Slieve Bloom relegated to Intermediate Hurling grade by Camross

Slieve Bloom have been relegated to the Intermediate grade for the 2024 season as a strong second-half performance from Camross saw them over the line against their fiercest rivals.

The game had been a good contest in the first-half but a spell of 1-8 without reply was ultimately the winning of the game as Slieve Bloom struggled to create any goal scoring opportunities to reduce the deficit.

Camross 3-16

Slieve Bloom 0-15

Fergal Burke was the first player to raise a white flag as he slotted the sliotar between the posts early on. Ben Deegan fired back with a point of his own as he pointed from a placed ball. Kelvin Burke, Slieve Bloom’s best player on the day, opened his account with a 65’ before he added to his tally with a super score from play.

The next piece of action saw the ball nestle in the back of the net as Ryan Cuddy teed up Darren Drennan with the latter making no mistake in raising a green flag for his side. Kelvin Burke replied with his third point as the sides drew level early on. Four more scores followed with two for each side, Kelvin Burke pointed twice for Slieve Bloom while Eoghan Cuddy and Deegan scored for Camross. 

Kelvin Burke pushed his side in front again as he took his tally to six points out of Slieve Bloom’s seven points. Camross took the game by the scruff of the neck as they reversed a one-point deficit to push themselves three points ahead. Drennan pointed twice with Gearoid Burke and Robbie Delaney both splitting the posts. Shane Farrell replied for Slieve Bloom before Camross rattled the back of the Slieve Bloom net for the second time. The Cuddy’s combined as Ryan Cuddy assisted another goal with his pass finding Eoghan Cuddy, who made no mistake with his finish.

Darragh Delaney and Drennan traded scores before Slieve Bloom ended the half with two white flags as Fergal Burke and Kelvin Burke left the scores at 2-8 to 0-11 in favour of Camross. 

The second period began with Camross increasing their advantage as Eoghan Cuddy fired the sliotar over the black spot. Once again, it was Kelvin Burke getting the scores for Slieve Bloom as he pointed from play and from a 65’. That 65’ would be Slieve Bloom’s last score for over 20 minutes as Camross ensured that they would be staying at the Premier Intermediate grade for next year.

Deegan pointed two frees with Gearoid Burke pointing three times while Delaney and Eoghan Cuddy all added to Camross’ lead. Ryan Cuddy then scored 1-1 in as many minutes as Camross now led by 12 points. Slieve Bloom ended the game with two points from Ciaran Conroy and Kelvin Burke (free) as they went in search of goals but they never came as Slieve Bloom ended the championship without scoring a single goal throughout.