Iveleary bounce back, but Macroom facing relegation scrap

Iveleary 2-13     

Macroom 1-11

BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS

IVELEARY, who lost their opening group game to Bantry Blues, are back in contention for a quarter-final place after their deserved win over Macroom at Cill na Martra on Saturday afternoon.

Macroom, who lost their opener to Naomh Abán, now face the daunting prospect of needing to win their last game against Bantry Blues to have any hope of avoiding a relegation dogfight.

Both sides missed chances in a scoreless opening quarter. Macroom, assisted by the wind, were the biggest offenders here as they wasted three good chances from frees and were fortunate that their goalkeeper Brendan O’Connell denied Liam Kearney a goal in the tenth minute.

Iveleary’s Cathal Vaughan, at last, broke the stalemate with a point from a free but Macroom replied with a point apiece from Alan Quinn and Jack Riordan. Vaughan levelled from a free and in the 23rd minute put Iveleary into the lead; they remained in front to the finish. Further points from Vaughan and Ciarán O’Riordan were answered by a late point from Eolan O’Leary. At half time it was 0-5 to 0-3 in favour of the Uibh Laoire men.

Within ten minutes of the resumption Iveleary had opened up a nine-point gap, 1-10 to 0-4, and the contest was effectively over.

Chris Óg Jones and David Horgan exchanged points, Jones and Conor O’Leary edged Iveleary further in front and in the 37th minute Seánie O’Leary and Cathal Vaughan set up the goal chance skilfully executed by Liam Kearney, who then tacked on a point. Chris Óg Jones kicked over a fine score and Iveleary were on the road to victory.

Macroom did not capitulate. Points from frees were exchanged and Iveleary lost a man temporarily to a black card in the 45th minute. Horgan pointed two Macroom frees but then Kearney picked out Conor O’Leary in space and the latter billowed the Macroom net in the 46th minute to further diminish any hope Macroom had of victory.

Still the town team battled on and were rewarded with two points from Seán Kiely and another from Quinn, who then placed Dylan Twomey to take a really fine goal and narrow the gap to 2-11 to 1-10 in the 53rd minute. Chris Óg Jones steadied Iveleary with a point and there was a late exchange of points between Jones and Horgan to leave Iveleary comfortable enough winners at the final whistle.

Scorers

Iveleary: C Vaughan, C Óg Jones 0-5 each; C O’Leary, L Kearney 1-1 each; C O’Riordan 0-1.

Macroom: D Horgan 0-5 (4f); D Twomey 1-0; A Quinn, S Kiely 0-2 each; J O’Riordan E O’Leary 0-1 each.

Iveleary: Joe Creedon; Daniel O’Donovan, Daniel O’Riordan, Barry Murphy; Kevin Manning, Seánie O’Riordan, Seánie O’Leary; Ciarán O’Riordan, Conor O’Leary; Brian Cronin, Cathal Vaughan, Ian Jones; Barry O’Leary, Chris Óg Jones, Liam Kearney.

Subs: Tommy Roberts for B O’Leary (inj, 13), Sam Pickering for I Jones (49), Brian O’Riordan for L Kearney (55), I Jones for C O’Riordan (60).

Macroom: Brendan O’Connell; Ciarán Condon, Mark Corrigan, Blake O’Gorman; Alan Quinn, Rory Buckley, Shane Meaney; Fintan Goold, David Horgan; Michael Cronin, Eolan O’Leary, Jack O’Riordan; Johnny Murphy, Dylan Twomey, Seán Kiely.

Subs: Tony Dineen for J Murphy (22), Don Creedon for J O’Riordan (40), Mark Hunt for E O’Leary (50), J Murphy and David Cotter for Buckley and Cronin (both 55).

Referee: Andrew Whelton (Clonakilty).