Sixmilebridge 0-17 Corofin/Ruan 3-18

Last Friday evening Sixmilebridge Minor’s hosted Corofin/Ruan in this Round 5 tie. Both sides were very evenly matched for the first 20 minutes with the lead changing hands several times as Robin Mounsey scored 5 points for Corofin/Ruan all from play, and Lorcan Fitzpatrick scored 4 points all from frees as the ‘Bridge kept in touch.

Mark Gaule, Ciaran Hassett, and Jack Corry also scored 4 points for the ‘Bridge with Cillian McGroary, Patrick O’Halloran, Kevin Keane and Shane Punch getting 5 points for Corofin/Ruan to put them ahead by 2 points with 10 minutes left in the half.

The ‘Bridge then hit a purple patch and finished the half scoring the next five points without reply leaving them in control at the interval on score line 0-13 to 0-10.

Robin Mounesy got one back for Corofin/Ruan 2 minutes into second half only for Jack Corry and then Ciaran Hassett to get two cracking points to push the ‘Bridge further ahead and were now the stronger of the teams. When Lorcan Fitzpatrick hit a long range free on 10 minutes, 65 metres out on the wing to leave the ‘Bridge 5 points clear it looked like the ‘Bridge had done enough.

The game was about to be turned on its head however as Robin Mounsey again pulled his side back into this game with two pointed frees as the ‘Bridge defence was getting a bit shaky. When they failed to clear a ball in around the square two minutes later Shane Punch levelled the game with a well taken goal. 18 minutes in and the game now on a knife edge Corofin/Ruan kept the pressure up and were rewarded again when Kevin Keane hit a bullet of a shot at Cian Fawl in the ‘Bridge goal. Fawl saved it but it had so much momentum it trickled into the goal to put the visitors in front and now with the ‘Bridge chasing the game.

Keane followed up with another lovely point from 45 metres before Shane Punch put the game beyond doubt with 5 minutes left when he worked the ball along the end line and somehow managed to get a shot away to score his second and his side’s third goal. Robin Mounsey scored two more points and Kevin Keane finished the scoring with an injury time point for Corofin/Ruan to run out winners by 10 points.

For Corofin/Ruan Robin Mounsey was outstanding throughout with his work rate and his ability to score from play as well as frees contributing elven points with seven coming from play. Cillian McGroary and Shane Punch were also very impressive.

For Sixmilebridge Adam Breen was excellent as was Storm Devanney. Jordan Downes and Sean MacNamara also stood out especially in the first half.

Sixmilebridge: Cian Fawl, Colin Kelly, Adam Breen, Storm Devanney, Jordan Downes, Tiernan Agnew, Darragh Toomey, Ciaran Hassett 0-2, Matthew Hurley, James Holloway 0-1, Lorcan Fitzpatrick 0-9, 0-7F, 0-1(65), Jack Corry 0-3, Sean MacNamara, Mark Gaule 0-2, Conor Flynn.

Corofin/Ruan: Cian O’Donoghue, Gearoid Hanrahan, Sean O’Brien, Conor Leen, Eoin Fitzgerald, Gearoid Cahill, Ashley Brohan, Jack Lyons, Patrick O’Halloran 0-1, Shane Punch 2-1, Robin Mounsey 0-11, 0-4F, Kevin Keane 1-3, Cillian McGroary 0-2, Sean Danagher, Jonathon Barry.

Referee: Rory McGann.