Carrigaline 2-14

Uibh Laoire 1-16

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

BRIAN O’Driscoll looks set to play just as important a part in Carrigaline’s championship bid as the central role he played with the Cork footballers in their recent campaign.

Since the former Tadhg MacCarthaigh player joined the ranks of the Carrigdhoun outfit, the club’s officials will tell you he’s a leader both on and off the pitch.

That leadership was again evident on Friday night in the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 2 Football League final at Ovens against a slick Uibh Laoire outfit, with the Carrigdhoun side needing all of the West Cork man’s guile to get them across the line.

‘Look, good to get back to the club, and good to get a win tonight and looking forward to the championship,’ O’Driscoll remarked after the final went down to the wire.

After 55 minutes, Carrigaline looked to have both hands securely on the cup, only for a stunning Conor O’Leary goal to spark the Muskerry side into life.

A brace of two-point scores from Cathal Vaughan and Ian Jones tied the game at 2-13 to 1-16.

Indeed, Carrigaline net-minder Chris Laverty produced a super save during the Uibh Laoire revival from Ciaran O’Riordan.

Ultimately, indiscipline proved costly when referee Robert Whelan advanced a Carrigaline free into scoring range. Man-of-the-match Niall Coakley kept his composure, splitting the posts to make sure of the victory.

However, Uibh Laoire manager John McNulty was very satisfied with his team’s performance despite the result.

‘The way we started, we conceded 1-1 from kickouts and that kind of set the tone. We need a good start to a team that is two grades above us and then we had few missed opportunities,’ he said.

‘Overall, the first half was pretty good and in the second half we went after a few things we thought we could improve.’

The game opened with Carrigaline storming into the contest as Niall Coakley struck for a goal and a point. By the 11th minute, the Carrigdhoun side had stretched their advantage to 1-3 to 0-1.

As the teams exchanged scores, a two-point effort from Jack McCarthy put daylight between the sides, 1-5 to 0-2.

A brace of points from Uibh Laoire, including a fine effort from Sam Pickering, left just four between the sides.

Eanna Desmond gave his side a little breathing space before Carrig rode their luck as Tim Roberts fed Sean O'Leary, but his effort crashed off the crossbar on 20 minutes.

A point apiece left the score at 1-8 to 0-6 after 23 minutes before the tireless Brian O'Driscoll tagged on another point as half time approached.

Trailing by six at the start of the second half, Uibh Laoire responded with three points on the bounce. However, the comeback stalled as the outstanding Coakley landed two points and his brother, Brian, added one of his own to leave the scoreboard reading 1-13 to 0-9.

In fairness to their opponents, they kept in touch with a pair of points from Jack Sweeney and Ian Jones.

The game looked to have been decided on 47 minutes when Coakley scored his second goal, but the rally from the Inchigeelagh men almost ruined the Carrigaline party.

But Coakley was cool under pressure, as his late point ensured the Carrigdhoun side lifted the Paudie Palmer Memorial Trophy on its first presentation.

Scorers 

Carrigaline: N Coakley 2-5 (1pen, 1f); J McCarthy (2pt), K O’Reilly, E Desmond, B Coakley 0-2 each; B Driscoll 0-1.

Uibh Laoire: C Vaughan 0-7 (1f, 1 2pt); I Jones 0-4 (2pt); C O’Leary 1-1; S Pickering 0-2; B Cronin, J Sweeney 0-1 each.

Carrigaline: S Mellett; B Murphy, C O'Herlihy, E Murphy; D Griffin, B O'Driscoll, K McCarthy; J McCarthy, P Mellett; C Kearney, N Coakley, E Desmond; B Coakley, R Delaney, K O'Reilly.

Subs: C Laverty for S Mellet (ht), S Turner for P Mallet (45), N O’Keeffe for B Coakley (52), T Vaughan for K O’Reilly (57).

Uibh Laoire: J Creedon; C Galvin, D O'Donovan, D O'Riordan; K Manning, C O'Riordan, S O'Riordan; T Roberts, C O'Leary; A O'Donovan, C Vaughan, B Cronin; S O'Leary, I Jones, J Sweeney.

Subs: F McSweeney for K Mannering (44), B O’Riordan for B Cronin (49), K Jones for Dan O’Riordan (55), O Herlihy for Jack Sweeney (55).

Referee: R Whelan (Aghada).