Éire Óg Corra Coill chalk up fine win in SHC

EireOg Corra Choill Jack Higgins is tackled by Coill Dubh Sean Dunne | Iconic

placeholder image — EireOg Corra Choill Jack Higgins is tackled by Coill Dubh Sean Dunne | Iconic

Coill Dubh fight to bitter end but came up that bit short

Éire Óg Corra Choill picked up their first win in the UPMC SHC with a well-deserved win over Coill Dubh at Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge, the second game at Headquarters on Saturday.

The opening half was tight with both sides giving it their all.

A feature of the half was some brilliant long-range from both sides, in particular Johnny Byrne, Mark Delaney and Mark Grace, while a goal from Sean O’Neill was vital to the EECC side, while Jack Higgins was doing a lot of work, and scoring for the Caragh/ Prosperous side who led at the break 1-11 to 0-10.

Mark Delany converted a free on the resumption but that was off-set by a brilliant point from Paul Dolan, one of three from the centre back. Michael Clohessy increased the lead before Conor Carew and Declan Flaheerty reduced the lead to three on 39 minutes.

However, three points on the trot pushed the lead out to six mid-way through and while Flaherty and Delaney (65) replied they could not get any closer as Jack Higgins, who had a fine game, hit two to stretch it out to six again.

Two points from Coill Dubh and a brilliant Paul Dolan effort before the final whistle as EECC won out on a final score line of 1-19 to 0-17.

Scorers: Éire Óg Corrachoill, Jack Higgins 0-8 (4 frees), Sean O’Neill 1-0, Paul Dolan 0-3, Cian O’Reilly 0-3, Michael Clohessy 0-3 (1 free), Conor Kielty 0-1, Daniel Murray 0-1.

Coill Dubh, Mark Delaney 0-8 (4 frees, 65), Johnny Byrne 0-3, Declan Flaherty 0-2, Mark Grace 0-1, Eanna O'Neill 0-1, Com Gordon 0-1, Conor Carew 0-1.

ÉIRE ÓG CORRACHOILL: Daniel Gleeson; Conor Byrne, Niall Cramer, Cathal McGrath; Daniel Boyle, Paul Dolan, Fionan Manders; Jack Higgins, Daniel Murray; Cian O’Reilly, Michael Clohessy, Donnchadh Fitzpatrick; Conor Kielty, Sean O’Neill, Rian Cramer. Subs: Rian Curran for Donnchadh Fitzpatrick (41 minutes); Simon Connolly for Conor Kielty (48 minutes); Shane Malone for Fionan Manders (58minutes); Liam Dempsey for Cian O’Reilly (61 minutes).

COILL DUBH: Ross Carew; Niall Kane, Dylan Breton, Conor Gordon; John Dore, Mark Grace, Fionn Moran; Sean Dunne, Mark Delaney; Eanna O’Neill, Declan Flaherty, Ben Shortt; Colm Gordon, Johnny Byrne, Steven Ryan. Subs: Conor Carew for Conor Gordon (19 minutes); Jamie Kenna for Ben Shortt (half-time); Zack Donnelly for Steven Ryan (half-time); Finn Tierney for Jamie Kenna (36 minutes).

REFEREE: Niall Colgan,