Winning start for title-holders

Kilmurry-Ibrickane 0-9   St Joseph’s 0-7

THE first game of this year’s Cusack Cup took place in Gurteen on Friday night when title-holders, Kilmurry-Ibrickane repeated their county final win over St Joseph’s, albeit by a smaller margin.

The first point came from Kilmurry in the third minute from the in-form Seamus Lynch. It was quickly followed by another from wing-back Shane Hickey. The game was nine minutes old before the home team opened their account but the winners responded with points from Enda Coughlan and Lynch.

The best goal chance of the night came Doora-Barefield’s way with a powerful shot, which hit the bar before the rebound was tapped over to leave the score at 0-4 to 0-3.

At half-time, the teams were on level terms at 0-6 each, after the home side had hit the final two scores of the half.

The winners started the second half with a Noel Downes point and Enda Coughlan followed with a brace to put his side three clear, 11 minutes into the half. This proved to be the holders’ final score. Doora-Barefield had a point at the turn of the final quarter and this was their final score, leaving the last 15 minutes without a score.

St Joseph’s had their scores from Cathal Duggan, David and Christy O’Brien, Ivor White and Cathal O’Sullivan.
Eight minutes from the end, Kilmurry lost Noel Downes to a red card following an off-the-ball incident.

Kilmurry-Ibrickane: Peter O’Dywer; Martin McMahon, Darren Hickey, Evan Talty; Shane Hickey, Paul O’Connor, Enda Coughlan; Peter O’Dwyer, Keith King; Mark McCarthy, Michael O’Dwyer, Seamus Lynch; Noel Downes, Seamus Murrihy, Niall Hickey.
Subs: Declan Callinan for Murrihy, Odran O’Dywer for Niall Hickey and Johnny Daly for Lynch.
St Joseph’s: Ian Lyons; Páudie Nugent, Kevin Dilleen, Martin Brooks; Sean Flynn, Stephen Collins, Declan Malone; Mark Hallinan, Ivor White; Philip Ryan, Christy O’Brien, David O’Brien; Cathal O’Sullivan, Cathal Duggan, Finn O’Reilly.
Subs: Paul Dullaghan for Ryan, Adrian Fleming for Flynn (inj), PG O’Donnell for C O’Brien and Ger Fannin for Brooks (inj).