Goals crucial as Inniscarra hurlers open with deserved SAHC win over Ballyhea

Inniscarra 2-23 Ballyhea 1-19

Inniscarra got their Co-op Superstores Senior A HC off to a winning start at Mourneabbey on Saturday.

These two sides met in the group stages as well last year, with a similar result, but both failed to qualify from the group stages.

Inniscarra went in front after three minutes and from here to the end they were never behind again, with their second goal in particular putting some distance between the sides, in a game they never looked like losing.

Their charge was led by their Cork star, Sean O’Donoghue, who was superb at full-back. When Ballyhea were threatening to come back early in the second half, he soloed up the pitch to score his second point in a rallying call for his side.

Pa O’Callaghan, Ballyhea, getting in a tackle on Sean O”Donoghue, Inniscarra. Picture: Dan Linehan

Pa O’Callaghan opened the scoring for Ballyhea just 20 seconds in, with Joseph Enright replying at the other end for Inniscarra.

Padraig Holland, Enright and Brian Daly all pointed for Inniscarra as they were 0-4 to 0-1 in front after six minutes.

John Morrissey replied for Ballyhea and he was on target again, after 10 minutes, to make it 0-5 to 0-3 in Inniscarra’s favour.

They took a grip on the game when Daly raced through to find the back of the net, to make it 1-6 to 0-4. Enright, Daniel Murphy and Cameron Lynch added points and with 20 minutes gone, they led 1-9 to 0-5.

Three frees from Morrissey closed the gap, with Enright getting the last score of the half as Scarra led by 1-13 to 0-10 at the break.

Three more from Morrissey at the start of the second half put his side back in contention, before O’Donoghue rallied his side with a great run. Daniel Murphy and Cameron Lynch were among the Inniscarra scorers as they stretched their lead to 1-18 to 0-6, before the killer blow came.

After 46 minutes, Frank Horgan got their second goal to put the result beyond doubt. Enright and Marc Nagle added points, with Morrissey replying.

With time running out and Inniscarra leading 2-22 to 0-19, before Tom Hanley got a late goal for Ballyhea, which could prove to be a vital score if scoring difference comes into play.

Scorers for Inniscarra: J Enright 0-9 (0-6 f, 0-2 65), B Daly 1-1, F Horgan 1-0, C Lynch, D Murphy 0-3 each, P Holland (f), A McCarthy, S O’Donoghue 0-2 each, M Nagle 0-1.

Ballyhea: J Morrissey 0-12 (0-10 f), Tom Hanley 1-1, P O’Callaghan 0-4, J Copps, M O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

INNISCARRA: E O’Neill; D Keane, S O’Donoghue, J O’Sullivan; B Daly, C O’Leary, C Dineen; J Enright, F Horgan; J Keane, M Nagle, C Lynch; D Murphy, A McCarthy, P Holland.

Subs: T Lyons for J O’Sullivan (45), N Buckley for J Keane (49), S O’Mahony for P Holland (56).

BALLYHEA: M Browne; A Barrett, L Hanley, W Carroll; J Hennessy, Tom Hanley, J Copps; L Crowley, Tiernan Hanley; J Morrissey, P O’Callaghan, C Cox; E O’Leary, M O’Sullivan, K Morrissey.

Subs: D Curtin for K Morrissey (ht), G Morrissey for E O’Leary (53), M Mortell for M O’Sullivan (56).

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan, Valley Rovers.