Naomh Abán 1-19

Nemo Rangers 1-14

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

NAOMH Abán held off a late rally from Nemo Rangers in the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC at Ballincollig, and they now face Macroom in the quarter-final of the competition.

Four minutes into the second half, the Muskerry outfit looked to have this contest sewn up as they led 1-12 to 0-6, with the impressive Ed Ó Mír proving deadly in front of the posts.

Over the next five minutes they added two more scores to a single reply from Conor Yelland.

However, the introduction of Paul Kerrigan on 39 minutes seemed to change the dynamic, as Naomh Abán handed momentum to the opposition, with the city side fighting their way back into the contest.

A late Jack Coogan effort could have spoiled the party, but the post saved the Muskerry men’s blushes as they eventually pulled away late on.

For Naomh Abán manager Jimmy Allen, the Nemo comeback was no surprise.

‘You know what you are going to get against Nemo. No matter what team they put out, they are going to compete. We saw them twice this year, with their first-half performance against Fermoy off the charts,’ he said.

In truth, it was the Gaeltacht side that took the initiative early on as they streaked into a lead, before Donal Ó Ceallaigh played in Aodhán Ó Luasa for a goal chance, only to see Dan Quinn make and important block.

The Naomh Abán side who defeated Nemo Rangers in the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC in Ballincollig.

Darragh Ó Laoire made no mistake on 14 minutes as he waltzed through the city side’s defence to give them a 1-2 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes.

The Muskerry side added another point from Ó Laoire before Nemo began finding their feet with two scores, including a two-pointed free from Donal O’Leary, as the netminder finished as his side’s highest scorer.

With two between the sides on 20 minutes, it was Naomh Abán who seized the initiative as three Ó Mír points to two Nemo scores left the score at the break at 1-6 to 0-6.

Four points on the bounce after the restart looked to have set them on their way, as they led by ten points on 39 minutes. But Nemo, to their credit, refused to go away, and three consecutive scores – including two Conor O’Donovan points – reduced the margin to three.

Yelland’s goal on 52 minutes caused palpitations among the Abán supporters, but they weathered the storm as Allen now looks forward to the knockout stage of the competition.

‘Look, we are in the quarter-final, and if you had given it to me at the start of the season, I would have taken it with both hands. Last year we went straight into the semi-final, and I don’t know if it did us much good.’

OUR STAR: Ed Ó Mír deservedly takes the nod. Having recovered from a serious injury earlier in the season, the Naomh Abán centre forward could be central to the Gaeltacht men having a decent crack off the county.

Scorers 

Naomh Abán: E Ó Mír 0-9 (2 2pt, 1f); D Ó Laoire 1-2; Dónal Ó Ceallaigh 0-3; S Ó Ríordáin, C Ó Donnchú, A Ó Luasa, P Ó Liatháin, Dermot Ó Ceallaigh 0-1 each.

Nemo Rangers: D O’Leary 0-5 (2 2pt f, 0-1 f), C Yelland 1-1, C O’Donovan 0-3, E Nation, D Coughlan, O Whyte, J Coogan (f), P Kerrigan 0-1 each.

Naomh Abán: G Ó Luasa; S Tinsley, C de Róiste, É Ó Críodáin; S Ó Loingsigh, D Ó Loingsigh, S Hendy; S Ó Ríordáin, C Ó Donnchú; A Ó Luasa, E Ó Mír, P Ó Liatháin; Dónal Ó Ceallaigh, D Ó Laoire, Dermot Ó Ceallaigh.

Subs: W MacCárthaigh for P Ó Liatháin (49), C Ó Luasa for S Hendy (51), C Ó Críodáin for Dermot Ó Ceallaigh (57).

Nemo Rangers: D O’Leary; D Quinn, C Coughlan, A Cronin; C O’Neill, E Nation, D Coughlan; E Kelly, D Calnan; O Whyte, M Keenan, C Yelland; J Coogan, C O’Donovan, J O’Brien.

Subs: P Kerrigan for J O’Brien, C Kiely for E Kelly (both 39).

Referee: Cathal McAllister (Aghada).