BRENDAN KENNEALLY rounds up the semi-final action from the Mid Cork junior football championship

***

Kilmichael 2-11

Grenagh 0-10

This Mid Cork semi-final, played at a wet Carrigadrohid, yielded a deserved victory for a Kilmichael side that has resurrected its season after a poor start and is back in the Mid Cork final for the first time since 2013.

Grenagh were impressive early on and led by 0-4 to nil after ten minutes, but a goal from Cian McCarthy in the 11th minute was the boost Kilmichael needed. They led by 1-2 to 0-4 at the end of the first quarter and went on to lead by 1-7 to 0-5 at half time.

The third quarter saw four points shared equally by the teams before Kilmichael struck for a marvellous goal in the 47th minute, Seán Hennigan the scorer, set up by Isaac Wood.

There was no way that a dominant Kilmichael were going to squander an eight-point lead with the Browne brothers, Jack and Tom, who shared 0-11 between them, in lethal form in attack.

Scorers - Kilmichael: J Browne 0-6 (1 2pf, 1f); T Browne 0-5 (4f); C McCarthy, S Hennigan 1-0 each. Grenagh: S Joyce 0-3 (1f); S Morley 0-3 (1f); C Cronin (45), S Cronin, P Barry-Murphy, C Mostyn St Ledger 0-1 each.

Kilmichael: Shane Masters; Finbarr Buckley, Conor Cotter, Eoghan Murphy (captain); Michael Downey, Isaac Wood, Seán Hennigan; Shane Foley, Cathal Foley; Cian McCarthy, Tom Browne, Brian Horgan; Ronan Murphy, Daniel Twomey, Jack Browne. Sub: Kevin Murphy (55).

Grenagh: Cathal Cronin; Tyrone Dorgan, Peter McSweeney, Kevin O’Neill; John Lehane, Danny Warren, Paul Ahern; Ted Twomey, Robert Coleman; Dan Twomey, Seán Joyce, Seamus Cronin; Shane Morley, David Coleman, Darragh Kenny. Subs: Paul Barry-Murphy, Niall Coleman, Craig Mostyn St Ledger.

Referee: Pat O’Leary (Kilmurry).

***

Aghinagh 1-8

Éire Óg 0-8

Aghinagh are through to their third Mid Cork junior football championship final in a row after a very tight encounter against a strong Éire Óg side at Coachford on Sunday afternoon.

Conditions were very difficult for the players with a constant heavy drizzle and a slippery surface to contend with, but they produced an exciting sporting contest with the outcome in doubt right to the end. 

Éire Óg dictated proceedings in the first half, and led by 0-4 to 0-2 after 20 minutes. Points from Kevin Beechinor, Ethan Hyde, Daniel Healy and Oisín McLaughlin were answered by a point from a Liam Twohig free and one from Shane Corkery.

Aghinagh were struggling to contain the physically stronger Ovens men who then proceeded to add three more points to their tally, two from Brian Hurley and one from a Hyde free.

In the final minute of the half, Aghinagh got the break they badly needed when a Twohig 45 landed in the Éire Óg goalmouth. A scramble ensued and Darragh O’Shea booted the ball to the net to leave Aghinagh only two points in arrears at the break, 0-7 to 1-2, and back in contention.

Éire Óg only added a single point to their score in the second half, an Ethan Hyde point in the 38th minute that levelled the scores after a Twohig free and a fine two-pointer from Con Buckley had put Aghinagh into a short-lived lead.

Éire Óg proceeded to miss a series of scoring opportunities due to a combination of poor marksmanship and the disciplined work-rate of the Aghinagh defence and stalemate ensued. 

In the 50th minute, Liam Twohig kicked over a two-pointer from play to put Aghinagh back in front. From there to the finish, Aghinagh sustained enormous pressure to continue to deny Éire Óg. A 62nd-minute Seán Cummins fisted point eased their situation before the game ended with another Éire Óg siege repelled by the Aghinagh men.

Scores - Aghinagh: L Twohig 0-4 (2pt, 2f); D O’Shea 1-0; C Buckley 0-2 (2pt); S Corkery, S Cummins 0-1 each. Éire Óg: E Hyde 0-3 (0-2f), B Hurley 0-2, K Beechinor, D Healy and O McLaughlin 0-1 each.

Aghinagh: Conor Lucey; Dylan O’Riordan, Luke O’Leary, Donagh O’Riordan; Noah O’Leary, Tom Buckley, Declan Ambrose; Matthew McCarthy, Shane Corkery; Darragh O’Shea, Con Buckley, Seán O’Riordan; William Coakley, Liam Twohig, Seán Cummins.  Subs: TJ Buckley (50), Aodh Twomey (55), Darragh McCarthy (62).

Éire Óg: Eoin Kelleher; David Kirwan, John Kelleher, Michael Sheehan; Oisín McLaughlin, Diarmuid Dineen, Colm Quigley; Kevin Beechinor, Mark Kelleher; Seán Murphy, Dylan Foley, Cathal Kirwan; Ethan Hyde, Daniel Healy, Brian Hurley. Subs: Eoghan Hogan (42), Adam McCarthy (42), Liam Sheehan (53), Michael Murphy (55), Daniel O’Connor (55). 

Referee: John Ryan (Macroom).