Division 4: Kilbrin 3 – Ennis 18

Remaining Fixtures – League Table

ENNIS CBS TAKE GIANT STEP TOWARDS MUNSTER DOUBLE IN KILBRIN

Report compliments of Colm Murphy

Ennis CBS’ Division 4 team faced a trip to North Cork to play Kilbrin last Tuesday week. With a healthy lead in this division, the CBS were hoping to take a decisive win with two further fixtures remaining.

At number five, Mike Brophy faced Kilbrin’s Chris Guiney. Though Guiney demonstrated excellent straight driving, Brophy’s calm and assured play gave him solid victories in the first two games, before his fitness and intensity drove him on to a comfortable success for a 3-0 victory.

Colm Murphy was the CBS’ number four, with the hard-hitting Paddy McMahon in opposition. The first two games were tight to the mid-way point before Murphy’s cross-shots into the back corners gave him an edge. McMahon redoubled his efforts and his powerful, low kills helped him take a 9-6 lead in the third, before Murphy recovered to a tiebreak which he eventually edged 17-15 for a 3-0 success.

Jason O’Callaghan of Kilbrin had a tough battle with Paddy Vaughan. The skilful O’Callaghan took an 8-5 lead in the first before Vaughan’s boasts fired him to an unassailable lead. The second was even tighter with the Kilbrin player 11-6 up before the Crusheen man’s running power swung it his way. Vaughan went on to take a 3-0 win with a determined finish.

Martin Daly was number two for Ennis CBS against Brendan Barrett. Daly was dominant in the first two games with superb boasts and good running. Into the third, the technically-adept Barrett made a huge effort to stem the tide and he led 13-9. Again, Daly’s precision boasting made the difference, with some inch-perfect winners, to bring it to a tiebreak which Daly won for a 3-0 win.

The top seed match was Oisin Casey and Kilbrin’s Tomas O’Riordan. Casey opened well with his tight volleying sufficiently troubling O’Riordan to take the first game. The Kilbrin player then showed some excellent pure striking to level it. The next two games were shared and then onwards to the decider. O’Riordan’s ability to expertly switch play into the opposite corner gave him a quick start and he went on to claim a 3-2 victory on the night.

Ennis CBS are now 34 points up on nearest challengers (and next opponents) Sunday’s Well and hopes are high that a historic Munster League double triumph can be completed next week.