THE SIMILARITIES WITH the Cork decider last year were striking and the outcome was the same.
Imokilly’s penchant for bagging goals proved a crucial ingredient once more in a Cork senior hurling final this afternoon in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, firing four in this victory over Midleton a year after three had proved central to their success over Blackrock.
Shane Hegarty and Seamus Harnedy celebrate an Imokilly goal. Oisin Keniry / INPHO
Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO
Captain and star man Seamus Harnedy hit a terrific shot to the net, Paudie O’Sullivan contributed a key brace of goals and when Shane Hegarty notched their fourth goal in the 43rd minute, it essentially settled this contest in Imokilly’s favour.
The timing of the goals were critical in hampering Midleton’s hopes of snatching the spoils. There was no easing into the action from the throw-in as Imokilly struck with an early statement of intent. Within two minutes a long Mark O’Keeffe delivery had evaded the Midleton rearguard with ex-Cork senior O’Sullivan alert to read the play and finish calmly to the net.
Another inter-county figure Harnedy pounced for Imokilly’s second goal in the 20th minute, a super individual effort as he weaved a path through the Midleton defence before finishing powerfully to the net. Cork captain Harnedy’s influence was visible throughout that opening period, he bagged 1-4 from play and Midleton couldn’t contain his incisive running from the half-forward line berth.
Midleton had grown in stature as the half progressed, bagging three points on the bounce to cut the deficit to two just before Harnedy netted and then boosted by Patrick White raising a green flag in the 28th minute. It was a clever finish after he read the flight of a clearance from Sean O’Leary-Hayes. But despite Conor Lehane and Luke O’Farrell shining at stages, Imokilly were in the ascendancy with a 2-11 to 1-9 advantage at the interval.
Midleton would make a positive start to the second half, hitting four of the first five points registered after the break. Three were swung over on the trot courtesy of Lehane, Cormac Walsh and Luke O’Farrell. With 20 minutes to go, they were two adrift and very much in the hunt.
But then the hammer blows arrived. O’Sullivan finishing clinically past Midleton goalkeeper Tommy O’Connell in the 41st minute, Harnedy clipping over a point and then Hegarty surging into space before finding the net. In front 4-13 to 1-13, Imokilly were sailing clear into the winners’ enclosure at that stage.
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Imokilly's Michael Russell with Midleton's Patrick White. Oisin Keniry / INPHO
Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO
Scorers for Imokilly: Seamus Harnedy 1-6, Paudie O’Sullivan 2-1, William Leahy 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1 ’65), Bill Cooper 0-4, Shane Hegarty 1-1, Declan Dalton, Barry Lawton 0-1 each.
Scorers for Midleton: Conor Lehane 0-7 (0-6f), Patrick White 1-1, Cormac Walsh 0-4, Luke O’Farrell 0-3, Seán O’Meara, Cormac Beausang, Paul Haughney 0-1 each.
Midleton's Sean O'Meara with Imokilly's Colm Spillane. Oisin Keniry / INPHO
Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO
Imokilly
1. Dara O’Callaghan (Watergrasshill)
2. Michael Russell (Aghada)
3. Colm Barry (Castlelyons)
4. Colm Spillane (Castlelyons)
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1-6 for Harnedy as Imokilly crowned Cork champions again after win over Midleton
Imokilly 4-19
Midleton 1-18
Fintan O’Toole reports from Páirc Uí Chaoimh
THE SIMILARITIES WITH the Cork decider last year were striking and the outcome was the same.
Imokilly’s penchant for bagging goals proved a crucial ingredient once more in a Cork senior hurling final this afternoon in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, firing four in this victory over Midleton a year after three had proved central to their success over Blackrock.
Captain and star man Seamus Harnedy hit a terrific shot to the net, Paudie O’Sullivan contributed a key brace of goals and when Shane Hegarty notched their fourth goal in the 43rd minute, it essentially settled this contest in Imokilly’s favour.
The timing of the goals were critical in hampering Midleton’s hopes of snatching the spoils. There was no easing into the action from the throw-in as Imokilly struck with an early statement of intent. Within two minutes a long Mark O’Keeffe delivery had evaded the Midleton rearguard with ex-Cork senior O’Sullivan alert to read the play and finish calmly to the net.
Another inter-county figure Harnedy pounced for Imokilly’s second goal in the 20th minute, a super individual effort as he weaved a path through the Midleton defence before finishing powerfully to the net. Cork captain Harnedy’s influence was visible throughout that opening period, he bagged 1-4 from play and Midleton couldn’t contain his incisive running from the half-forward line berth.
Midleton had grown in stature as the half progressed, bagging three points on the bounce to cut the deficit to two just before Harnedy netted and then boosted by Patrick White raising a green flag in the 28th minute. It was a clever finish after he read the flight of a clearance from Sean O’Leary-Hayes. But despite Conor Lehane and Luke O’Farrell shining at stages, Imokilly were in the ascendancy with a 2-11 to 1-9 advantage at the interval.
Midleton would make a positive start to the second half, hitting four of the first five points registered after the break. Three were swung over on the trot courtesy of Lehane, Cormac Walsh and Luke O’Farrell. With 20 minutes to go, they were two adrift and very much in the hunt.
But then the hammer blows arrived. O’Sullivan finishing clinically past Midleton goalkeeper Tommy O’Connell in the 41st minute, Harnedy clipping over a point and then Hegarty surging into space before finding the net. In front 4-13 to 1-13, Imokilly were sailing clear into the winners’ enclosure at that stage.
Scorers for Imokilly: Seamus Harnedy 1-6, Paudie O’Sullivan 2-1, William Leahy 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1 ’65), Bill Cooper 0-4, Shane Hegarty 1-1, Declan Dalton, Barry Lawton 0-1 each.
Scorers for Midleton: Conor Lehane 0-7 (0-6f), Patrick White 1-1, Cormac Walsh 0-4, Luke O’Farrell 0-3, Seán O’Meara, Cormac Beausang, Paul Haughney 0-1 each.
Imokilly
1. Dara O’Callaghan (Watergrasshill)
2. Michael Russell (Aghada)
3. Colm Barry (Castlelyons)
4. Colm Spillane (Castlelyons)
5. Ciarán O’Brien (St. Ita’s)
6. Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons)
7. John Cronin (Lisgoold)
8. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
9. Mark O’Keeffe (Fr. O’Neills)
10. Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr)
15. Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
12. Shane Hegarty (Dungourney)
11. William Leahy (Aghada)
13. Paudie O’Sullivan (Cloyne)
14. Barry Lawton (Castlemartyr)
Subs
17. Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s) for O’Keeffe (47)
Midleton
1. Tommy Wallace
18. Eoghan Moloney
3. Finbarr O’Mahoney
2. Seadnaidh Smyth
4. Luke Dineen
6. Sean O’Leary Hayes
7. James Nagle
8. Paul Haughney
9. Seamus O’Farrell
14. Luke O’Farrell
10. Cormac Walsh
13. Cormac Beausang
5. Sean O’Meara
11. Conor Lehane
15. Patrick White
Subs
12. Padraig Nagle for O’Meara (half-time)
23. Tommy O’Connell for White (43)
24. Ross O’Regan for O’Mahoney (45)
Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg)
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eastern promise GAA imokilly Midleton Seamus Harnedy Cork