CARRIGALINE 0-13

GLENGARRIFF 2-6

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

GLENGARRIFF’S brave effort wasn’t enough to prevent defeat to Carrigaline in the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork junior B county football semi-final at Clonakilty on Saturday.

Deep into injury-time, the Beara club trailed by two points, 0-13 to 2-5, when a forced turnover was the genesis for one final attack.

As they had done throughout the second half, Glengarriff broke at pace and moved the ball through the hands before Darragh O’Sullivan Connell gained possession.

Bearing down on Carrigaline’s goal, the corner forward had only one thing on his mind. Unleashing a ferocious shot, goalkeeper Michael Lynch could only watch as O’Sullivan Connell’s attempt looked destined for the roof of Carrigaline’s net.

Unfortunately for Glengarriff, the final shot of an entertaining game flew inches over instead of under the crossbar.

It finished shortly after, 0-13 to 2-6, leaving Glengarriff manager Sean Hurley to ponder what might have been.

‘The six inches between over and under the crossbar is what cost us today,’ Hurley told The Southern Star.

‘We were up against it but the lads battled very hard and I’m proud of them. We missed a few goal chances and their goalkeeper made three fantastic saves.’

Finn O’Connell fired the Carrigdhoun club ahead inside the opening minute.

In response, Glengarriff were twice denied by Carrigaline goalkeeper Michael Lynch. The Beara club’s opponents shook off successive wides prior to a brace of David Drake and Brian Kelleher white flags making it 0-4 to 0-0.

It took a Gearóid O’Sullivan free and Darragh O’Sullivan Connell point to get Glengarriff on the scoreboard after 15 frustrating minutes.

Carrig’s response was swift as another excellent Kelleher point – the centre-forward was superb throughout – and converted David Drake 45 restored their team’s two-point advantage.

Despite wayward shooting, Glengarriff finished the half positively with Gearóid O’Sullivan (free) and Gavin O’Sullivan finding their range to make it 0-6 to 0-4 at the short whistle.

Brian Kelleher continued to torment the Glengarriff defence at the start of the second period, kicking over two points before Ciarán McElhinney replied.

Next, Finn O’Connell fired over his second score as Carrigaline moved 0-9 to 0-5 clear.

The leaders were once again indebted to their goalkeeper as Michael Lynch prevented Tadgh McCarthy’s close-range shot from hitting the net.

That warning was not heeded however, as Ciarán McElhinney pounced on a rebound off the post from a long-range point attempt. McElhinney instantly arrowed the ball into the net to leave a point in it with ten minutes remaining.

To their credit, Carrigaline refused to panic and reasserted control in the middle of the pitch. Territorial dominance yielded four answered points from Brian Kelleher, Cormac Nolan and David Drake (two).

Down 0-13 to 1-5 with time almost up, Glengarriff dug deep and a flowing move ended with Darragh O’Sullivan Connell firing low into the bottom corner of the net.

The same player came within a couple of inches of netting a second goal three minutes into injury-time but O’Sullivan Connell’s point wasn’t enough to prevent defeat.

Despite the loss, reaching the last four of a junior B county championship shows Glengarriff possess the requisite quality to challenge once again next year.

‘It (reaching a semi-final) is immense because this is part of a three-year plan,’ Sean Hurley stated.

‘We’d hope to be in this territory again next year. The lads are developing and we got here a year early. That bodes well for the future.

‘The lads got together there in the middle of the pitch afterwards. They want to regroup and keep the momentum going. They are learning, as a group, that you won’t get anything out of it unless we put a lot of effort in. I’m looking forward to next year.’

Scorers

Carrigaline: D Drake (1 45), B Kelleher 0-5 each; F O’Connell 0-2; C Nolan 0-1.

Glengarriff: D O’Sullivan Connell 1-2; Ciarán McElhinney 1-1; Gearóid O’Sullivan 0-2 (2f); Gavin O’Sullivan 0-1.

Carrigaline: M Lynch; S Browne, S Murray, S McHugh; H Andrews, P Ronayne, D Stack; S Vaughan, T Deasy; F O’Connell, B Kelleher, O O’Connell; D Kelly, D Drake, A Crowley.

Subs: A O’Connell for P Ronayne (16, inj), N O’Keefe for S Murray (ht), C Ryan for H Andrews (44, inj), C Nolan for A Crowley (50).

Glengarriff: F McCarthy; A Dunne, D McCarthy (captain), P O’Sullivan; T Harrington, Gavin O’Sullivan, S Power; P Harrington, D Harrington; Calum McElhinney, B O’Sullivan Connell, Ciarán McElhinney; D O’Sullivan Connell, T McCarthy, Gearóid O’Sullivan.

Sub: S O’Sullivan for Gearóid O’Sullivan (47, inj).

Referee: Niall Hayes (Carbery Rangers).