Carrigaline 3-13
Clonakilty 1-13
TOM LYONS REPORTS
THE post mortem into Clonakilty’s shortcomings so far in the premier senior football championship need to happen fast, given the clouds of a relegation play-off could be gathering in the horizon.
Having lost to St Finbarr’s in round one, Clon entered their clash with Carrigaline in Bandon under pressure but were confidently expected to get back into the race for qualifying places. Somebody forgot to read the script to Carrigaline because they came with a specific plan to upset the Clon machine and it worked to perfection.
As Carrigaline booked their spot in the next phase alongside the Barrs, Clonakilty are staring downwards – they face Carbery Rangers, also on zero points, in a final group game where the loser will be in the relegation play-off.
For Carrigaline, senior A champions, this was a statement win.
‘People were saying that we had a free shot at the game today and we thought that was a little bit disrespectful to the team. People around us didn’t give us a chance today, the only people that did were ourselves,’ said a delighted Carrigaline manager Michael Meaney.
‘Clon’s plan from league and championship games was always that they were fast out of the blocks in the opening 20 minutes and it was important for us to stay with that. The goal was a huge bonus before half time, putting us ahead by 1-6 to 0-6.
‘We weren’t worried about playing against the wind in the second half as we had played a few games and did very well against the wind in those.’
Clonakilty's Thomas Clancy breaks out of defence past Carrigaline's Callum Barrett.
Clon, against the breeze and following a missed goal opportunity by Dara Ó Sé, hit the front with two pointed frees from Darragh Gough but Carrigaline, with a powerful defensive display around the arc, responded well with points from the flying Éanna Desmond, Brian O’Driscoll (two pointer) and Brian Coakley (free). Ó Sé and O’Driscoll swapped points and it was Carrig in front, 0-5 to 0-3, at the end of a cagey first quarter.
Clon, showing admirable patience, hit a purple patch at the start of the second quarter. Three in-a-row from Ó Sé, Conor Daly and Ben Ridgeway had them in front against the breeze. Tellingly, they never threatened a goal and when Desmond kicked an equaliser, it was Carrig who did find the net when Mark White’s short kickout was intercepted by the alert Desmond, who set up Niall Coakley for the simplest of finishes.
Trailing by a goal, 1-6 to 0-6, at the break, Clon immediately set about reducing the deficit on the restart and Daly pointed a free. However, they were dealt a huge blow in the 33rd minute when Callum Barret was allowed to solo 30 metres through the heart of the defence to finish brilliantly to the net. Five to the good, it was looking positive for the south-east side but within five minutes, Clon were back in the game. A Daly point was followed in the 38th minute with a turnover that allowed Seán White to set up Daly for a goal that closed the gap to a single point, 2-6 to 1-8.
Clonakilty's David Lowney in possession held by Carrigaline's Niall Coakley.
Again, tellingly, Carrig refused to surrender their lead and kicked two points from Niall Coakley and Brian Coakley to answer two from Ó Sé and Seán White.
A point in front entering the last quarter, Carrig were putting it all on the line and a Ciarán Kearney point made it two in front. Ross Mannix closed it to one in the 52nd minute but Carrig were battling hard to stay in front and with Clon flooding forward in search of an equaliser to save their fading championship hopes, the inevitable happened.
A high ball into the Clon square in the 58th minute was flicked to the net by sub Ryan Delaney, and Clon were in serious trouble.
Amazingly, the Clon challenge collapsed completely following the goal as rampant Carrig struck four simple points through Kevin O’Reilly, Desmond, Jack McCarthy and Niall Coakley. Even though they conceded two late, late scores to Ross Mannix and Darragh Gough, the Carrig camp were already celebrating a famous victory.
OUR STAR: Numerous heroic Carrigaline performances, especially Niall Coakley and Éanna Desmond, but the nod goes to wing back Brian O’Driscoll whose leadership all round and three points from play were vital to Carrig’s victory.
Scorers
Carrigaline: Calum Barrett, Ryan Delaney 1-0 each; Eanna Desmond, Brian O’Driscoll (1 2-pt) 0-3 each; Niall Coakley (1f), Brian Coakley (1f) 0-2 each; Jack McCarthy, Ciarán Kearney, Kevin O’Reilly 0-1 each.
Clonakilty: Conor Daly 1-3 (2f); Dara Ó Sé, Darragh Gough (2f) 0-3 each; Ross Mannix 0-2; Seán White, Ben Ridgeway 0-1 each.
Carrigaline: Callum Dungan; Kieran McCarthy, Chris O’Herlihy, Darragh King; Brian O’Driscoll, Kevin Kavanagh, Jack McCarthy; Patrick Mellet, Nathan O’Keeffe; Callum Barrett, Brian Coakley, Ciarán Kearney; Niall Quirke, Niall Coakley, Éanna Desmond.
Subs: Kevin O’Reilly for N O’Keeffe (40), Seán Andrews for C Kearney (46), Ryan Delaney for K McCarthy (50).
Clonakilty: Mark White; Chris Kenneally, Dan Peet, Dan Darragh; David Lowney, Thomas Clancy, Jack O’Mahony; Ben Ridgeway, Maurice Shanley; Seán McEvoy, Dara Ó Sé, Ross Mannix; Darragh Gough, Conor Daly, Seán White.
Subs: Luke Griffin for D Lowney (38), Brian White for S McEvoy (40), Cian Ryan for M Shanley (46).
Referee: John Ryan (Macroom).
