Kilbrittain 3-21 Russell Rovers 1-13
Intermediate A Hurling Championship, Sunday August 2nd, Ballinhassig
Kilbrittain Team vs. Russell Rovers, 1st Round Intermediate A Championship 2026. Back L-R: David Desmond, Seán Sexton, Ivan Burke, Tomás Sheehan (C), Mark O'Shea, Keith Hunt, Mark O'Shea, Gvin Kenny, Kevin O'Neill, Mark HIckey, Aaron Fehilly, Darragh Considine, Fionn Ustianowski, Owen McCarthy, Mikolaj Kalitka, James Hurley, Aaron Holland and Sam Dewey. Front Row L-R: Philip Wall, Ronan Crowley, Josh O'Donovan, Colm Sheehan, Eoghán Byrne, Conor Hogan, Patrick O'Mahony, Padraig Brennan, Adam Griffin, Éoin O'Neill, Séamus O'Sullivan, Luke Griffin and Éoin Galvin.
Kilbrittain started the Intermediate A Hurling Championship setting a standard for themselves, one which they are well capable of rising to for every match this season. A pack of cool, confident, fit and talented men took to the field on Saturday afternoon in Ballinhassig and ferociously ran at Russell Rovers for the full sixty minutes.
In the same way a drop of flour hits a bowl of water and spreads instantly from the center out, the confidence in this team was evident from the throw-in at the centre of the pitch. Seán Sexton won the ball and immediately circled his mark and raced away up the wing, soloing the ball deep into the Rover's half. Drawing Philip Wall's mark, he hand passed off to him. Wall made sure and sent the ball through the uprights so that within 15 seconds or so, Kilbrittain had made their first mark on the 2026 Intermediate A Championship and were on the scoreboard.
Ronan Crowley points Kilbrittain's second point of the day over the bar from a sideline cut.
Within the minute the puck out was chased to the sideline where wing-forward, Ronan Crowley, knelt to place the ball 25 meters out. Excellently, he rifled that ball over the bar. The subsequent puck out was won by an emboldened Luke Griffin who directed it straight through the uprights again. Then, when Aaron Holland, at center-back, took possession of the ball, he found Wall who spotted Josh O'Donovan free around center-field and without fear, O'Donovan sent a big one straight over the bar. Now with only four minutes gone, Kilbrittain had signalled their serious arrival on the Intermediate A scene. 0-04 to 0-00.
Kilbrittain's Luke Griffin laces the next ball straight through the uprights.
After that Russell Rovers did manage to reply with a point from corner forward Josh Beausang but the next ten minutes would be all about Kilbrittain again. The first play saw Holland find O'Donovan who brought the ball to Crowley. He made more ground and passed off to Griffin who arrowed the ball over the bar. Then, Crowley found Conor Hogan who passed on to Mark Hickey for an easy point from play for the sharpshooter. Wall was doing well off his mark and found Griffin with the ball next, which he directed over the bar from a tight spot.
Kilbrittain's Josh O'Donovan sends the ball soaring upfield. The next Kilbrittain point came from a lovely sequence from the full back line through to the half-forward line. Crafty corner-back Darragh Considine got the ball out of danger in the back line and brought the ball to determined wing-back Colm Sheehan. He did well to find Éoin O'Neill at midfield who picked out Ronan Crowley free on the wing and the village man sent a beauty of a point over the bar.
While Russell Rovers won a free, they sent it wide and followed with another wide from play so that Kilbrittain kept their lead, 0-08 to 0-01 and they weren't about to stop there.
Kilbrittain's Colm Sheehan passes off to Crowley, unwittingly finding himself at the end of James Kennefick's boss. With fifteen odd minutes gone Sexton eyed up Sheehan for a pass from the puck out. The younger of the Ratharoon brother's then found himself with a smack to the face from an outstretched hurley but he played on and he passed off quickly to Crowley. The blonde-tipped wing-forward opened up the shoulders and from an awkward angle sent a big point soaring through the sky and through the tall uprights. Then Sheehan retrieved the puck out and passed across to his elder brother Tomás who popped the ball up to O'Donovan in midfield. In fine form, after a serious injury earlier in the league, he launched a mighty effort upfield and over the bar for his second point of the day.
After that, a well played sequence from Hogan brought the ball to Wall who was fouled before he could get any further. Hickey stepped up for the free and belted it over the bar. 0-11 to 0-01.
Kilbrittain's Philip Wall lets fly upfield before his Rover's James Kennefick can block him. Another wide from play and a free followed for Rovers who hadn't had much possession in the half to that point. Kilbrittain began to cut off Rover's advances however, via Sexton, O'Neill, Hickey and Tomás Sheehan, while Hogan made runs deep into the corner tracking after loose balls.
Minutes later, Holland, deep in Kilbrittain's half, offloaded to Considine who sent a confident, big ball up the wing to Hogan. Hogan crossed to Griffin on the other corner and the Knockanroe native let fly from a distance. Whether he was going for goal or a point the ball slammed against the top corner of the crossbar and brought both sets of supporters to the edge of their seats.
