SAHC Match Report.. - 2023-08-12 21:53:00
Bride Rovers do enough to beat Killeagh ..
The Rathcormac side did enough to get the win despite hitting 15 wides and will be hopeful of securing a semi-final spot when they face Inniscarra next
Bride Rovers 1-17 Killeagh 1-15
Report taken from ECHO LIVE
BRIDE Rovers tasted victory once again, this time after beating Killeagh by two points in Midleton on Saturday evening.
It was an intense affair from start to finish with both teams extremely physical, and although Rovers had the upper hand for most of the game, they struggled with wides, hitting 15 overall compared to just five from Killeagh.Dylan McCarthy was outstanding from frees, hitting 10/11 attempts, no doubt keeping Killeagh in it on a day where they had few opportunities. They were clinical when it mattered, making life very difficult for a Rovers side who now have a great shot at a semi-final spot in the SAHC.Adam Walsh sent over the first point of the game for Bride Rovers with his fourth minute free, while Dylan McCarthy replied with a free of his own for Killeagh.Walsh pointed again from a free before William Finnegan picked up the first point from play to put Bride Rovers 0-3 to 0-1 in front in what was a very stop-start first half.McCarthy sent over another free for Killeagh, while Bride Rovers responded with a score from Cork senior Brian Roche, who received a pin-point pass from Cork U20 panellist Cillian Tobin.Colm Leahy replied with a point from play before Tobin and Lordan split the posts for Rovers to put them up by three after 20 minutes.Colm Leahy worked hard to win possession out wide, and when he picked up the ball, he made no mistake in scoring form a tight angle to get his second of the game, in what was a very good performance.Bride Rovers wayward shooting continued to be a problem, and it kept Killeagh within reach. The teams traded frees before Walsh scored the game’s only 65.
The second finished out with five frees scored, three for Killeagh and two for Rovers, though McCarthy’s last was an outstanding long-distance effort. After a relatively uneventful first half, the score was 0-10 to 0-8 at the interval in favour of the team from Rathcormac.Though the second period kicked off with a McCarthy free, it was a more intense and fierier affair, with both teams well up for the fight.Daniel Dooley put Rovers back ahead by two, and when Adam Walsh surprised many by going for goal from his close range free, Kevin Murphy was ready on the line and kept it out.After three Bride Rovers wides,
Bride Rovers' Adam Walsh wins the sliotar from Killeagh's Darragh O'Brien. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Killeagh finally took the lead when Colm Leahy scored the opening goal.The corner-forward found space and received an inch-perfect handpass from Eoghan Keniry, and with Rovers’ goalkeeper Cian Hogan closing in, Leahy composed himself and struck it low and into the net.Killeagh’s celebrations were short lived though, as Conleith Ryan dispossessed Seán Long. With time and space, the wing-forward struck it powerfully, restoring their two-point advantage after just 40 seconds.With 15 to go the gap remained the same, and after two more McCarthy frees, it was level. Rovers sent two more between the posts, with Shane O’Connor’s effort standing out.McCarthy missed his first shot all game in the 57th minute, and Brian Roche got his second to put a goal between the clubs.A score from substitute Louie Roche gave Rovers some breathing room, but Killeagh fought on deep into added time.Seán Walsh pointed brilliantly after a good pass from Ryan McCarthy, before corner back Seán Long got the last score of the game. Rovers held firm, picking up another two points.
Scorers for Bride Rovers: A Walsh 0-10 (0-8 f 0-1 65), C Ryan 1-0, B Roche 0-2, W Finnegan, C Tobin, D Dooley, S O’Connor, L Roche 0-1 each.
Killeagh: D McCarthy 0-10 f, C Leahy 1-2, E Keniry, S Walsh, S Long 0-1 each.
BRIDE ROVERS: C Hogan; T O’Sullivan, D Cashman, C Hazelwood; K Kearney, E Roche, S O’Connor; B Roche, J Mannix; C Ryan, R O’Connell, A Walsh; C Tobin, W Finnegan, D Dooley. Subs: J Ahern for O’Connell (h-t), P O’Flynn for Hazelwood (40), L Roche for Finnegan (48), C O’Connor for Dooley (54)
KILLEAGH: P O’Neill; S Long, D Hogan, D O’Brien; R McCarthy, K Murphy, G Walsh; C Fitzgibbon, Ciarán Leahy; D Walsh, E Keniry, S Smiddy; Colm Leahy, G Leahy, D McCarthy.Subs: S Walsh for Fitzgibbon (43), E Lane for Smiddy (54), A Leahy for Ciarán Leahy (62),
Referee: Willie Wallis (Aghada).
Bride Rovers survive stern Killeagh test
Bride Rovers 1-17 Killeagh 1-14
Take from Examiner report
Bride Rovers survived a stern test of their championship credentials in Clonmult Memorial Park, Midleton as they went top of Group A of the Co-op Superstores Cork SAHC as a result of their win over Killeagh.
In the end, it was the right result because Rovers were a more balanced side on the evening as Killeagh were that bit too reliant on the free-taking expertise of Dylan McCarthy who hit 0-10 from eleven shots on the target.
Rovers had double the amount of scorers, and when the need was greatest, their big players stood up.
The game came alive in 45 second half seconds when Eoghan Keniry burst through the Bride Rovers defence before passing to Colm Leahy and the corner-forward, in turn, finished smartly to the net to give his side the lead for the first time, 1-9 to 0-11.
Rovers had twenty-two minutes to turn it around, but from the resultant puckout, Conleith Ryan broke on to the loose ball, slalomed through the Killeagh defence, and planted it past Cian Hogan. Adam Walsh then converted two frees and his side were back in control.
Killeagh the hit the next three through McCarthy (2) and Eoghan Keniry to level the game for the second time. They were only to score once more, however, as Walsh, Shane O’Connor, Brian Roche and Louie Roche pushed Rovers four clear with time up.
Sean Long then left a goal between them, but there was to be no more goals for Killeagh.
In a stop-start opening, Bride Rovers played most of the hurling into a stiff breeze, but they could never pull clear of a dogged and determined Killeagh. Adam Walsh made his first start of the championship for the Rathcormac-based side, and he wasn’t long making an impact.
He had two early frees and along with scores from Roche, Cillian Tobin and William Finnegan they led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter, McCarthy and Leahy with the Killeagh scores.
They broke even from there to the break as Walsh and McCarthy continued to trade points leaving Rovers leading by 0-10 to 0-8 at the interval. McCarthy and Dan Dooley then swapped scores on the re-start before the goals brought the game alive, leaving Bride Rovers a chance to secure a semi-final spot when they play Inniscarra in the final round.
For Killeagh, it will be all or nothing against Na Piarsaigh.
