St. Colmcille’s produced a powerful second-half display to overcome Cobh by twelve points in the Rebel Óg East Under 18 Division 2 Hurling Championship at Carraig na bhFear on Wednesday evening, making it two wins from two in the competition.
The visitors made the brighter start and opened the scoring inside the opening minute before Cillian O’Connell struck for an early goal to leave Cobh with a six-point advantage after eight minutes. St. Colmcille’s, however, never panicked and gradually worked their way back into the contest through the accuracy of Cian Dunne and some determined defending.
Fachtna Kelleher got the home side’s first score before Dunne found his range from placed balls, converting frees and 65s with impressive consistency. Alex Flynn, outstanding throughout at centre-back, repeatedly broke up Cobh attacks and drove his side forward, while Jack Harte and Alex Sheehan also contributed important turnovers as St. Colmcille’s began to dominate possession.
The home side finished the opening half strongly. Dunne continued to punish Cobh indiscipline from frees, while Flynn capped an excellent first-half performance by splitting the posts from play to give St. Colmcille’s a 0-10 to 1-04 interval lead.
A Dunne point extended the advantage after the restart, but the game swung again when O’Connell grabbed his second goal for Cobh. Any thoughts of a comeback were short-lived, however, as St. Colmcille’s responded in emphatic fashion.
Charlie Horgan restored momentum almost immediately with a well-taken goal before adding a fine point from play. The decisive blow arrived midway through the half when Fachtna Kelleher finished clinically to the net following sustained pressure. Kelleher added another point before Dunne effectively sealed the result with a long-range free that sailed all the way to the net for St. Colmcille’s third goal.
With confidence flowing, the home side finished in style as Horgan struck two excellent points from play before Dunne rounded off an outstanding individual display with another fine score.
It was a thoroughly deserved victory built on disciplined defending, relentless work-rate and clinical finishing. Alex Flynn was immense at centre-back, while Dunne’s accuracy from placed balls proved invaluable. Up front, Fachtna Kelleher and Charlie Horgan provided the cutting edge as St. Colmcille’s maintained their unbeaten start to the championship in impressive fashion.
St Colmcille’s
1 – Sam Dunne
2 – Ciarán Tattan
3 – Jack Harte
4 – Dillon Manley
5 – Ciarán Ryan
6 – Alex Flynn
7 – Alex Sheehan (0-01)
8 – Oisin Arrigan
9 – Tom O’Sullivan
10 – Ronan Aherne
11 – Cian Dunne (1-10 – 1-04 frees , 0-03 65s)
12 – Fachtna Kelleher (1-03)
13 – Daire MacGuire
14 – Charlie Horgan (1-03)
15 – Evan O Leary
Cobh
1 – Connor O’Halloran
2 – Paraic Reid
3 – Liam Kelleher
4 – Jack Meaney
5 – Will O’Keeffe
6 – Charlie McCarthy (0-03, all frees)
7 – Hugh Kennedy
8 – Byron Frahill
9 – Aidan O’Rourke
10 – Jamie O’Shea (0-01)
11 – Jamie Power (0-02)
12 – Roan Fallon
13 – Ronan Fitzpatrick (0-01, free)
14 – Lucas Van Wijnen
15 – Cillian O’Connell (2-02)