Opening half proves costly as Carrigaline are relegated

Mallow 3-9

Carrigaline 1-10

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

CARRIGALINE exited the top table of Cork senior football as they suffered defeat to Mallow in Sunday’s Bon Secours Hospital Cork Premier SFC relegation play-off replay at Blarney on Sunday.

For the south-east outfit, who had to face the play-off twice in three years, a poor opening 30 minutes proved costly, a point acknowledged by team manager Michael Meaney in a post-match interview.

‘We made a go of it,’ he said, ‘but those two types of goals we conceded in the first half were uncharacteristic of us and put us on the back foot.’

Mallow had opened the scoring on seven minutes, with Séan Hayes landing the first score, followed by the other corner forward Mark Tobin. Brian Coakley had Carrigaline up and running on 15 minutes with a free before he tested the Mallow net minder Kevin Doyle, with a half chance. Mallow then stretched their lead as Seán McDonnell fired over a point on 25 minutes as Mallow's first goal of the afternoon arrived from McDonnell.

The instant response of a point from Éanna Desmond was only a momentary respite as Hayes blasted a shot to the Carrigaline net on 29 minutes. The hard-working Desmond offered his side a chink of light with the last first-half score, as Mallow led 2-4 to 0-3.

Mallow were first off the mark in the second half, as Tobin added to their tally as he raised a white flag. A serious injury to Mallow's Shane Merritt on 32 minutes offered Carrigaline an opportunity to reset as the Carrigdhoun side claimed the following three points – with Éanna Desmond, Jack McCarthy and Kevin O'Reilly all on target.

A clever use of the mark by Mallow's sub, Peadar Hennessey, had the Avondhu men in a comfortable lead of 2-6 to 0-6 approaching 42 minutes. As time ticked away, Carrigaline began to press forward as Coakley blasted wide, but a Coakley point moments later had the margin down to five points.

At last, Carrigaline's opportunity to blow open this contest arrived when Jack McCarthy was upended in the square, and Coakley made no mistake from the spot on 48 minutes.

McDonnell gave his side a little daylight on 52 minutes before a clever pass from Tobin was punched to the Carrigaline net by Harkin with six minutes remaining.

While Carrigaline added three additional points in the remaining minutes, but Mallow answered with another two of their own, guaranteeing the north Cork team premier senior status for 2024.

Scorers

Mallow: Seán McDonnell 1-3 (2f), Seán Hayes 1-1, Mark Tobin 0-3 (1f), Jack Dillon 1-0, Mark Kelleher, Peadar Hennessy (m) 0-1 each.

Carrigaline: Brian Coakley 1-1 (1-0 pen, 1f), Éanna Desmond 0-4, Niall Coakley 0-2 (1f), Kevin O’Reilly (f), Jack McCarthy, David Griffin 0-1 each.

Mallow: Kevin Doyle; Paul Lyons, Bill Myers, Sam Copps; Stephen O'Callaghan, Matty Taylor, Jimmy Glynn; Darragh Moynihan, Shane Merritt; Mark Kelleher, Jack Dillon, Seán McDonnell; Mark Tobin, Seán Hayes, Ryan Harkin.

Subs: Peadar Hennessy for Merritt (33, injured), Liam Walsh for Kelleher, Ethan Crone for Glynn (both 59), David Hayes for Seán Hayes, Eoghan Barry for Tobin (both 60).

Carrigaline: Callum Dungan; Niall Quirke, Ian Sheerin, Chris O'Herlihy; Kevin Kavanagh, Cian Barry, Jack McCarthy; David Griffin, Kieran Kavanagh; Callum Barrett, Niall Coakley, Éanna Desmond; Olan Barry, Brian Coakley, Kevin O'Reilly.

Subs: Tomás Vaughan for O'Reilly, Evan Ryle for Barrett, Darragh King for Olan Barry (all 52), Dan Greene for Cian Barry (53-56, blood).

Referee: David Daly (Brian Dillons).