Crosshaven Hurlers open account with a win

(JJ Hurley)

Crosshaven 1-19   Laochra Óg 1-7

Crosshaven hurlers opened their account with an impressive win over Laochra Óg in the County Junior B confined competition at Ballymaw on Saturday.

In truth, the South East side could have easily been out of sight had not Kevin Healy produced a couple of top drawer saves over the hour for the West Cork side

However, he could do nothing late on as Senan Sisk finally breached the defence with a well taken goal.

A highly entertaining game, with some neat stick work, but it was Crosshaven who always had their noses in front as Cathal Browne opened his side’s account early on.

A reply from a James Slattery free seemed to just galvanise the coastal outfit, who sent over six points before Slattery could reply with another free.

Browne, who proved deadly accurate over the hour was very misfortunate not to find the net on 18 minutes but the keeper produced a fine save.

Fionan O’Rourke at centre back for Crosshaven was simply lording it on his 45 and was a launch pad for many of Crosshaven’s scores.

Coming up to half-time Darragh Cogan produced a fine chance of a goal but the shot was blocked by the Laochra keeper as they added there third point up the other end to leave the score at 0-9 to 0-3 at the break.

It was as you were in the second half as Crosshaven drove on with a series of scores, as a Jamie Fitzgerald point on 43 minutes left the score at 0-13 to 0-4

Three more consecutive points from the Carrigdhoun team, including a 65 from Browne was putting clear water between the sides, before the opposition landed a brace of points of their own.

A goal on 53 minutes from the team from the West gave a glimmer of hope, but in truth two more points from  Dan Dransfield and Browne as well as Buckley’s goal snuffed out any hope of a late dramatic comeback.

Following on from today’s victory, Crosshaven have two more sides to face in the league format of the competition, including Ballyphehane and Iveleary.

Scorers for Crosshaven:  C Browne 0-6 (2f 165) R Sisk 0-4, S Buckley 1-1, R McGrath, P O’Malley, D Dransfield 0-2, D Cogan, F O’Rourke 0-1 each

Laochra Óg: J Slattery 1-5 (3F),`D Sheehan, D Fitzgibbon 0-1 each.

Crosshaven: A Burke; M Dalton, K Twohig; J McCarthy; C Walsh, F O’Rourke, A Power; S Buckley, R Sisk; C Touhy, D Dransfield, D Cogan; R McGrath, C Browne, J Cox. Subs: P O’Malley, J Fitzgerald, E Murchen. R Lawlor

Laochra Óg: K Healy; J Burkey, R Tarrant, J Ring; D Lynch, C Ó Meachair, N Buckley; J Mac Giolla Bhride; S O’Leary; E O Connell, M Og Casey, J Slattery, D Fitzgibbon, D Lynch, D Sheehan. Subs: O Cussen, B Murphy, Eamonn Maher.

Crosshaven Hurlers who got their championship hopes off to a winning start today