Red FM Hurling League Division 1 in Carrigtwohill on Tuesday, 20th June

Carrigtwohill 1-15 Erin’s Own 1-15

The senior hurlers met familiar opposition in the senior hurling league, having played against the Caherlag outfit only three days previously in the junior A football championship.  It was a tense affair, with Carrig needing a result to keep their hopes of retaining their Division 1 status for 2024.

Carrig were lively from the off, running into a five-point (0-06 to 0-01) lead after 12 minutes.  Tomás Hogan converted a free to open the scoring and struck a good effort from the wing to double his tally.  James Mulcahy split the posts after winning a good ball on the touchline.  Liam Gosnell pointed from a free after Cian O’Riordan’s work-rate drew a free; Ciano then fed Gozzy who converted.  James Mul scored his second point after a nice side-step.  Erin’s Own took control of the game in the second quarter and scored an unanswered 1-5 to go a goal ahead on 25 minutes.  A long-range Gozzy strike followed up by another one after Mul squaring the ball to him, made it a two-point game at half-time, with Carrig trailing by two points, 0-08 to 1-07.

Erin’s Own increased their lead early in the second half with three unanswered points to go five points clear (0-08 to 1-10).  The in-form James Mul notched another fine point.  Jamie Mac and Tomás Hogan combined well to feed Cillian Barry who split the posts from distance.  Aaron Walsh Barry played a lovely diagonal ball to Mul and he made it four from play to bring Carrig within a goal (0-11 to 1-11) of their opponents.  Three Liam Gosnell frees and two Erin’s Own points meant that Carrigtwohill were two points down inside the final ten minutes.  Shane Devlin left his goal to nail a huge free from inside his own ‘65’.  Erin’s Own raised two white flags to open the margin to a goal (0-15 to 1-15) on 57 minutes.  In the final minute of normal time, James Mul had a neat one-two handpass (that junior football manager, Clive Cremen will no doubt claim was his set piece!) with the very impressive and tireless Cian O’Riordan; Mul batted the return ball from Ciano to the net.  Added time was a bit frantic and chaotic, but referee, Niall O’Neill called time as the teams fought for vital possession.

Well done to the panel of players and management for sticking to the task and eking out a draw, despite being heavily outscored in the middle third of the game.  Carrig now head to Charleville on Sunday, looking for a result to stay in Division 1 of the Red FM league next year.

Carrigtwohill Team: Shane Devlin (0-1f); Pat O’Sullivan, Seán de Burca, Aaron Walsh Barry; David Rooney, Jay Horgan, Daniel Murnane; Jamie McCarthy, Cillian Barry (0-1); Cian O’Riordan Liam Gosnell (0-7; 0-4f), Tomás Hogan (0-2; 0-1f); Brendan Twomey, Seán Brennan, James Mulcahy (1-4).  Subs Used: Séamus Roche, Joel Joseph.  Other Subs: Jack Scully, Liam Scriven, Daragh Hannigan.

Management: Frank Flannery (manager), Niall Kidney, Michael Boland, Niall McCarthy, Clive Cremen.

Referee: Niall O’Neill (Midleton).