Kiskeam 1-14

Macroom 1-12

BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS

IN a top-of-the-table McCarthy Insurance Group Premier IFC Group 2 clash at Kanturk, Kiskeam maintained their unbeaten record to advance directly to the last four.

Despite losing by two points, Macroom are through to the quarter-finals on the head-to-head record – they had beaten Aghada earlier in the competition.

Macroom will now play Naomh Abán next, a Mid Cork derby.

This is the first time Macroom have qualified for the knockout stages since the introduction of the group format, though they will be disappointed with letting a lead slip against Kiskeam.

They led at half time by 0-7 to 1-1, and on the resumption had added three quick scores to go seven clear, 1-9 to 1-2.

But from there on things began to go wrong for Macroom, as Kiskeam upped the tempo. At the three-quarter stage it was only 1-10 to 1-9 in Macroom’s favour, and they suffered their second setback when Caleb Dinneen was black carded for a body-check, Pa Lucey having earlier been assisted off the field with a serious knee injury.

On 49 minutes, Alan Quinn kicked a two-pointer from play for Macroom to restore a three-point advantage, but Kiskeam replied with five in a row to take the victory.

As a spectacle, the first half was pretty poor with the score at 0-2 to 0-1 after 24 minutes in Macroom’s favour. Kiskeam’s Macaulay Cronin had opened the scoring in the first minute, Macroom equalised from a Pa Lucey free seven minutes later before he was forced off with a knee injury – a major loss to the Muskerry men.

Eolan O’Leary put Macroom in front with a 24th-minute point, but a minute later Kiskeam got through for a goal – Jack Daly sending Shane O’Riordan clear for a blast to the Macroom net, the ball taking a deflection off a diving defender.

Macroom finished the half well with points from two Alan Quinn frees and another from David Horgan to lead 0-7 to 1-1.

The opening minutes of the second half brought further joy to Macroom with a Mark Corrigan point followed by a well-taken goal from Dylan Twomey and a point from play from Alan Quinn. Now, it was 1-9 to 1-1 to the Muskerry men.

Tellingly, Kiskeam replied with points from Seán O’Sullivan and Shane O’Riordan before Tony Dineen added a Macroom point.

A two-pointer from Adrian O’Connell had Kiskeam within five points and they followed with points from O’Sullivan and Cronin as the Macroom resistance began to crumble.

Seán O’Sullivan kicked a two-pointer to reduce the gap to a single point, Macroom lost a man to a black card but Quinn kicked a two-pointer to leave Macroom three points clear in the 49th minute.

It was to be Macroom’s last score as Kiskeam hit back with points from Cronin, Maurice Casey and Macaulay Cronin to level the scores after 55 minutes. Cronin nudged them in front before Seán O’Sullivan then pointed a free to complete a wonderful comeback by the Duhallow side.

Scorers

Kiskeam: S O’Sullivan 0-5 (1f, 1 2pt); M Cronin 0-5; S O’Riordan 1-1; A Carroll 0-2 (2pt); Maurice Casey 0-1.

Macroom: A Quinn 0-7 (2 2pt); D Twomey 1-0; P Lucey (f), E O’Leary, D Horgan, T Dineen, M Corrigan 0-1 each.

Kiskeam: Billy Daly; Jack Daly, Jack O’Connor, Mike Casey; Daire Murphy, Eoghan Daly, Kieran O’Connor; Seán Meehan, Gene Casey; Adrian Carroll, AJ O’Connor, Paul O’Callaghan; Seán O’Sullivan, Macaulay Cronin, Shane O’Riordan.

Subs: Dave Scannell for S O’Riordan (39), Martin Collins for G Casey (46), Maurice Casey for D Murphy (50), Anthony Dennehy for AJ O’Connor (52).

Macroom: Declan Kiely; Johnny Murphy, Rory Buckley, Ryan Sabas; Michael Cronin, Mark Corrigan, Alan Quinn; Tony Dineen, Caleb Dinneen; Don Creedon, David Horgan, Eolan O’Leary; Patrick Lucey, Seán Kiely, Oisín O’Sullivan.

Subs: Dylan Twomey for P Lucey (inj, 19), Mark Condon for D Creedon (inj, 37), Jack Sexton for M Cronin (50).

Referee: Aidan Hyland (Kilworth).