Kilbrittain were cruising, but didn't let up and kept pushing for the next score, the sign of a good team. Rovers too, to their credit, were still fighting to try and get possession. Taking the physical hits for Kilbrittain, Sexton , O'Neill and Tomás Sheehan played off each other in midfield to avoid Rovers reach and brought the ball to Holland around wing-back. A quick bounce on the ground and the ball was off to O'Donovan further upfield, who mastered the sliotair and secured another point for Kilbrittain 0-12 to 0-01.
Kilbrittain's Seán Sexton wins the highball while Colm Sheehan stands in wait for the loose ball. Then Rovers settled, the clock was hitting twenty one minutes or so and they earned a neat point via their wing-forward Luke Duggan-Murray. They kept the ball from the puck out, and made their way through Kilbrittain's defence looking for another point. Under pressure from Kilbrittain's other corner back Eoghán Byrne, they were forced wide. Rovers then held back from facing Kilbrittain's defence, and instead tried pointing over from deeper in their half. Their corner back, Kevin Tattan, had a go at a long range point and was successful making it 0-12 to 0-03 a minute later. When Kilbrittain gave away a free, corner-forward Beausang stood up and secured their fourth point of the day.
A wide from play followed before Kilbrittain took control again.
Eoghán Byrne releases the ball upfield from the back line as Rover's Josh Beausang is late to block.
Sexton harried his mark and won the ball bringing it to Crowley who found Wall in a better position. He slotted the ball through the uprights to help stem the Rovers rising tide. However the yellow jerseyed Rovers persevered and jumping back on the horse their James Kennefick took possession of the next ball and put it over the bar.
They could've added another a minute later but for an excellent late hook by Crowley, forcing his man wide. Another wide followed so that Rovers were held to their five points for the next few minutes. Having said that, with six wides under their belt including five from play Rovers could've been a lot closer in scoring at this stage. Kilbrittain 0-13 to 0-05.
Luke Griffin in control of the ball in the forward line.
It wasn't Kilbrittain's business to worry about Rovers though, they kept their cool and determinedly pushed on with what they could control, taking every score they got their hands on. Griffin found Crowley with a well timed pass and Crowley drove Kilbrittain on with their fourteenth point of the day. Then after a nice offload from O'Donovan, O'Neill followed with a point of his own, the Maryboro man, just back from his sisters wedding in England and then raising the white flag - making it a good weekend all around for O'Neill.
Kilbrittain's Éoin O'Neill moves to block Russell Rover's Luke Duggan-Murray.
Rover's Kennefick was fighting hard down the other end and as the clock ticked down toward half time he backed himself and secured another point to make it 0-15 to 0-06. His bravery can be commended but Kilbrittain would not let up and the barrage of scores continued.
In the space of the next three minutes before the whistle would blow, Kilbrittain would earn two goals and a pair of points, going to show perhaps, for another match in the future, just how much can be accomplished in a small space of time if it were ever truly needed in a worse case scenario.
Kilbrittain's Philip Wall keeps his eye on the ball against Russell Rovers centerback Pierce Cummins, in Saturday's match.
The first goal on the thirtieth minute was thanks to a Crowley break in the corner. Wall was fed the ball and one-handed, he slotted it behind the keeper. The green flag was raised and it would've been enough to go into the dressing room with at half-time. But then Kilbrittain won a free and steadfast Hickey did what he does best and put Kilbrittain further ahead with another point.
Then Byrne in the back line won the puck out. Having no use in keeping the ball there he belted it back up to the forwards where Griffin made use of it and sent it directly back over the bar. With no sign of a whistle yet, Kilbrittain kept going. When the ball found Conor Hogan, all bets were off. The goal assassin struck again and Kilbrittain went into the dressing room up 2-17 to 0-06. HALFTIME Kilbrittain 2-17 Russell Rovers 0-06
Kilbrittain's Seán Sexton and Éoin O'Neill fight Russell Rovers Mark O'Dwyer and James Kennefick for possession at the throw in.
Reliable Sexton was in control again at the throw in, with his wingman O'Neill at his back. Just like the first half, he secured possession at the whistle and soloed down through the Rover's half back line, two midfielders in tow. Drawing Hickey's mark and seeing him free, he hand-passed off to Hick who drove the ball over the bar nicely. 2-18 to 0-06. When O'Neill was fouled from the puck out, a free was awarded and this time it just veered across the uprights. Crowley too made a great run next, but his effort just edged wide.
Darragh Considine keeps between his mark, Jack McGrath and the ball.
Meanwhile good defending in the backline forced some early Rovers efforts out. Holland, Considine, Byrne, Sheehan and James Hurley did well to keep the ball out of danger. Their first touch, indeed the team's first touch, was something to behold, but the touch meant nothing if they weren't in the right place at the right time.
Holland pinballed between Rover's forwards using his fitness and strength to push them back while the other backs were sharp to each wayward ball and quick to get the ball up the field. Byrne forced another Rover's point wide before the ball came back to the hands of Rover's corner forward Jack McGrath . Another great hook by Crowley saw McGrath's effort also go wide.
