Premier Senior Hurling Championship

Carrig 0-16 Na Piarsaigh 0-21 in Cobh on Sunday, October 10th

It was a case of opportunity missed as Carrig were overtaken by a dogged Na Piarsaigh side in the second half of this Premier Senior Hurling Group 3 game and never recovered the lead. This defeat consigns Carrig to a relegation final with Charleville which has been fixed for Saturday, October 23^rd at 2pm in Fermoy.

Carrig made a blistering start outscoring Na Piarsaigh 0-6 to 0-2 inside the opening 10 minutes with Sean Walsh registering 0-4, 0-3 from play. Liam Gosnell and a fine strike from distance from Jay Horgan were the other scorers. Two Na Piarsaigh frees had Carrig pegged back to 0-2 by the water break and another Sean Walsh free answered a fifth Na Piarsaigh score to leave Carrig 0-7 to 0-5 in front on 20 minutes. It was Carrig who had the bit between their teeth at that stage registering a further 3 consecutive scores through Devlin and Walsh placed balls and a good score from corner-forward Mulcahy. Carrig’s cause had been aided by a straight red to Na Piarsaigh centre-back Christopher Joyce for striking but it was the northsiders who were more clinical heading into the half, undoing Carrig’s good work with 3 quick points of their own. Half time; Carrig 0-10 Na Piarsaigh 0-8.

The second-half was a disappointment for players and supporters alike as Carrig lost control of the game. Two Gosnell scores matched two Na Piarsaigh scores after the restart but Na Piarsaigh then notched 0-7 in a row either side of the water break to leave Carrig 0-5 in arrears and too far adrift. Carrig didn’t lie down; scoring three of the next four points, to get back within a goal but as had been the story of the game it was Na Piarsaigh who kicked on from there, registering three of the last four. Final score; 0-16 to 0-21.

It was a very competitive match and one that Carrig would like to do-over again. But with a relegation final coming up, there’s no time to sit back and think about what-ifs. Throw-in is 2pm in Fermoy next Saturday where Carrig will battle for their Premier Senior status.

Scorers: S. Walsh 0-7 (0-4f), L. Gosnell 0-6 (0-3f), S. Devlin 0-1f, J. Mulcahy and J. Horgan 0-1 apiece.

Team: S. Devlin, S. De Búrca, P. O'Sullivan, P. Hogan, T. Hogan, A. Walsh Barry, J. Horgan, B. Twomey, D. Joseph, S. Rohan, S. Walsh, J. Oke, L. O'Sullivan, L. Gosnell, J. Mulcahy. Subs used: J. McCarthy, R. Power.