Premier SHC: Carbery bounce back well to see off Duhallow but victory may not be enough

Carbery 3-20

Duhallow 0-14

If it was to be their last outing in the divisions and colleges section of the Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC, Carbery at least ensured that they went out with a win at Coachford on Tuesday evening.

Beaten by nine point by Muskerry a week ago, the south-western side responded superbly as they had 15 to spare on a Duhallow playing their first game. While the beaten outfit were lacking manpower, Carbery also had noticeable changes from their opener but they put together a fine display.

However, a scoring difference of six after this means that Carbery still trail Muskerry and would need a favour from Duhallow in a fortnight to go through to the second stage if the three sides were level on points. The situation is clearer for Muskerry as the avoidance of defeat, or even a narrow loss, would be enough.

Benefiting from whatever advantage was provided by the breeze in the opening half – and having a game under their belts – Carbery had amassed a seven-point lead by half-time, 1-11 to 0-7.

They will probably feel that such a margin could even have been greater as they retired having registered ten wides and one of those could easily have been a goal, Shane Murnane with a batted effort off-target following Gearóid O’Donovan’s driving run at the Duhallow defence.

That was in the ninth minute with the score at 0-2 each but, though Luke Philpott put Duhallow in front for the first time after that, Carbery roared back with an unanswered 1-5. Brian O’Donovan and Eoghan Ferguson were especially dangerous in attack – they would finish with 2-7 and 0-5 respectively – as they moved 0-6 to 0-3 in front, though they were fortunate as Cian Murphy did well to keep out a low Philpott effort from a free.

In the 19th minute, Carbery moved six in front as Pádraig O’Sullivan linked with Shane Murnane, whose high delivery was well-claimed by O’Donovan before he turned and shot to the net. Ferguson’s second point made it 1-7 to 0-3 before Philipott ended ten scoreless minutes for Duhallow.

Even so, the north-western side couldn’t sufficiently eat into the deficit before half-time and, though Carbery were less than ruthlessly efficient, two good Ferguson points and one from Conall Cullinane sent them in in a commanding position.

While Duhallow’s Rory King had the first score of the second half, it was not the signal for a fightback and instead Carbery further strengthened their dominance. They had a second goal on 33 minutes as Ferguson’s low diagonal ball allowed Brian O’Donovan to fire home again, with Gearóid O’Donovan following with a point for a 2-12 to 0-8 lead.

Ferguson continued to present a threat inside, adding a point and twice going close to a goal, denied by a James McAuliffe block and then shooting wide after doing brilliantly to create an opening.

Duhallow had a half-chance of a goal on 49, Carbery goalkeeper Michael Whelton saving from Philpott, but any lingering doubts about the outcome were extinguished as Cullinane, who had hit two lovely second-half points, crashed home a third goal.

That left it 3-16 to 0-12 and they pushed on further in the latter stages to leave themselves with a glimmer of a chance of advancing to the second phase.

Scorers for Carbery: B O’Donovan 2-7 (0-4f), C Cullinane 1-3, E Ferguson 0-5 G O’Donovan 0-3, J Lucey 0-2.

Duhallow: L Philpott 0-5 (0-4f), J O’Callaghan 0-3, R King, B Murphy 0-2 each, H O’Connor, E Murphy 0-1 each.

CARBERY: M Whelton (Barryroe); R Scanlon (St Mary’s), S O’Riordan (Barryroe), C Murphy (Kilbree); D Collins (Randal Óg), P Collins (Randal Óg), N Hilliard (Diarmuid Ó Mathúna); E Ryan (Clonakilty), S Murnane (St Colum’s); P O’Sullivan (Randal Óg), G O’Donovan (Diarmuid Ó Mathúna), C Cullinane (Ballinascarthy); B O’Donovan (Ballinascarthy), E Ferguson (Ballinascarthy), J Lucey (Diarmuid Ó Mathúna). Subs: R Lucey (Diarmuid Ó Mathúna) for Hilliard (37), C O’Neill (Randal Óg) for Ferguson (47-49, temporary), O’Neill for Scanlon (50), E Galvin (Kilbrittain) for Ferugson (60, injured).

DUHALLOW: S McAuliffe (Newmarket); J McAuliffe (Banteer), M O’Keeffe (Meelin), C Murphy (Castlemagner); A Coughlan (Banteer), C O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe), C King (Kilbrin); T Sheehan (Millstreet), H O’Connor (Newmarket); J O’Callaghan (Meelin), L Philpott (Banteer), E Murphy (Dromtarriffe); R King (Kilbrin), B Murphy (Dromtarriffe), D O’Keeffe (Newmarket).

Sub: J Harrington (Kilbrin) for C Murphy (39).

Referee: B Barry-Murphy (Aghabullogue).