Late goal blitz sees Cashel King Cormacs retain West Minor A crown

Joe Hayes Cleanline West Minor A Hurling Championship Final

Cashel King Cormacs 4-22

Cappawhite 2-14

Cashel King Cormacs completed back-to-back Joe Hayes Cleanline West Minor A Hurling Championship titles when overcoming Cappawhite at Pairc Ciocaim, Dundrum. This was a repeat of last year’s U17 final, with the grade gone back to U18 from this season.

While the final margin may have been fourteen points, it wasn’t a true reflection of the game, with Cashel’s two late goals putting a real gloss on the final score.

For fifty-odd minutes of this contest, the game had the possibility of going either way. Each time a dogged Cappawhite got near, Cashel had the ability to pull away and led by five at the break, though both goalies did have a say during the half.

Morgan O’Connor’s goal early after the resumption gave Cappawhite hope and, heading into the final ten, they trailed by just three points. Cashel, though, all throughout appeared to have Cappawhite’s measure. When MJ Kennedy goaled in the final ten minutes, the floodgates opened as Cashel pulled away, outscoring their opponents 4-4 to 1-1 for the remainder.

An earlier shower made conditions somewhat greasy, though both sides adapted well and thankfully the rain stayed away for the remainder of the evening. MJ Anglim (free) and Morgan O’Connor traded the opening two points of the game in the third and fifth minutes, but it would be the only time the sides would be level over the course of the game.

Cappawhite were not without their chances, with Cashel keeper Jason O’Sullivan forced into two fine early saves, while at the other end Patrick O’Connor was called into action to keep his goal intact during the half.

Eimhin Ryan and Evan Ryan both pointed from play to give Cashel the early advantage and, while they looked that bit more dangerous in attack, Cappawhite were dogged and remained with them for large parts, but just struggled at times to make the ball stick in the forwards.

Morgan O’Connor and Ciaran Gantley, who had big performances, kept Cappawhite in touch, but Cian Fitzgerald ensured the two-point gap remained after the opening ten minutes or so.

By the quarter mark, Cashel had pulled off four points in a row, with Eimhin Ryan, Jamie Gayson and Ultan O’Donoghue all on the board. Morgan O’Connor was again keeping Cappawhite in touch from placed balls, while Ciaran Gantley scored a great point from the middle of the field. Cashel, though, always appeared to be able to up their game and keep their opponents at arm’s length.

Late in the half, Morgan O’Connor briefly brought the gap back to four. However, points from Ultan O’Donoghue and Ben Fitzgerald, sandwiched between a Ciaran Downey effort for Cappawhite, saw five between the sides at the break.

Cappawhite came out storming at the start of the second half as Cashel struggled to match that intensity in the opening few minutes. Morgan O’Connor pointed a free before finding the top corner of the net at the dressing-room end after winning possession at the stand side in the thirty-eighth minute. The crowd sensed a Cappawhite comeback, but this seemed to wake Cashel up.

Cian Fitzgerald got their first score of the half before MJ Anglim pointed two successive frees. Ciaran Gantley and Cathal Martin kept Cappawhite in touch and, with nine to go, there were just three between the sides, 0-19 to 1-13.

Cashel, though, took over after this, outscoring Cappawhite 4-4 to 1-1. Two goals in the space of a minute from MJ Kennedy and Evan Ryan ultimately broke the Cappawhite resistance.

Cian Fitzgerald and Denis O’Callaghan pointed before MJ Anglim added 1-1 in the space of a minute, and that was quickly followed by a fourth goal from Denis O’Callaghan. Morgan O’Connor goaled late on for Cappawhite, but at this stage it was mere consolation.

Following the game, West Board Vice-Chairman Michael McCarthy presented the Liam O’Duibhir Cup to Cashel King Cormacs captain Cian Fitzgerald.

Cashel King Cormacs will now face Newport in the County quarter-final.

Scorers: Cashel King Cormacs: MJ Anglim (1-7, 0-7f), Denis O’Callaghan (1-1, 0-1 65), Cian Fitzgerald 0-4, Evan Ryan 1-1, MJ Kennedy 1-0, Ultan O’Donoghue, Eimhin Ryan 0-3 each, Ben Fitzgerald (0-2, 0-1 65), Jamie Gayson 0-1.

Cappawhite: Morgan O’Connor (2-7, 0-3f, 0-1 65), Ciaran Gantley 0-4, Cathal Martin, Ciaran Downey, Rocco Julian all 0-1 each.

Cashel King Cormacs: Jason O’Sullivan; Harry O’Connor, Cormac McInerney, Scott Underwood; Colin Maher, Tommy O’Connor, Kyle Cully; Denis O’Callaghan, Ben Fitzgerald; Ultan O’Donoghue, Cian Fitzgerald, Jamie Gayson; Eimhin Ryan, MJ Anglim, Evan Ryan.

Subs used: MJ Kennedy for Jamie Gayson; Aidan O’Dwyer for Scott Underwood; Brian Devitt for Ultan O’Donoghue; Michael O’Brien for Ben Fitzgerald.

Cappawhite: Patrick O’Connor; Conor Crowe, Eoghan Ryan, Aaron O’Shea; Fiachra Doody, Jack Ryan, Jonathan Ryan; Ciaran Downey, Ciaran Gantley; Cathal Martin, Conor McCarthy, Morgan O’Connor; Oisín O’Neill, Jamie Renehan, Rocco Julian.

Subs used: Cillian Fitzgerald for Rocco Julian; Dylan Cryan for Patrick O’Connor; Aaron Cleary for Oisín O’Neill; Rocco Julian for Aaron O’Shea.

Referee: Aidan Butler (Knockavilla Kickhams).