BY BRENDAN KENNEALLY
THIS is where things get interesting, as we reach the knockout stages of the Ross Oil Mid Cork Junior A Football Championship.
Éire Óg take the direct route to the semi-finals, and will play the winners of the quarter-final between Donoughmore and Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh. Grenagh are also into the last four, and await either Ballincollig or Aghinagh.
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Ballincollig 0-17
Dripsey 1-9
Ballincollig completed the group stage with full points after their Group 1 win over Dripsey at Ballyanley. Ballincollig led 0-8 to nil after the first quarter. Dripsey outscored the winners by 0-5 to 0-3, and at half time Ballincollig led by 0-11 to 0-5.
Dripsey started the second half well, boosted by an early point followed by a 33rd-minute goal from James Cotter to leave only two points between the sides.
After ten scoreless minutes, Ballincollig got a vital two-pointer from Darren Murphy in the 44th minute, to which Jack Murphy quickly added a point to open up a five-point gap.
The winners added a further two points in the closing ten minutes. Dripsey replied with three late points in a row from James Cotter, before Jack Murray had a final point for Ballincollig.
Ballincollig: Chris Walsh; Dylan Kerstein, Shane O’Neill, Seán O’Donoghue; Callum Sheehan, Brian Dore, Cillian Power; Dylan Ebili, George Howard; Ciarán Buckley, Darren Murphy, Noel Galvin; Peter Kelly, Mark Oldham, Jack Murray.
Sub: Olan Dorgan.
Dripsey: Jack Casey; Cathal O’Connell, Colm O’Connell, Tom Griffin; Dean O’Sullivan, Shane O’Riordan, Martin O’Sullivan; Michael O’Riordan, Mark O’Connell; Kevin Rock, Eoghan Maher, James Cotter; George Feeney, Mark O’Sullivan, Ronan Canavan.
Subs: Charlie O’Callaghan, Adam Casey, David O’Sullivan.
***
Grenagh 2-10
Kilmichael 0-12
A gale blew from goal to goal at Carrigadrohid and table-toppers Grenagh had the benefit of it in the first half in this Group 2 clash.
After having a penalty saved, Grenagh’s interval lead of 0-6 to 0-1 did not leave them in a secure position but they held their own in the third quarter. Two goals in quick succession ten minutes from time, Jack Twomey and Shane Morey the scorers, gave them the cushion to withstand the late Kilmichael onslaught, with two-pointers from Brendan Cotter and Tom Browne to keep Kilmichael in the hunt to the finish.
Scorers
Grenagh: Jack Twomey, Shane Morey 1-0 each; U Duggan 0-4 (3f); Dan Twomey 0-3 (1 2pt); D Kenny, J Lehane, L Walsh 0-1 each.
Kilmichael: Tom Browne 0-4 (2ptf, 1f); Brendan Cotter 0-4 (2 2pt)l Brian Horgan 0-3 (2ptf); Danny Twomey 0-1.
Grenagh: Cathal Cronin; Tyrone Dorgan, Kevin O’Neill, Paul Ahern; Niall Coleman, Ted Twomey, Danny Warren; John Lehane, Dan Twomey; Alex Kiely, Robert Coleman, Ultan Duggan; Jack Twomey, Liam Walsh, Darragh Kenny.
Subs: Paul Barry-Murphy, Shane Morey, David Coleman, Michael White.
Kilmichael: Colm Dromey; Alex Wood, Conor Cotter, Gerard Murphy; Andrew Kelleher, Eoghan Murphy, Michael Downey; Danny Horgan, Cathal Foley; Kevin Murphy, Brian Horgan, Finbarr Dromey; Tom Browne, Shane Foley, Finbarr Buckley.
Subs: Ronan O’Callaghan, Danny Twomey, Brendan Cotter, Isaac Wood.
Referee: Brendan Barry-Murphy (Aghabullogue)
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Aghinagh 1-16
Clondrohid 0-12
Aghinagh and Clondrohid met at Kilmurry in what was effectively a Group 2 knock-out game for both. Aghinagh were without a point and had to win. Clondrohid could have advanced with a point from a draw, but could not afford to lose given the tight situation in the group.
Aghinagh had a six-point lead at the break, 1-8 to 0-6, looking in a strong position with wind behind them in the second half. Declan Ambrose scored a crucial goal in the first half, put through by Liam Twohig. With Con Buckley and Twohig also tagging on points, Aghinagh built a lead after an even opening quarter. Scores from Ciarán O’Leary, Owen McCarthy and Charlie Kelleher kept Clondrohid in the game.
The second half was very hard fought. Con Buckley increased the Aghinagh lead, but Clondrohid replied with points from Ciarán O’Leary and George Lowrie. Liam Twohig added a two-point free for the winners, followed by another Buckley point, and it was 1-12 to 0-8 to Aghinagh as the final quarter opened.
