Kilbrittain 2-18 Midleton 0-19

Saturday March 7th - Red FM Div 5 Hurling League

For all images from the match see Match Photos here

Kilbrittain beat Midleton in Kilbrittain on Saturday March 7th in the first outing of the Red FM Div 5 Hurling League. Kilbrittain played host to the east Cork side on a sunny yet windy afternoon. Four minutes in, Ronan Crowley opened scoring for Kilbrittain with a goal after Midleton had put two points on the board. Seán Sexton brought the ball to Josh O'Donovan who made the promising run before offloading to Crowley for the finish. Then moments later Mark Hickey and Conor Hogan set up Luke Griffin for Kilbrittain's second goal. Midleton replied with a free and a point from play before Hickey was pulled down and earned a free 30 yards from goal which he duly sent over the bar. Hogan set up Crowley for another point shortly after before Hogan was fouled and Hickey took the spot again for another free. He fired straight and low over the bar, to see out the first ten minutes 2-03 to 0-2 points.

Conor Hogan rounds his mark in Kilbrittain's first outting in hurling this past Saturday. Kilbrittain did well in this opening ten minutes but it was in the half back line where a lot of ball was won to begin with where Eoghán Byrne and Aaron Holland were in control. Midleton managed to gain possession and struck for a point next but Sexton was hot on their heels to reply. Hugging the side line by the 65 mark, he sent an impressive ball soaring through the uprights aided by the strong wind. Midleton were pushing back, managing to create a couple chances but they sent these wide before, in the 17th minute they added their 6th point to the board where Kilbrittain were still leading, 2-04 to 0-06. Then Crowley won the ball from the puck out in midfield and turning he sped at the Midleton defence, sending a lovely point over the bar. The east men needed scores and they followed with two of their own, the latter, a classy effort. Then they brought a good save off of David Desmond in Kilbrittain's goal when they broke through the backline. The shot was stopped at point blank range and went out for a '65 which Midleton slotted over. With ten odd minutes to go in the first half, Hogan was fouled and Hickey stepped up for Kilbrittain's sixth point and his third free. Then brassy Colm Sheehan drove a belter of a crowd pleasing seventh point over the bar from Kilbrittain's half backline.

Seán Sexton sidesteps his Midleton counterpart.

While the scores were coming, there could have been even more. The half forward line of Crowley, Hickey and Josh O'Donovan were eagerly attacking every ball. O'Donovan was the next to point over cool-as-ice, 40 yards out from goal. Midleton managed to send their own ball over the crossbar down the other end before Adam Griffin found himself with the ball around midfield and backing himself he pointed over with five minutes left in the first half. Kilbrittain were leading 2-09 to 0-10 points as the the black and white jerseys made a push ahead of the whistle. A wonderfully executed point was driven like an arrow over the bar from near the sideline before they were graced with a free yards from goal which they popped over. But Kilbrittain were not to be outdone, Crowley knocked over another nice point from down the other wing before O'Donovan, a man in flying form, rocketed a cannonball through the uprights from midfield. Strong Crowley rounded out the scoring for the home team, pointing again, before Midleton grabbed the last point of the half to leave Kilbrittain ahead at the interval 2-12 to 0-13. HALFTIME: Kilbrittain 2-12 Midleton 0-13

Josh O'Donovan challenges for possession. Kilbrittain were confident and pushed once again from the whistle, maintaining their high tempo and powerful attack. Hickey and Conor Ustianowski were first up to make a break, running at the cornerbacks but, finding the space crowded they passed back to Sexton in a better position. The Ardacrow native, with courage, backed himself and sent a lovely point through the uprights. Luke Griffin followed suit with a neat point minutes later before Sexton and Luke's brother Adam worked the ball to Hogan who pointed over himself. Kilbrittain, now stretched the lead by this 34th minute to 2-15 to 0-13 points. Ustianowski, Griffin and Hickey were menacing the Midleton backline but then the east Cork team hit a purple patch. A point and two frees followed for them but the wind got the better of two other efforts which were blown wide. With 15 minutes left in the half Hickey set up Crowley to pop another point over the bar at his ease. Then Hickey followed up with his own free and Midleton matched it with a point down the other end.

Ronan Crowley is expertly placed to catch a dropping ball. Another stellar point from Crowley saw the village man make his final mark on the game and signal Kilbrittain's last of the day but Midleton were not finished. Making a final push, with four normal minutes left, they managed a point from play and a free to leave the pitch with a more respectable scoreline and five points between the teams. Kilbrittain finishing well on the day 2-18 to 0-19 points. Kilbrittain will face Tracton next on Sunday March 22nd in Kilbrittain, bright an early at 11.30am. Scorers: R.Crowley1-06, L.Griffin 1-01, M.Hickey 0-04F, S. Sexon 0-02,J.O'Donovan 0-02 C.Sheehan 0-01, C.Hogan 0-01. Team: David Desmond, Charlie Kenny (Sub: Mikolaj Kalitka '55), Tomás Sheehan, Éoin O'Neill (Sub: Ivan Burke(HT), Aaron Holland, Colm Sheehan, Eoghán Byrne, Seán Sexton (Sub: Gavin Kenny '58), Adam Griffin (Sub: Keith Hunt '55), Mark Hickey (Sub: Séamus O'Sullivan '58), Josh O'Donovan, Ronan Crowley, Conor Ustianowski, Luke Griffin, Conor Hogan(Sub: Patrick O'Mahony 43').