Paddy Carey shines as Sean Treacy's get back again to the Crosco Cup final

John O’Shea at Dillon Quirke GAA Grounds, Clonoulty 

Sean Treacys, the holders, are through to the final of The Berties Bar Dundrum Crosco Cup following their eleven-point victory over an understrength Cashel King Cormacs at Dillon Quirke GAA Grounds, Clonoulty on Wednesday evening. 

Early indications were that this would be a close encounter as both teams traded points and were in fact on level terms at the quarter hour mark, 0.4 each. The second quarter proved to be Cashel’s undoing as Treacys outscored them by 1.7 to 0.2, the goal coming on the stroke of half time. 

The third quarter was even enough on the score board, with Paddy Carey and Devon Ryan trading points but a goal by Carey, when he kicked past Johnny Walsh, effectively closed out the game as a contest. Carey injured himself in the process and was replaced by Shane Fahy. 

Devon Ryan pulled a goal back for the town side with five minutes remaining but a third Treacy goal from Paddy Dawson in injury time wrapped up the game for the holders. 

Cashel, playing into the far end, were quickly off the mark with Devon Ryan putting over within the opening minute. Paddy Carey equalised a minute later, thus setting the trend as Ryan and Carey would battle it out on the scoreboard for the duration of the contest. Jack O’Connor eased Cashel back in front but Treacys replied again through Paddy Carey. Devon Ryan converted two frees, either side of a Brian Carey point to lead by the minimum with tenth minutes gone. 

Between the sixteenth and twenty fifth minute Paddy Carey converted four unanswered frees to put Treacys three to the good. Two of those frees were well over eighty-five meters. Devon Ryan broke the momentum when he converted a placed ball for Cashel, only for Paddy Carey, Paul Nolan and Mikey Feehan to reply with three long range scores to ease Treacys ahead by double scores, 0.10 to 0.5. As the game entered injury time Devon Ryan hit his fifth point of the game before Treacys got in for a fortuitous goal from Chris Egan, his long range shot deceived the Cashel defence and dropped over the line giving Treacys an interval lead, 1.11 to 0.6. 

Cashel needed a good start to the second half but it was Treacys who dictated from the restart. Mikey Feehan, Stevie Carr and Paddy Carey stretching their lead out to twelve after six minutes. Cashel then hit what was their best period of the game with Devon Ryan and Conn Bonnar getting some good scores. Treacys hit back through Paddy Carey with two converted frees before splitting the defence and kicking goal number two past Johnny Walsh. This goal effectively finished the game as a contest, but Cashel never gave up, with Devon Ryan getting in for a goal and a point in quick succession. 

Paddy Dawson wrapped up the game for the holders in injury time with a well taken goal before Ross Bonnar closed out the scoring with the final play of what was an entertaining game. 

Sean Treacys will be happy with this performance as they go in search of a fifth Crosco Cup and their second in succession. They were strong throughout, with Sean Hickey at full back and Seanie Ryan (Rogers) in the centre of defence. Paul Nolan and Stevie Carr held their own at midfield. Their forwards, as a unit, got the better of the Cashel defence with man of the match, Paddy Carey, causing all sorts of problems until he was withdrawn through injury ten minutes from time. 

Cashel will have learned a lot from this game, particularly as they were missing a few players. Paraic Brosnan done a lot of work in defence, Paddy Fahy and Conn Bonnar broke even at midfield, while Devon Ryan will be pleased with his contribution, hitting 1.9 of the Cashel total. 

Sean Treacys: Paddy Carey (1.12, 9 frees), Chris Egan (1.0), Paddy Dawson (1.0), Mikey Feehan (0.2), Brian Carey (0.1), Paul Nolan (0.1), Stevie Carr (0.1) 

Cashel King Cormacs: Devon Ryan (1.9, 6 frees), Ross Bonnar (0.1), Conn Bonnar (0.1), Jack O’Connor (0.1)

Sean Treacys: Shane Stapleton, Brian Nolan, Sean Hickey, Eoin Sheldon, Chris Egan, Seanie Ryan (Rogers) (Captain), Tom Hickey, Paul Nolan, Stevie Carr, Mattie Feehan, Brian Carr, Mikey Feehan, Cillian Kennedy, Paddy Carey, Darragh Kennedy

Subs used: Paddy Dawson for Cillian Kennedy (H.T.), Darragh Carr for Stevie Carr (43 mins.), Shane Fahy for Paddy Carey (50 mins.), Stephen Rochford for Brian Carey (55 mins.), Willie Mackey for Mattie Feehan (55 mins.) 

Cashel King Cormacs: Johnny Walsh, Ciaran Quinn, Nathan Ryan (Joint Captain), Paraic Brosnan, Simon Delaney, Conor O’Dwyer, Ronan Connolly, Paddy Fahy (Joint Captain), Conn Bonnar, Anthony Walsh, Ross Bonnar, Jack O’Connor, David McGrath, Devon Ryan, Cathal Quinn

Subs used: Dan Moloney for Simon Delaney (H.T.), Adrian Cummins for David McGrath (40 mins.), Kieran O’Dwyer for Conor O’Dwyer (48 mins.), Andrew Irwin for Conn Bonnar (55 mins.) 

Referee: David Grogan (Aherlow)