Try as they might, Clondrohid couldn’t close the gap, and it left Aghinagh with a big enough scoring difference to claim a quarter-final spot.
Scorers
Aghinagh: L Twohig 0-8 (2 2ptf, 1f); C Buckley 0-6 (2f); D Ambrose 1-0; TJ Buckley 0-2.
Clondrohid: C O’Leary 0-7 (3 2ptf, 1f)l S Desmond 0-2; O McCarthy, C Kelleher, G Lowrie 0-1 each.
Aghinagh: Jason McCarthy; John Lynch, Donagh O’Riordan, Olan Cummins; Declan Ambrose, Luke O’Leary, TJ Buckley; Mathew McCarthy, Thomas Morgans; Jack Kearney, Con Buckley, Shane Corkery; William Coakley, Liam Twohig, Gearóid O’Sullivan.
Subs: Seán O’Riordan, Seán Kelleher, Aodh Twomey.
Clondrohid: John Corkery; Conor Lucey, Brian Corcoran, Killian Lynch; John O’Connell, Callum O’Shea, Owen McCarthy; Seán Desmond, Ciarán O’Leary; David O’Connell, Charlie Kelleher, Neilus Murphy; Fionnán O’Leary, Fergal Kelleher, Cathal Creedon.
Subs: George Lowrie, Adam O’Shea, Fionn Fitzgibbon, Jamie Hourihan, Aaron O’Riordan.
Referee: Ted Hayes (Éire Óg).
***
Éire Óg 3-18
Ballinora 0-5
This final Group 3 game at Cloughduv in really nasty weather conditions worked out as expected. Ballinora were without a point and had no hope of progression, while the Ovens men were unbeaten, assured of a place in the knock-out stages but chasing a semi-final spot.
Éire Óg were 1-3 to 0-1 in front after the first quarter, and Michael Murphy added his second goal to help make it 2-7 to 0-2 at half time – game effectively over. In the second half Éire Óg had a third goal from David Casey and piled on the points to emerge big winners.
Éire Óg: Éoin Kelleher; Cillian Murphy, John Kelleher, Kevin Cooper; Brian Thompson, Dermot O’Herlihy, Adam McCarthy; Donncha Kelly, Mark Kelleher; Eoin O’Shea, Oisín O’Shea, Denny Murphy; David Casey, Michael Murphy, Fintan O’Leary.
Subs: Jack Sheehan, David Kirwan, Oisín McLaughlin, Sam O’Driscoll, Dan O’Connor.
Ballinora: Eoin Walsh; Tim Crotty, Brendan Hourihan, Elliot Mitchell; David Collins, John O’Regan. Tim Twohig; Colin Lougheed, Kevin Murphy; Darragh Byrne, Conor Quirke, Jack Twohig; Andrew O’Sullivan (0-1), Tommy Burns (0-1), Ben Mayer (0-1).
Subs: Noah Seacy, Ben Ahern (0-2), Tom Kingston, Stephen Twohig, Seán Dineen.
Referee: Peter O’Leary (Cloughduv).
***
Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh 0-11
Kilmurry 0-7
The last game played in Group 3 saw Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh get the better of Kilmurry in a tight game played in nasty weather at Kilmichael.
The teams were level at 0-4 each at half time, Tadgh Ó Laoghaire with three points for Béal Átha and Gearóid Ó Loinsig with the other. Fergal Wall with a two-pointer and another point for Kilmurry, and Joe McGinn with a late equaliser.
In the second half, McGinn put Kilmurry back in front, Matt O’Riordan equalised. A point from Stephen O’Donoghue for Kilmurry was answered by a two-pointer for Béal Átha from a Tadgh Ó Laoghaire free, but Kilmurry levelled at 0-7 each through Joe McGinn.
In the 51st minute, Ó Laoghaire kicked another two-point free over and Béal Átha were in slight control to the finish ad consolidated their position with points from Lúc MacThomáis and Micheál Long.
Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh: Barra Ó Súilleabháin; Danny Ó Súilleabháin, Gearóid Ó Creimín, Éanna Ó Críodáin; Shane Ó Críodáin, Gearóid Ó Loinsigh, Brian Ó Duinnín; Colmán Ó Tuama, Liam Ó Coinceannain; Lúcas MacTomáis, Tadgh Ó Laoghaire, Barra Ó Buachalla; Ronán Ó Loinsigh, Matt Ó Riordáin, Derry Ó Tuama.
Sub: Micheál Long
Kilmurry: Cian Desmond; Daniel Keane, Patrick Grainger, Darragh Linehan; Oisín McDonald, Dave O’Halloran, Seán Curzon; Daniel Cahalane, Pádraig Hinchion; Stephen O’Donoghue, James Kelleher, Jed Hartnett; Fergal Wall, Joe McGinn, Ryan Leahy.
Subs: Jesse Kelleher, Barry Griffin, M J Grainger.
Referee: Gerry Masters (Kilmichael).
