Castlelyons GAA Notes week ended 1.5.17 2017-05-02 13:10:00

Castlelyons suffer defeat in Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship.

Kanturk 3-12 Castlelyons 1-13 

Sunday was promised a mixed day weather wise and there was an expectation that we would do well in our hurling tussle with Kanturk. Well the sun shone out after ten o clock Mass in Coolagown and we expected the best later as we headed to Castletownroche for the big game. The parking, stewarding and the pitch was a credit to the Castletownroche club as, indeed, it always is for days like this and they deserve the highest compliments. However, our hurling was mixed and in a tale of two halves we were unable to match the aggression and power of Kanturk and suffered a five-point defeat.

Kanturk had had a hefty breeze for the first half and Anthony Nash adapted the direct route with his puck outs and clearances and that was monster ball on top of our full back line. Our back line coped well as Colm Barry fetched and hurled a pile of ball and the lads picked up the breaks well. We broke even at midfield as Niall O Leary and Eoin Maye hurled well with O Leary covering Lorcan McLoughlin very well. We were doing very well in the forwards as Aidan O Sullivan, Anthony Spillane and Ronan Bransfield ran at their defence which yielded frees and scores. Alan Fenton was tightly marked but got in some work. Darragh Lawlor and Ciarán McGann were going very well in the half forward line and when Aidan O Sullivan got in for a goal we were leading 1-7 to 0-7 as Castlelyons did most of the hurling for the first twenty minutes.

Then their full back John McLoughlin got an injury and the game was held up a bit which resulted in him being substituted. However, we committed a needless foul on the restart and Anthony Nash pointed a monster from inside his own ’65 and then Kanturk goaled. We got back into the game again with two pointed frees from Anthony Spillane. Shane O Sullivan, was doing very well in goal and was tested twice by a now more determined Kanturk. Then Anthony Nash struck a boomer of a puckout which many of us thought took an awkward hop and went into the net but one of their forwards was credited with a touch on it. This was so unfortunate for us but it was the longest shot I have seen Anthony Nash strike as he made full use of the breeze and we know he can hit them. Still going in at 2-9 to 1-8 at half time and the consensus that Castlelyons were the better team in the first half we were expecting more with a strong breeze on the resumption.

Kanturk started the second half in far more determined fashion and did all the attacking against the breeze. We committed some terrible fouls and were lucky that in this half Nash missed a few sitters but so did we when better luck would have kept the scoreboard ticking over for us. Shane O Sullivan saved well in goal and Colm Barry had the proverbial ‘blinder’ at full back which kept us in the game. It is hard to credit that having scored 1-8 against the breeze we just managed 0-4 with it in the second half. In fact, it took us 20 minutes and forty-five seconds to get out first score of this half 0-1 from a free by Anthony Spillane. Kanturk who were after a good championship win in the football the week before showed real fitness and strength in this half as they ground out some great scores and an outstanding goal. We were lucky to be within five points at the end of what was a very flat display by us. Notwithstanding this display there is a lot more in the Castlelyons team but we must come up to the pace of championship hurling by doing some speed work and hopefully the football will help freshen up the team. Our next outing be sometime around the 23rd June in an East Cork derby versus Fr O Neills so “no dreaming” this is reality and I have no doubt if we get back in the right frame of mind we can do the business as all is not lost at all.

The referee Searbreathach Ó Murchú was well up with the play and had a good game. There were yellow cards flowing like daffodils but these were necessary as it got a bit robust especially in the second half and he had to warn selectors from both sides to stay off the field.

Scores: - Anthony Spillane 0-8 (0-6 frees and 0-1 ’65), Adan O Sullivan 1-0, Niall O Leary 0-2, Colm Spillane, Eoin Maye and Ciarán McGann 0-1 each

Team: - Shane O Sullivan, Brian Carroll, Colm Barry, Robbie Feeney, Jamie O Leary, Colm Spillane, Tom Carroll, Niall O Leary, Eoin Maye, Darragh Lawlor, Ciaran McGann, Aidan O Sullivan, Ronan Bransfield, Anthony Spillane and Alan Fenton. Subs: - Declan Varner for Jamie O Leary (HT), Michael Spillane for Ronan Bransfield (48 mins), Jack Barry for Ciarán McGann (54 mins), Colm O Neill, Ronan O Regan, Ronan Fenton Alan O Regan, Keith O Leary, Shane Moroney, Darren Tobin, Cian O Leary, Liam Moroney, Darren Tobin, Liam Moroney, Colm O Neill, Darren Tobin, Ronan O Regan, Michael John Dorgan, Padraig Murphy and Brian O Donovan (broken thumb).

Castlelyons Footballers prepare for Championship.

Our Junior footballers play Fr O Neills away in the League on this Friday evening. With a gap in the hurling we will be hoping to get back into the form that saw them make the East Cork final last year when they were so unlucky to be defeated by Cloyne.

Congratulations to Barry Murphy selected on Cork Minor Panel.

Congratulations to our own Barry Murphy who is named on a strong Cork Minor panel for their Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling on Wednesday evening 3rd May versus Waterford. Barry is a very talented player as he is an outstanding footballer and was part of both hurling and football Development Squads with Rebel Óg to date. He was on the St Colman’s team that reached the Dr Harty Cup Final in February. Congrats also to the Roche twins, Eoin and Brian, of Bride Rovers who start at corner back and wing forward and were part of an exciting Cork U17 side that won the Munster title last week. Let’s hope Cork can do the business and we wish them the best.

Imokilly Senior Hurlers prepare for Championship.

Imokilly continued their preparation the senior championship with challenge game versus Blackrock on Monday 1st May. This was a cracking game and it was great to see so many players turn out for the Division despite playing the day before and, indeed, some of the lads came straight from other games to take part. Fergal Condon and his selectors are working hard with the lads we wish them the best for their championship game Bishopstown in their first-round tussle on Saturday 6th May in Sarsfields Grounds at 6.45 pm

Club Main Sponsor: - ZEUS Packaging Group.




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