JJ Kavanagh Under 21 C Hurling Championship- Round One.
Carrickshock 2-15; Mulllinavat 0-14.
John Power at Hugginstown GAA Ground
Carrickshock deservedly secured their place in the quarterfinals of the JJ Kavanagh Under-21 Hurling Championship Roinn C following a competitive and entertaining encounter against Southern neighbours Mullinavat at Hugginstown on Saturday.
Although Mullinavat produced an encouraging performance and battled determinedly throughout, Carrickshock always appeared to have the upper hand once they settled into the contest. Their greater scoring power and ability to take advantage of crucial opportunities ultimately proved the difference between the sides.
Carrickshock entered the game as favourites, having enjoyed considerable success at underage level in recent seasons. The club had captured the Roinn B Minor Championship title in 2025 and successfully retained the crown the previous weekend, providing further evidence of the talent emerging through their underage ranks. However, Mullinavat were certainly not prepared to make life easy for their neighbours and made an impressive start to proceedings.
CJ Fitzpatrick was quickly into his stride, registering three points inside the opening five minutes. Two of those scores came from placed balls, while his third was a well-taken effort from play, giving Mullinavat an early advantage and plenty of encouragement.
Carrickshock gradually found their rhythm and began to impose themselves on proceedings. By the tenth minute, they had drawn level thanks to points from Cian Franks, Edward Dwyer and Conor Farrell.
Fitzpatrick restored Mullinavat’s advantage with another accurately struck free, but what followed was a decisive period in the opening half as Carrickshock took control of the scoreboard. The Shocks struck six unanswered points, with Conor Farrell proving particularly influential. Farrell contributed five of those scores, including three frees, while Adam Franks also got his name on the scoresheet. That scoring burst gave Carrickshock a lead they would never surrender and placed Mullinavat under considerable pressure as the opening half progressed.
To their credit, Mullinavat continued to work hard and were rewarded when Eoin Dempsey produced a fine point to keep his side in contention. However, Carrickshock responded through Samuel Mansfield and the impressive Conor Farrell, extending their advantage to six points, 0-11 to 0-5.
At that stage, Mullinavat badly needed a response to prevent the contest slipping beyond their reach before the interval. They duly delivered, finishing the half strongly with three unanswered points. Fitzpatrick converted two further frees, while Conor Power added another valuable score from play. Those late points reduced the deficit to just three and ensured Mullinavat remained very much in contention as the teams headed for the dressing rooms. Half-time: Carrickshock 0-11, Mullinavat 0-8.
With only three points separating the sides, the second half promised an intriguing battle, particularly if Mullinavat could maintain the momentum they had generated approaching the interval. The opening exchanges after the restart were competitive, with both teams attempting to establish control. Carrickshock’s Conor Farrell and Mullinavat’s CJ Fitzpatrick continued to lead the scoring efforts for their respective sides, exchanging points during the opening seven minutes. However, the decisive passage of the contest arrived between the 42nd and 44th minutes when Carrickshock struck for 1-1, delivering a significant blow to Mullinavat’s hopes of mounting a comeback.
Farrell first added another point from a free before Cian Franks found himself in a dangerous position close to goal. Franks made no mistake, finishing to the Mullinavat net from close range to put Carrickshock firmly in command. That goal stretched their advantage considerably, with the scoreboard now reading Carrickshock 1-13, Mullinavat 0-9.
Despite the setback, Mullinavat refused to throw in the towel and continued to battle for every possession. Points from CJ Fitzpatrick and Jack Power offered renewed encouragement, reducing the margin to five and briefly raising hopes that another comeback might be possible.
Unfortunately for Mullinavat, a controversial refereeing decision in the 47th minute proved particularly costly. The referee moved the ball forward from the Mullinavat defence and awarded Carrickshock a 20-metre free, presenting the Shocks with a golden opportunity to extend their advantage. Conor Farrell stepped forward and made the most of the opportunity, driving a powerful effort into the net to register Carrickshock’s second goal.
The scoreboard now showed Carrickshock leading by 2-13 to 0-11, leaving Mullinavat with a considerable mountain to climb entering the closing stages. That second goal effectively ended any realistic prospect of Mullinavat overturning the deficit, although they continued to compete with determination until the final whistle.
Carrickshock managed the remainder of the contest sufficiently well to secure a deserved seven-point victory and book their place in the championship quarterfinals, where they will face Piltown.
While the Shocks will be pleased with the result, they will also recognise that there is room for improvement as the competition progresses and the challenges become increasingly demanding. Their attacking strength, particularly the scoring contribution of Conor Farrell and the goal from Cian Franks, will provide encouragement ahead of their next outing.
For Mullinavat, defeat will naturally bring disappointment, but there were several positives to take from the performance. Their encouraging start, strong finish to the opening half and willingness to keep battling after conceding goals demonstrated considerable character. With a number of promising young players involved, Mullinavat can look towards 2027 and beyond with optimism as those players continue to develop and gain valuable championship experience.
Before the game, a minute’s silence was respectfully observed in memory of the recently deceased Peg O’Shea, mother of Mullinavat’s Stephen O’Shea. May Peg O’Shea rest in peace.
SCORERS
CARRICKSHOCK: Conor Farrell (1-10, 1-6 frees), Cian Franks (1-1), Edward Dwyer, Samuel Mansfield, Patrick Irish, Adam Franks (0-1 each).
MULLINAVAT: CJ Fitzpatrick (0-11, 0-9 frees), Eoin Dempsey, Conor Power, Jack Power (0-1 each).
TEAMS
CARRICKSHOCK: Dara O’Neill, Seamus Murphy, Matthew Murphy, Christopher Aylward, Eoin O’Gorman, Michael Rohan, Joseph Aylward, Oisin Drea, John Somers, Cian Franks, Conor Farrell, Edward Dwyer, Samuel Mansfield, Patrick Irish, Adam Franks. Substitutes; -Liam O’Grady for Samuel Mansfield, Jack Donnelly for Oisin Drea, Donnachadh Hogan for John Somers.
MULLINAVAT: Cormac McEvoy, Jamie Walshe, Patrick Aylward, Louis Madigan, Pat Kennedy, Patrick Walshe, Stephen O’Shea, CJ Fitzpatrick, Seamus Rohan, Ben Cantwell, Eoin Dempsey, Conor Power, Jack Power, Adam Fitzpatrick, Conor Conway. Substitutes: -Michael Catt for Conor Conway, Donnacha Corcoran for Stephen O’Shea, Conor Kinsella for Ben Cantwell
Referee: John Kennedy (Shamrocks Ballyhale).
