BRENDAN KENNEALLY keeps us up to date with the goings-on in the Mid Cork Junior A Football Championship
Donoughmore 5-17
Dripsey 0-9
DONOUGHMORE, defeated by Ballincollig in their opening Group 1 game, were fully focussed here as a win was vital to get their Mid Cork JAFC hopes back on track.
The league champions led by 2-9 to 0-5 at half time and piled on the scores in the second half to assure themselves of progression to the knock-out stages.
Dripsey battled to the finish but were beaten by a much better team.
Declan Keating had the opening goal in the 12th minute and the fifth from a penalty on 41. Josh Crowley, David McDonnell and David Holland had the other goals for Donoughmore. Keating and Gavin O’Sullivan shared 12 of the Donoughmore points.
Eoghan Maher had 0-5 from frees for Dripsey, George Feeney 0-2, while Mark O’Sullivan and Shane O’Riordan were the other Dripsey scorers.
In the final round of games, Dripsey will take on Ballincollig on September 12th, and Donoughmore have been handed a walkover against Blarney, who also conceded against Ballincollig.
In this championship, the top two teams from each group progress to the play-off stages: the top two to the semi-finals and the other four to the quarter-finals.
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Grenagh 5-11
Clondrohid 1-10
Table-toppers Grenagh made it full points from two outings in Group 2 and assured themselves of progression to the knock-out stages with a comprehensive win over Clondrohid at Carrigadrohid.
Two goals from Grenagh in the opening quarter, per Ultan Duggan and Liam Walsh, were massive blows, and gave the winners a big lead of 2-3 to 0-1 at that stage.
Clondrohid enjoyed a good second quarter with four fine points scored by Ciarán O’Leary, and one apiece from Cathal Creedon, Brian Corcoran and Fergal Kelleher, but Grenagh had another goal this one from a penalty and they were comfortably in front at the break, 3-5 to 0-8.
Clondrohid stayed in contention on the resumption and a goal from substitute Fionnán O’Leary in the 39th minute had the gap between the sides down to three points but a fourth Grenagh goal, Seán Joyce finishing a fine movement impressively in the 43rd minute, was a fatal blow to Clondrohid hopes. A second goal from Joyce in the 53rd minute gave a lopsided view to the final scoreline.
Scorers
Grenagh: Ultan Duggan 2-4 (1-0 pen, 3f); Seán Joyce 2-1; Liam Walsh 1-0; Darragh Kenny 0-3 (2ptf); Niall Coleman, Danny Warren, Robert Coleman 0-1 each.
Clondrohid: Fionán O’Leary 1-1; Ciarán O’Leary 0-4 (2ptf, 1f); Cathal Creedon 0-2; Seán Desmond, Brian Corcoran, Fergal Kelleher 0-1 each.
Grenagh: Michael White; Tyrone Dorgan, Kevin O’Neill, Paul Ahern; Niall Coleman, Ted Twomey, Danny Warren; John Lehane, Dan Twomey; Seán Joyce, Robert Coleman, Ultan Duggan; Jack Twomey, Liam Walsh, Darragh Kenny.
Subs: Paul Barry-Murphy for J Twomey (40), Shane Morley for L Walsh (54), Alex Kiely for T Dorgan (57).
Clondrohid: John Corkery; Aaron O’Riordan, Callum O’Shea, Conor Lucey; David O’Connell, Brian Corcoran, Lorcan Flanagan; Ciarán O’Leary, Seán Desmond; Cathal Creedon, Fergal Kelleher, Owen McCarthy; Jamie Hourihan, Neilus Murphy, George Lowrie.
Subs: Cillian Lynch for A O’Riordan (ht), Fionnán O’Leary for F Kelleher (38), Charlie Kelleher for G Lowrie (51).
Referee: Peter Cotter (Gleann na Laoi).
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Kilmichael 1-12
Aghinagh 1-10
Kilmichael proved the better side in this keenly contested Group 2 game played in Cloughduv, leaving Aghinagh on zero points at the foot of the table.
Aghinagh started brightly and led by six points at one stage in the first half. At half time it was 1-6 to 0-5 to Aghinagh, with Liam Twohig the goalscorer. However Kilmichael took over in the second half and led 1-12 to 1-6, Tom Browne in lethal scoring form and Brendan Cotter getting the vital goal which gave Kilmichael a six-point lead ten minutes from time.
Four late points brought Aghinagh back into the game but it was a case of too little, too late for Aghinagh and Kilmichael ran out deserving winners.
Aghinagh: Paul O’Sullivan; John Lynch, Donagh O’Riordan, Olan Cummins; Eoghan McCarthy, Thomas Morgans, TJ Buckley; Matthew McCarthy, Gearóid O’Sullivan; Jack Kearney, Liam Twohig (1-7), Seán Kelleher; William Coakley (0-1), Con Buckley (0-2), Declan Ambrose.
Subs: Seán Cummins, Shane Corkery, Luke O’Leary.
Kilmichael: Colm Dromey; Alex Wood, Conor Cotter, Gerard Murphy; Eoghan Murphy, Finbarr Buckley, Danny Horgan; Finbarr Dromey, Cathal Foley; Shane Foley, Brian Horgan (0-4), Andrew Kelleher; Tom Browne (0-6), Kevin Murphy (0-2), Michael Downey.
Subs: Brendan Cotter (1-0), Isaac Wood.
In the final round of games on Sunday, September 14th, Grenagh meet Kilmichael at Carrigadrohid (12 noon) while Clondrohid play Aghinagh at Kilmurry (3pm).
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Éire Óg 3-16
Kilmurry 0-11
Éire Óg have full points after a second win in Group 3 and will be fully focussed on gaining a semi-final spot after this fine win over Kilmurry at Macroom. A three-point lead for the Ovens men, 0-6 to 0-3, had become a lead of 1-10 to 0-5 by half time. A second Éire Óg goal five minutes after the interval was a fatal blow to Kilmurry hopes. Joe McGinn finished with 0-6 for Kilmurry, James Kelleher with 0-2 and Fergal Wall, Ryan Leahy, Stephen O’Donoghue had a point apiece.
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Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh 1-14
Ballinora 2-10
Béal Átha have given themselves a chance of qualifying out of Group 3 with this one-point win over Ballinora at Cill na Martra.
Béal Átha led by 11 points at half time, 1-12 to 0-4, but the introduction of fresh legs for Ballinora, goals from an Andrew O’Sullivan penalty and one from Billy Carbery, along with 0-5 from Conor Quirke from play, had the Gaeltacht side on the back foot. They were glad to emerge with a win by one point.
Colmán Ó Tuama, Matt Ó Riordáin and Diarmuid Ó Laoire were outstanding for Béal Átha whose scores came from Matt Ó Riordáin 0-6 (including two two-pointers), Colmán Ó Tuama 0-5 (including two two-pointers), Liam Ó Coinceannain (0-2), Ronán Ó Loinsigh (0-1) and the golden goal came from Lúcas MacTomáis.
In the final round, Éire Óg meet Ballinora on September 12th (7.45pm), and Béal Átha play Kilmurry on September 14th at Kilmichael (6pm).
