Senior Hurling Championship Sunday 15th June 2014
Kilmallock 0-23 Ballybrown 0-13
Kilmallock were slow to start against Ballybrown in Newcastle West last Sunday evening and allowed them to race into a three point to no score lead within the first five minutes. Our first score came from an Eoin Ryan placed ball ten minutes into the game. Kevin O’Donnell landed a long-range free to keep us ticking over but we were finding it difficult to win possession and Ballybrown punished every mistake. Then after almost twenty minutes as we began to settle we hit a purple-patch. Two delightful points from Paudi O’Brien were followed by a score from wide on the left by Gavin O’Mahony to level the game five each. A point from Jake Mulcahy put us ahead for the first time and we lead from here to the finish. We now began to win the fifty-fifty tussles – a point from Bryan O’Sullivan followed by scores from Graeme Mulcahy and Robbie Egan put some daylight between the teams. Ballybrown weren’t ready to give up just yet and tagged on a couple of points to leave the score at half-time, Kilmallock 0-12 Ballybrown 0-10.
Kilmallock started the second half like a team that meant business and determined that the slow start in the first half would not be repeated. Benny Burke, introduced for Andrew O’Shaughnessy just before half time looked lively and dangerous, getting on the scoresheet himself and also laying off the ball intelligently to team mates to score. The back-line limited their opponents to just three points in the second half – the full back trio of Mark O’Loughlin, Liam Hurley and Donal Barry were faultless in the second period, with Donal Barry deputising for the injured John Meade and giving a very creditable display. With the majority of the possession Kilmallock pushed for the goal that would seal the victory but the goal would just not come. We had three clear goal chances – first Jake Mulcahy had his goal bound shot brilliantly saved by the diving Ballybrown keeper, then Benny Burke blasted into the side netting from close range and Gavin O’Mahony’s pile-driver went the wrong side of the crossbar raising a white flag instead of green. The final score was a ten point win for The Balbec, which somewhat flattered the opposition such was the Kilmallock dominance in the final thirty minutes.
Kilmallock : Barry Hennessy, Liam Hurley, Mark O’Loughlin,Donal Barry, Liam Walsh , Philip O’Loughlin, Kevin O’Donnell(0-1free), Paudi O’Brien(0-3), Eoin Ryan(0-6)(5frees), Bryan O’Sullivan(0-3), Gavin O’Mahony(0-3), Robbie Egan(0-3), Graeme Mulcahy(0-2), Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Jake Mulcahy(0-1)
Subs: Benni Burke(0-1) for O’Shaughnessy 30mins, Aaron Costello for Walsh (injured)55mins.
