Randal Óg 1-19 Kilbrittain 0-12

Monday April 14th Div 1 Hurling League For all images from the match see Match Photos here >

The men from Randal Óg arrived to Clashavanna in form for Monday nights Carbery Div 1 League match against hosts Kilbrittain. While Kilbrittain opened the scoring with a point from play at their ease, the opening half was set to be a fight for possession for both sides. The initial ten minutes saw the men from the west succeed in getting deeper into Kilbrittain's half more than once. Finding favour with the white flag they raised it in quick succession twice, first from midfielder Séamus Crowley and then from half-forward Séadhna Crowley, before a wide from a free signalled a pause in the green jerseys assault.

Kilbrittain's Shaye Ustianowski and Paudie Brennan battle Randal Ógs Tomás Kingston for possession of a loose ball. A nicely taken long-range sideline cut, from Patrick O'Mahony, narrowly missed the uprights but it didn't dampen his attitude and when Eamonn Lyons created an excellent opportunity off the back of the next loose ball, he found Paudie Brennan who tapped on to a determined O'Mahony to power the ball over the bar. Randals were quick to reply with another point from play from corner forward Jimmy O'Sullivan and were close too with a wide of their own soon after. Then bold Sam Dewey got stuck into a battle around midfield and relinquished Randals of their grip on possession. He brought the ball to Brennan who, racing forward along the sideline, struck an inspiring and brazen point from 45 meters out. He was unlucky not two minutes later to have a similarly courageous point edge just shy of the posts.

Kilbrittain's Sam Dewey moves to strike the ball before Randal's Alan Brickley hooks. With fifteen minutes gone all was level 3 points a piece but it wouldn't last long as Randal's midfielder Crowley pointed again. Then Kilbrittain worked a lovely ball up the sideline from young Adam Desmond, who was doing well at right corner back, through Kevin O'Neill to Shaye Ustianowski. The youngster raced up the sideline soloing and evaded capture from his mark, before letting fly and also narrowly missing the uprights. Kilbrittain were granted a free soon after, which diligent Lyons put over the bar before Brennan was back again, confidently striking another point from 50 meters out. Keith Hunt, Patrick O'Mahony and Cillian Harrington were pressing Randal's backline but to the westerners credit, they held their form well. Then Lyons was sent to the spot again for another free and he put Kilbrittain up 0-06 to 0-04 with ten minutes left to play in the half.

Cillian Harrington of Kilbrittain makes a formidable opponent on Randal's corner back Éoin Hurley. Putting in their fair share of hard work, Randals were due their own purple patch. Four points were sent shooting across the field and over the bar for the men in green and gold, the first from Patrick Collins, the two in between from Séadhna Crowley and Peter Collins, with the last, expertly taken by Alan Brickley, who rifled it low over the bar. Things were looking up for the men from Ballinacarriga who had deservedly clawed back at Kilbrittain's lead, and now sat ahead 0-08 to 0-06, indeed they seemed to be set to finish the half in style. Kilbrittain's Lyons however, didn't get the memo and from his next free he sent a beauty of a ball soaring through the sky, looking initially to veer to the left of the uprights, it curled back in and through the white posts, to puncture Randals scoring spree and remind the visitors who's pitch they were on. To Randals credit though they managed another point in reply from Peter Collins before the referee whistled for halftime.

Kilbrittain's fullback stallworth John Murphy brings the ball out of the backline. HALFTIME Randal Óg 0-09 Kilbrittain 0-07 At this stage there wasn't much between the teams and both carried an attacking atmosphere. For Kilbrittain this was led by Sam Dewey and Paudie Brennan in midfield while Séadhna Crowley and Peter Collins drove on the Randal Óg outfit, but it was the latter who were first out of the blocks. A point from a free from the aforementioned Séadhna and one from play from Séamus Crowley saw them push ahead before Kilbrittain's Brennan rounded his mark and opened up the shoulders to blast another point over the bar for the black and amber. Randal's Donnacha Collins returned fire sharply down the other end. Kilbrittain to their credit were managing to keep Randal's forwards away from goal during this period, with John Murphy, Desmond, O'Neill and Burke getting stuck in. Meanwhile red helmeted, Pat O'Mahony (Garrendruig), not to be confused with green helmeted, Patrick O'Mahony (Cloundereen), was fresh on the field in the half forward line and also getting stuck in, leaping into the air to secure possession of dropping balls.

