Byrne stays cool to seal victory for East Cork

CONTRASTING ends of the age spectrum were very much to the fore when East Cork defeated Dungarvan in Saturday’s Munster final of the Bulmers Irish Junior Cup at Castletroy.

59-year-old Kevin Byrne was the hero of East Cork’s first ever junior provincial pennant but it was no fault of 14 year-old Gabriel Leacy that Dungarvan went down 3-2 in an exciting contest.

East Cork team captain Francis Maher was loud in his praise for Byrne who won a crunch tie in the semi-final against Doneraile’s Phelim Cotter before he was again involved in the fifth match in the decider against Brian Morrissey of Dungarvan. Eric Walsh also played a major part in the Midleton club’s triumph that now sends them into national semi-final action in Castlebar from September 14-17. Leading the way at number one, Walsh prevailed at the 18th in both his matches as he accounted for Peter Duane of Doneraile in the morning before again getting home on the final green in the decider against Dungarvan’s Paddy Kennedy.