Those involved with the successful Mitchelstown CBS side that claimed provincial glory 20 years ago – claiming the Munster Senior Colleges Hurling championship title – gathered in The Hunter's Rest, Mitchelstown recently to recall the occasion and reunite after many years apart.
The print edition of The Avondhu (edition March 14th) has coverage of the social gathering. Here, we carry a report published in The Avondhu on Thursday, March 18th, 2004, following that famous win for Mitchelstown CBS, when defeating Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal following an epic encounter.
THRILLING CHAMPIONSHIP WIN FOR MITCHELSTOWN
Mitchelstown CBS 2-11 Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal Blarney 1-12
This was a thrilling Munster Senior Colleges Hurling championship final (Corn Mhic Ruairi) at Mallow on Wednesday last.
CBS got off to a perfect start and had an early point by James Fox. In the 5th minute they went 4 points clear when a long clearance out of the CBS defence by Barry Young led to Seanie Duggan scoring the first of his two goals 1-1 to 0-1. Blarney opened their account when James Murphy pointed a free. Mitchelstown CBS replied with a pointed ‘65’ from Michael Walsh after 10 minutes.
Gradually the Blarney side came more into the game with Paul Kavanagh, Mark O’Callaghan, Padraig O’Callaghan, James O’Sullivan, Tom Buckley and James Murphy all coming very strongly into the game. The CBS defence of Bart O’Keeffe, Richard McEniry, William Keating, Liam Kelly, Michael Walsh and Barry Young did exceptionally well and contained the pressure from the Blarney attack.
Eoin Walsh was also very sound in goal. Points from Paul Kavanagh, Dylan Burke, Richard Pinfield saw them come within a point at the interval 1-2 to 0-4.
On the resumption, Blarney enjoyed their best period of the game. A quick point from Thomas Buckley had the sides level in the 32nd minute. A pointed ‘65’ from Paul Kavanagh gave them the lead. Blarney were unlucky not to goal in the 38th minute when Dylan Burke’s shot went over the crossbar with a goal at his mercy.
However, the Blarney side goaled in the 42nd minute when Padraig O’Sullivan found the net and Mitchelstown CBS faced an up-hill battle 1-7 to 1-2.
The North Cork side began to come more into the game with the half back line of Barry Young, Michael Walsh and Liam Kelly making some vital clearances out of defence along with Richard McEniry at full back. James Fox worked hard at centre forward and Thomas Twomey and Seanie Duggan always looked dangerous when going forward.
Michael Walsh with a long pointed free cut the deficit to 4 points. Blarney replied with a point from James O’Sullivan in the 48th minutes.
Mitchelstown CBS came right back into contention in the 54th minute when a Gerry McCarthy ball across the square led to Seanie Duggan flicking to the net to see his side trail by 2 points 1-8 to 2-3. In an exciting finish two late pointed frees from Thomas Twomey saw the sides deadlocked at the end of full time.
EXTRA TIME
Extra time prevailed and the Blarney side were again first off the mark. They were awarded three early frees that yielded a point each from Paul Kavanagh and Brian Deasy, while the third free was narrowly wide – 1-11 to 2-5.
A Thomas Twomey pointed free cut the deficit to the minimum, but a late rally in the opening period of extra time saw Thomas Buckley and James Murphy combine well to set up James O’Sullivan for a point 1-11 to 2-6 at half-time in extra time.
On the changeover Michael Walsh pointed a long free for the CBS and from the puckout by Trevor Hegarty, James Fox gathered possession out near midfield and he combined well with Jason Walsh who returned back to Fox who scored a great point to tie the sides 2-8 to 1-11.
Mitchelstown CBS sensed victory and a point by Thomas Twomey put them ahead 4 minutes into the second half. The Blarney side tried hard and were denied a point when two vital blocks from Liam Kelly and Barry Young in the same attack from James O’Sullivan and Thomas Buckley kept them out, but they levelled 2 minutes later when a great clearance by Paul Kavanagh set up James Murphy for a well taken point.
In an exciting finish both sides gave it their all. However, Mitchelstown CBS got the vital scores, the first a long pointed free from Twomey after a foul on Ciaran O’Connor and Twomey completed the scoring when he pointed a close in free after a foul on Dave Conway. Mitchelstown CBS held out for a close win and after the game Timmy O’Callaghan, Munster Colleges Chairman presented the cup to the winning captain Michael Walsh.
Mitchelstown CBS – Eoin Walsh (Kildorrery), Bart O’Keeffe (Glanworth), Richard McEniry (Kildorrery), William Keating (do), Liam Kelly (do), Michael Walsh (capt – do), Barry Young (do), Pat Coughlan (Glanworth), Ciaran O’Connor (Kildorrery), Harry English, (Skeheenarinky), James Fox (Kildorrery), Sean Young (do), Tom Twomey (Kilworth), Sean Duggan (Ballygiblin), David Leahy, (Glanworth). Subs: Gerry McCarthy (Kildorrery) for Dave Leahy, Jason Walsh (do) for Harry English, Dave Conway (Ballygiblin) for Pat Coughlan.
