County Senior Hurling Championship 3rd round Preview
Blow for Ballyhea as O' Callaghan to miss game with Sars
Ballyhea will be without full-back John O' Callaghan for Sunday's TSB County SHC Clach with Sarsfield at Castletownroche (7pm)
The match had been originally fixed for last week, but the death of the father of goalkeeper Ollie Morrissey caused it to be postponed.
Had the game stood for the original date, O'Callaghan would have been available, but he is now away on holidays and will be a huge loss to the North Cork side, struggling to make an impact in the championship since reaching the final back in 1995. Last year, Ballyhea were involved in three games with Cloyne in the first round before the East Cork team eventually won. This year, Ballyhea came with a late scoring burst to beat Midleton in the first round.
"It's a difficult game for us," said club secretary Michael Byrne. "The death of "Lack" Morrissey last week cast a cloud over the parish, and it's going to be hard to lift the lads. The incentive is there to go and win it for his sake, but Johnny O' Callaghan will be a huge loss. We don't have the resources to plug the gaps.
On the last two occasions Ballyhea and Sarsfield met in the Championship, Ballyhea beat the East Cork men. Sars have lost a game in the Championship and got this far by beating Cork I.T. through the back-door system. Ballyhea, on the other hand, are unbeaten after one game
There is very little to choose between the teams, and with both clubs desperate for a good run in the Championship, it could be one of the best games to date. Current county minors Kieren Murphy and Kevin Goggin along with Garvan McCarthy, John Murphy and Cian Kennedy will spearhead the Sars Challenge against a side that is very much dependant on Neil Ronan for scores. If Sars can put the shackles on him, they will be well on their way to that East Cork derby with Imokilly.
However, Ballyhea proved last year against Cloyne and this year against Midleton that they are tremendous Championship battlers, and if Darren Ronan, Ian "Rocky" Ronan, Eamon Morrissey and "Chuck" O' Connor rise to the challenge, they should maintain their dominance over their opponents.
