First half goals from Gary Cooney and Bryan Donnellan laid the foundations for this merited win by O’Callaghans Mills over Crusheen in this round 2 game in the senior hurling championship.
O’Callaghans Mills 3-17
Crusheen 0-17
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Played at sun splashed Cusack Park this Sunday afternoon, the Mills booked their quarter final place with a strong display which saw nine players share in their impressive final tally.
From the throw in they made their intentions clear and a Colin Crehan pointed free was followed by Gary Cooney’s goal in the fourth minute. Crusheen responded well to this early set back and had levelled by the thirteenth minute thanks to points from Ross Hayes (3) and Jamie Fitzgibbon.
By this stage of the game the winner’s had seen their manager Donach O’Donnell banished from the sideline after referee Wayne King had consulted with linesman Paul Howard.
In the remaining four minutes to the first water break, the winners landed five unanswered points and from here on Crusheen were chasing the game.
Three minutes from the half time whistle the winners struck for their second goal which came from Bryan Donnellan and this score came just three minutes after Donal Tuohy in the Crusheen goal had made a great save from Gary Cooney. When the half time whistle sounded O’Callaghans Mills had a five point advantage, 2-8 to 0-9.
The sides matched each other on the scoreboard throughout the third quarter and Crusheen trailed by four points at the second half waterbreak.
That was as good as it got for Crusheen and their hopes were finally killed off when O’Callaghans Mills substitute Cormac Murphy soloed through from midfield and crashed the ball past Donal Tuohy for a superb goal just as the game went into six minutes of added time.
That goal left the winners nine points clear and safely through to the quarter final draw. Aidan O’Gorman, Bryan Donnellan, Gary Cooney, Colin Crehan, and Pat Donnellan were to the fore for the winners on a day when Crusheen struggled in many areas. Veteran Pat Vaughan was one of their better players while Cian Dillon, Fergus Kennedy and Ross Hayes did well.
O’Callaghans Mills Scorers: Colin Crehan (0-7, 4f); Gary Cooney (1-2), Bryan Donnellan, Cormac Murphy (1-0) each; Jacob Loughnane (0-3, 2f) Aidan O’Gorman (0-2), Ciaran Cooney, Sean Cotter, Aidan Fawl (0-1) each.
Crusheen Scorers: Ross Hayes (0-7, frees) Fergus Kennedy (0-3) Breffni Horner, Tadhg Dean (0-2) each, Jamie Fitzgibbon, Conor O’Donnell, Cilléin Mullins (0-1) each,
O’Callaghans Mills:
1: Killian Nugent
17: Mike Cotter
3: Conor Cooney
4: Gerry Cooney
5: Pat Donnellan
6: Aidan O’Gorman
7: Aidan Fawl
8: Ciaran Cooney
9: Conor Henry
10: Niall Donovan
11: Bryan Donnellan
12: Jacob Loughnane
13: Gary Cooney
14: Sean Cotter
15: Colin Crehan
Subs
26: Cormac Murphy for B. Donnellan (52)
2: Sean O’Gorman for Gerry Cooney (54)
18: Mike McGrath for Ciaran Cooney (57)
9: Kevin O’Callaghan for M. Cotter (61)
Crusheen:
1: Donal Tuohy
2: Gavin O’Brien
5: Ciaran O’Doherty
4: John Brigdale
7: Tadhg Dean
6: Cian Dillon
8: Éanna McMahon
10: Sean Mhaoir
9: Jamie Fitzgibbon
11: Ross Hayes
18: Pat Vaughan
12: Fergus Kennedy
13: Conor O’Donnell
14: Breffni Horner
15: Cilléin Mullins;
Subs:
24: Alan Brigdale for Mhaoir (26)
20: Murrough McMahon for Mullins (37)
3: Cathal Dillon for J. Brigdale (45) (Inj)
21: Ian O’Brien for O’Donnell (61)
Referee: Wayne King (St Josephs Doora/Barefield)
