Chris Óg Jones shines as Iveleary warm up for Cork JAFC series

Iveleary 1-15

Aghinagh 0-10

BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS

MID Cork champions for the past three years, Iveleary were hosts to Aghinagh in the opening game of the Quish SuperValu junior football league at Inchigeela on bank holiday Monday.

Iveleary are preparing for the delayed 2020 county junior championship quarter-final tie against on June 19th and will be glad of this strong challenge from Aghinagh as they seek to quickly come up to championship pace.

Iveleary had a dream start and Chris Óg Jones had the ball in the Aghinagh net within 30 seconds of throw-in but Aghinagh came back into contention as the hour progressed and made the home side earn the league points.

The opening stages were dominated by the scoring exploits of Chris Óg Jones.  His goal came almost from the throw-in, Ciarán O’Riordan sending a long kick into the Aghinagh where Jones collected, turned and found the net from close range. William Coakley replied with an Aghinagh point but then Jones added three more before Liam Twohig had another for  Aghinagh. Chris Óg Jones had a point just before the water break, 1-4 to 0-2 for Iveleary.

The second quarter saw the Aghinagh resistance stiffen considerably and the sides evenly shared the six points scored, a fair indication of the play.  Goalkeeper Joe Creedon made a fine save from a Declan Ambrose shot. Jones and evergreen Donal Corkery exchanged points. Goalkeeper Creedon came up to point a  45. Liam Twohig then took two well-worked   scores before Chris Óg Jones had the last score of the half, leaving Iveleary leading by 1-7 to 0-5.

The Aghinagh improvement continued to gain pace after the restart.  Liam Twohig kicked over two frees and then Donal Corkery scored a marvellous point to cut the deficit to two points.  Chris Óg Jones settled Iveleary with a point, took a heavy tackle in the process and had to be withdrawn.  Iveleary added two points, Kevin Manning and Ciarán Galvin the scorers, to restore their five-point advantage by the second water break.

Iveleary continued to look likely winners but Aghinagh never threw in the towel and they made the champions maintain their focus to the finish.  Liam Twohig pointed a free, Brian Cronin had three points in a row for Iveleary, including one from a penalty shot after Ciarán O’Riordan was fouled.  Liam Twohig had a smashing point from play, Joe Creedon sailed another long range free over and Ian Jones had the final score in the dying seconds.

Scorers- Iveleary: C Óg Jones 1-7; B Cronin 0-3 (0-1 pen); J Creedon 0-2 (0-1 45, 1f); K Manning, C Galvin, I Jones 0-1 each. Aghinagh: L Twohig 0-7 (3f); D Corkery 0-2; W Coakley 0-1.

Iveleary: Joe Creedon; Barry Murphy, Finbarr McSweeney, Daniel O’Riordan; Kevin Manning, Sean O’Leary, Ciarán Galvin; Ciarán O’Riordan, Sean O’Riordan; Sean Lehane, Darren Kelly, Brian Cronin; James O’Donovan, Chris Óg Jones, Ian Jones. Subs: Mick Lucey for McSweeney (inj, 6), Donal O’Sullivan (40), Shane Galvin (50).

Aghinagh: Paul O’Sullivan; Eoghan McCarthy, Donagh O’Riordan, John Lynch; Jack Kearney, Donal Corkery, Sean Kelleher; Mathew McCarthy, Micheál Horgan; Sean Horgan, Liam Twohig, Aodh Twomey; William Coakley, Declan Ambrose, TJ Buckley. Subs: Diarmuid Crowley and Euan Coughlan (both ht), Chris Duggan (50), Cathal O’Riordan (55).

Referee: D Murnane (Macroom).