pushed on impressively.
K O’Reilly 3-2, B Kelleher 1-8 (0-4f), F O’Connell 0-5, R McCarthy, R Kelleher 0-2 each, O O’Connell, C Kearney, D Drake, D Griffin 0-1 each.
E Carey 1-4 (1-0f), N McNamara 2-1, L Óg Hegarty 0-6 (0-5f), J Sheehan 1-1, L Carey 1-0, D Twomey, L Coffey 0-1 each.
R Foster; S Williamson, D Griffin, D Greene; Kevin Kavanagh, N Coleman, P Mellett; R Kelleher, É Desmond; O O’Connell, D Drake, B Kelleher; R McCarthy, K O’Reilly, F O’Connell.
D Stack for Greene (half-time), Kieran Kavanagh for Mellett (40), H Andrews for O’Connell (45), C Kearney for Drake (51).
K Heggtveit; M Gowen, K Lane, A O’Hara; E McGrath, L Carey, D Twomey; J Saich, L Coffey; L Óg Hegarty, E Carey, J Sheehan; N McNamara, W Condon, B Sheehan.
M Sheehan for Condon (30+1, injured), P Riordan for Saich (37).
B Murphy (Carrigtwohill).
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