Mallow have two points to spare over Cloyne in Cork SAHC
OH NO YOU DON'T: Cloyne's Michael Cahill has his jersey pulled by Mallow's Trevor Doyle, during their Cork Senior AHC clash at Fermoy. Pic: David Keane.
Mallow are back in the race for a place in the knockout stages of the 2022 Co-op Superstores Senior A Hurling Championship after sneaking past Cloyne in Fermoy on Friday night.
On a near perfect night for summer hurling the boys from the Blackwater Valley had to dig deep against a side that threw everything they had at the clash.
Mallow manager Joe Buckley was a mixture of delighted and relieved at the final whistle and paid tribute to his charges for their performance.
“I am just drained. It was a great game between two sides that came to play hurling. Cloyne put it up to us from the start and we had to really dig deep all over the pitch to get the win.
“For us, the goal this year is to stay senior. We have a very young side but they stood up today and that will bring them on.”
An almost perfect start for Cloyne had them 1-2 to a point up after five minutes thanks to points from Brian O’Shea and Conor Cahill as well as a superb finish to the net from Brian Walsh.
Mallow were back on level terms by the 10th minute with minors from Mark Tobin and Niall O’Riordan and a smash and grab goal from Daniel Sheehan (the corner forward’s third goal in two games).
The Avondhu side bagged the next four points on the bounce as they looked to be getting into their groove however another point from O’Shea and a second green flag from Walsh had this one back level as the game passed the quarter hour mark.
Mallow again hit the front soon after, this time a goal from full forward Denis Hayes raised the spirits but two late points from the East Cork side had the game down to the minimum as the sides went to the dressing rooms. 2-7 to 2-6 in favour of the boys in red.
The second half sprung into life with a brace of points from Lyons and Cloyne scores from Conor Cahill and O’Shea.
Mallow keeper Podge Buckley had to make a great save to keep Mallow in front however three of the next scores went the way of O’Shea – game level again with 20 left to play.
Two minutes of brilliance from Sheehan looked look it might send this game Mallow’s way as the attacker first slotted over a tasty point before then goaling again – Mallow looking on their way in the sunshine but Cloyne, they are made of tough stuff, and a trio of frees from O’Shea almost undid all the Mallow good work – Lyons responding with points to keep his side just in front.
The sides traded points from that point to the finish with Cloyne dragging themselves level on 55 minutes but points from Hayes and a brilliantly worked effort that was finished by Pa Healy kept Mallow just far enough ahead to take the spoils on this day. A superb score from Paudie O’Sullivan making sure Mallow didn’t get ahead of themselves as the clock wound down.
Cloyne pushed hard for a goal in the dying minutes but it wasn’t to be as some dogged defending by Bill Kingston, Healy, Sam Copps and Darragh Moynihan kept the East Cork side at bay.
D Sheehan 2-1; P Lyons 0-5; D Hayes 1-1; M Tobin 0-4 (three frees); P Herlihy 0-2, S Copps, N O’Riordan, P Healy 0-1 each.
B O’Shea 0-11 (10 frees, one sixty five), B Walsh 2-1; C Cahill, C Mullins 0-2 each; P O’Sullivan 0-1.
P Buckley; T Doyle, B Kingston, S Copps; D Moynihan, N O’Riordan, P Healy; P Lyons, M Tobin; R Mills, F O’Neill, P Herlihy; M Tobin, D Hayes, F Heffernan.
J Healy for R Mills (40), S O’Callaghan for F Heffernan (53).
D Costine; E Motherway A Sherlock, D Byrne; A Walsh, S Beausang, E Motherway; K Dennehy, B O’Shea; B Walsh, B Minihane, C Cahill; M Cahill, P O’Sullivan. C Mullins.
T O’Regan for K Dennehy (half time), N Cahill for M Cahill (40).
C Lane (Banteer).