Crowley is ever focused on the ball.
Play was fast and Kilbrittain were hunting in packs. From the backline where Holland and Sheehan found a lot of ball coming down the left, to Sexton, O'Neill, Wall and O'Donovan in midfield clearing ball up to the forwards. Kilbrittain were hungry.
The next ball came via Sexton to Colm Sheehan who punted up to Crowley racing toward the corner. He passed back to Griffin who at a tight angle tried for a point but it also edged wide. A further Griffin effort off a Tomás Sheehan ball also edged west before Sheehan found O'Donovan who tapped onto Hogan again.
Hogan aimed for goal and drew an important save off the Rover's goalkeeper before the ball went back into play where Crowley collected and slingshot it over the bar to make it, 2-19 to 0-06. So while not all the scores were going over for Kilbrittain in this period it wasn't for the want of trying. Kilbrittain kept possession and Hickey raced the next ball to the corner. Retrieving it, he turned an passed back to Crowley in a better position who pointed over again, making it 2-20 to 0-06, and his sixth from play.
Tomás Sheehan moves to strike the ball upfield in the second half while Rover's Mark O'Dwyer moves to block.
To be fair to Rovers they came into this half more and more as it wore on. Making a push, they made the most from an awarded '65 from their wing forward Duggan-Murray, 2-20 to 0-07. Then a series of fouls went against Kilbrittain and Rover's Beausang made sure with the opportunities he was given, sending the first free soaring through the uprights.
The puck out, was won by the Rover's center back Pierce Cummins and he sent it up to center-field where Beausang was jogging back to position and was rightly placed for the dropping ball. He secured possession and, while harried by Holland he raced for goal and backed himself, rattling the net, 2-20 to 1-08.
Russell Rover's James Kennefick moves to impede Kilbrittain's Seán Sexton as he secures possesion for Kilbrittain. Rovers secured another handy free and despite a hard shoulder on Sexton after the whistle, the free was upheld for the yellow jerseys and they pointed over. Another free followed after Holland supposedly over carried and so Rovers steadily climbed the scoreboard, now 2-20 to 1-10. After both sides shared a wide, Rovers took a well earned point from play. Then David Desmond's long puck out was collected by Wall and despite some big hits as he ran up the wing he sent a stylish point floating over the bar. 2-21 to 1-10.
Kilbrittain's Mark Hickey gets the ball ahead of Russell Rover's Kevin Tattan.
Tensions were rising around the pitch but this maturing Kilbrittain side were keeping their head. After Fionn Ustianowski, fresh on the field, was brought down around the neck, things previously perhaps would've escalated. While standing up for their teammates, the warring players still kept their cool and drew no cards for themselves. The battle for possession was now almost 50/50 as the game entered the final ten minutes. Rovers were doing the better to come out on the right side of fouls however.
Securing a point they also drew two great saves from Kilbrittain's goal line to keep them off the scoreboard. Then a perhaps more questionable foul on James Hurley drew a card for the man himself with five minutes to go yet another excellent defence of the goal line stopped the resultant free doing any harm.
Éoin O'Neill bears down on a Russell Rover's forward, 22 (no name) as he moves to strike the ball down field.
With sidelines too going Rovers way, Rovers appeared to be given every opportunity to make the most of the remaining minutes. However, they erred in judgement on the next one that they were awarded. They chose to puck it backward to their corner back, and Hickey darted toward him forcing him to play a dangerous ball across the full back line to the goalkeeper who had ran out toward the other sideline on the 25'. Kilbrittain were about to get another break.
Kilbrittain's Philip Wall breaks away from two Rovers backs in the second half.
The long ball made it to the goalkeeper, but so too did Wall who had raced in from center-field. He dispossessed the goalkeeper. Racing for the goal line, he found the same corner back who'd launched the ball now racing over to meet him, Wall smacked the ball past him and the full-back who was lining the goal, to raise the green flag for Kilbrittain and a cheer from around the pitch.
Philip Wall scores Kilbrittain's third goal of the day and his second.
With time almost up and the scoreline now reading 3-21 to 1-13, Kilbrittain's fate was secured and yet they continued harrying after possession into extra time, eager and strong, ever onwards to go all the way. 1st round over, the next round will see Russell Rovers play Aghada on Saturday August 22nd in Aghavin at 4pm while Kilbrittain play Bandon on Sunday August 23rd at 3.30pm in Ballinspittle.
Scorers: P. Wall (2-03), R. Crowley (0-6 incl sideline), L.Grifin (0-04), M.Hickey (0-02) (0-01F)(0-01'65), C.Hogan (0-03), J.O'Donovan (0-03), É. O'Neill (0-01) Team: David Desmond, Darragh Considine, James Hurrley, Eoghán Byrne, Tomás Sheehan, aaron holland, Colm Sheehan, Seán Sexton, Éoin O'Neill(Sub: A.Griffin '57), Mark HIckey, philp Wall, Ronan Crowley, Conor Hogan, Luke Griffin, Josh O'Donovan (Sub: F.Ustianowski '48)
Comments