Kilbrittain's Pat O'Mahony (Garrendruig) races up the sideline with the ball. As the half continued Kilbrittain's Lyons and Keith Hunt found themselves in the square fighting for one such loose ball. Hunt managed well to bring it out of the ruck and passed off to Brennan who was rightly placed to chance a point and so he did. Backing himself he struck over for Kilbrittain and his fourth of the day. When Ivan Burke won the puck out he offloaded to Brennan again who sent another effort just shy of the post. Randal's missed their next long range opportunity also before their corner forward Brickley rifled a close range shot over the bar, the corner forward seeming to have a good knack for the direct low ball over the bar. Randal Óg now led 0-13 to Kilbrittain 0-09.

Kilbrittain's defencemen John Ryan and Ivan Burke protect the ball from Randal's half forward line of Séadhna Crowley and Peter Collins. With a bit more space opening up between the teams on the scoreboard Randals pressed on but also seemed to relax, unfazed by the pressure to keep the lead. Their centre forward Peter Collins lobbed a lovely point over the bar before their freetaker Crowley stood over the ball again and issued a fine effort through the uprights at his ease. Kilbrittain's Hunt was doing well to win loose ball as the half progressed. Keeping his mark off the ball he saved the next one for Cathal O'Callaghan who pointed over with 15 minutes gone in the second half. But Randal Óg were running a tight ship and any point for Kilbrittain was retaliated against with more fervour. Randal's Brickley, centre back Conor O'Neill and corner forward Patrick Collins responded with a point each before the next ball bounced out over the line for Kilbrittain. Séamus O'Sullivan took on the responsibility for the sideline cut and sent a classy long ball sailing over half the squads heads into the half forward line where Lyons connected and made good on his end.

Kilbrittain's Séamus O'Sullivan races through midfield to clear the ball.

Randals, however, were capitalising on all the possession they got, firing the ball upfield quickly with long pucks. A dropping ball into the square was hopped on immediately, the first effort drawing a full length save off Owen MacCarthy in goal, before the inevitable scramble for the rebound saw, we believe, corner-forward Patrick Collins come to the fore again and Randal's extended their lead 1-18 to 0-11.

Randal Ógs Patrick Collins retrieves the ball before it crosses the line under pressure from Kilbrittain's Kevin O'Neill. Dusk was falling on Clashavanna and the cold night was pulling in as the clock ticked toward full time. Lyons followed with a free to narrow the margin by a touch but the also in-form freetaker Séadhna Crowley of Randals, made the most of a free he was granted, to fire it over the bar down the other end, for his sixth point of the evening. Before the referee moved to blow the whistle, there was time for a red-helmeted Pat O'Mahony special. The Kilbrittain legend, raced across field for a dropping ball which looked to be going out over the sideline. Unflinching, he launched himself acrobatically into the air to slap back the ball and keep it in play. He landed out over the sideline drawing a gasp of admiration from onlookers in the dugout and on the banks. The jump itself, worth going to the match for. The referee blew for time not long after that to see out the match Randal Óg 1-19 to Kilbrittain 0-12. Kilbrittain are scheduled to play Clonakilty next on Saturday April 18th in Clonakilty at 7pm while Randal Óg are set to play Newcestown on Sunday April 19th at 3pm in Newcestown. Scorers: E.Lyons (0-04F)(0-01), P.Brennan (0-04), , P O'Mahony(0-01), C.O'Callaghan (0-01) UN(0-01) Team: Owen McCarthy, Adam Desmond, John Murphy, Kevin O'Neill, Ivan Burke, Gavin Kenny (Sub: John Ryan), Shaye Ustianowski, Séamus O'Sullivan, Paudie Brennan, Sam Dewey, Eamonn Lyons, Cillian Harrington (Sub: Pat O'Mahony), Keith Hunt, Patrick O'Mahony, Cillian O'Callaghan. Scorers: Séamus Crowley (0-02) Séadhnda Crowley (0-03)(0-03F), J. O'Sullivan (0-01), Peter Collins (0-03), Patrick Collins (1-02), A. Brickley (0-03), D. Collins (0-01),Conor O'Neill (0-01) Team: Patrick Lynch, Pádraig Duggan, Cal Nyhan, Éoin Hurley, Tomás Kingston, Conor O'Neill, Pádraig O'Sullivan, Séamus Crowley (Sub: Jack O'Neill), Donnacha Collins, Séadhna Crowley, Peter Collins, Cathal Duggan, Jimmy O'Sullivan, Alan Brickley, Patrick Collins (Sub: Barry O'Sullivan)