Éire Óg kick off life in the top grade with an historic win

Éire Óg 1-15

Carbery Rangers 1-9

KIERAN McCARTHY REPORTS

ÉIRE Óg announced their arrival to the Premier senior football ranks with an historic – and richly deserved – victory over 2016 champions Carbery Rangers in Bandon on Saturday afternoon.

Even though it was the Mid Cork team’s first game at the top tier of Cork club football, the newly-promoted 2020 SAFC kingpins looked right at home on the big stage as they kicked off their Premier SFC Group B campaign in style.

Éire Óg trailed 1-5 to 0-6 at the break, John Hodnett with a clinical finish for Rangers’ goal late in the first half. The gap was pushed out to three, 1-6 to 0-6, early in the second half when John O’Rourke pointed for the Rosscarbery team.

Daniel Goulding doing what he does best for @eireogcork. pic.twitter.com/4VOwe4SNz2

— Kieran McCarthy (@KieranMcC_SS) September 4, 2021

But from here to the end, Éire Óg outscored their seasoned opponents by 1-9 to 0-3 to put this result beyond doubt.

Driven on by impressive centre back John Cooper and Ronan O’Toole at midfield, Éire Óg rattled off a quick-fire 1-3 before the second water break to push 1-10 to 1-7 ahead by the three-quarter mark. Dylan Foley’s 43rd minute goal gave the winners a lead that they built on; Foley made the most of a Colm O’Callaghan point attempt that dropped short as he fisted it to the net.

Credit the Rosscarbery side, minus the suspended John Hayes and missing a few injured players, who brought it back to a one-point game, 1-10 to 1-9, with points from Seamus Hayes and wing back Jerry O’Riordan – but it was Éire Óg who kicked on in the last ten minutes, attacking in waves.

Colm O’Callaghan (2), sub Jack Murphy, Daniel Goulding and sub Jerome Kelleher all pointed as Éire Óg got life at the Premier senior grade off to an impressive start.

In the other game in this group on Saturday Castlehaven beat Newcestown by 2-12 to 1-10.

Scorers - Éire Óg: D Goulding 0-6 (3f); D Foley 1-0; C O’Callaghan 0-2; R O’Toole, K Hallissey, John Cooper, Joe Cooper, B Hurley (1f), J Murphy, J Kelleher (0-1 each).  Carbery Rangers: S Hayes 0-5 (2f); J Hodnett 1-0; P O’Rourke, J O’Regan, J O’Rourke, Jerry O’Riordan 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: Chris Kelly; Michael Corkery, John Mullins, Conor McGoldrick; Dermot O’Herlihy, John Cooper, Diarmuid Dineen; Daire McCarthy, Ronan O’Toole; Joe Cooper, Colm O’Callaghan, Kevin Hallissey; Dylan Foley, Daniel Goulding, Brian Hurley.  Subs: Jack Murphy for Corkery (37), Jerome Kelleher for Joe Cooper (61).

Carbery Rangers: Paul Shanahan; James O’Riordan, Tom O’Rourke, Rob Hegarty; Brian Shanahan, Cian Daly, Jerry O’Riordan; Alan Jennings, Kealan Scannell; Jack O’Regan, John O’Rourke, John Hodnett; Peadar O’Rourke, Seamus Hayes, JP Eady. Subs: Darragh Hayes for Eady (ht), Paul Hodnett for S Hayes (52), Chris O’Donovan for J Hodnett (53); Cathal Hennessy for Jennings (56); Paudie Hodnett for Daly (57).

Referee: J Regan.