IBANE GAELS 2-13

MALLOW 1-10

SEÁN HOLLAND REPORTS

FIFTY-SIX days after defeating Bantry in the West Cork U21 football final, the Ibane train keeps rolling after another strong showing – this time defeating Mallow in the county quarter-final.

The young men from Argideen Rangers and Barryroe showed real promise in an impressive performance in Cloughduv on Friday night.

Ibane began where they left off in the West Cork final with a fast start, thanks to points from Mike Collins, Donagh Flynn and Olan O’Donovan – the latter the pick of the bunch after a booming 70-metre punt from his brother Ross sparked a clinical counterattack.

Mallow finally got their footing and landed their first score after ten minutes when full forward Mark Kelleher curled over. That was followed by points from Ben O’Shea and Padraig Britton, leaving it 0-3 apiece entering the second quarter.

Luke Murphy put Ibane back in front, and they could have extended the lead a minute later as a barraging run by the impressive Donagh Flynn brought a brilliant save from Mallow netminder Josh Harkin.

Two frees from O’Donovan sandwiched one from O’Shea to leave it 0-6 to 0-4 with five minutes remaining in the half.

O’Donovan was on target once more after brilliant lead-up play from Tomás Ó Buachalla and Darragh Walsh, but Decky Copps replied instantly for Mallow. O’Donovan then kicked the last score before the break, Ibane leading 0-8 to 0-5.

Mallow came charging out of the blocks in the second period and levelled proceedings when Gearoid Daly raised the first green flag of the evening with a venomous strike into the bottom corner.

As it transpired, that goal seemed to kick Ibane into gear. Points from Murphy and O’Donovan set the stage for Darragh Walsh’s right-footed rocket that burst the top corner of the net in the 36th minute.

Two minutes later Ibane had a second goal. Joe Crowley kickstarted a move that ended with Luke Murphy finishing to the net.

Only for more Mallow heroics on the goal-line, it could have been even worse for the North Cork men, but at this stage Ibane were in cruise control. A Ben O’Shea free stopped the Ibane scoring spree, leaving it 2-11 to 1-7 with ten to play.

O’Donovan had Ibane’s final score of the game with a two-point free, and even after a late Mallow assault that yielded a trio of points, the result was never in doubt. The Carbery champions now move on to meet Kinsale in the county semi-final this Sunday in Ballinspittle (2pm).

OUR STAR: Plenty of candidates from the Ibane side, but Darragh Walsh’s work rate and link-up play – topped off with his goal – gets him the nod.

Scorers

Ibane Gaels: Olan O’Donovan 0-8 (4f, 1×2pt f); Luke Murphy 1-2; Darragh Walsh 1-0; James Crowley, Donagh Flynn, Mike Collins (0-1 each).

Mallow: Gearoid Daly 1-0; Ben O’Shea 0-3 (2f); Liam Walsh 0-2; Ronan O’Sullivan, Mark Kelleher, Decky Copps, Padraig Britton, Richie McAuliffe (0-1 each).

Ibane Gaels: Ross O’Donovan; Kevin Hennessy, Joe Crowley, Diarmuid McCarthy; Daniel Moloney, Tomás Ó Buachalla, Charlie Twomey; Dermot Dineen, Mike Collins; Jack Twomey, Olan O’Donovan, Donagh Flynn; Luke Murphy, James Crowley, Darragh Walsh.

Subs: Aidan Walsh for McCarthy (36), Jamie Collins for James Crowley (52), Aaron Fleming for D Walsh (57), Sean Ryan for Dineen (58).

Mallow: Josh Harkin; Eddy Walsh, Darragh O’Connor, Aaron Murphy; Sam Copps, Gearoid Daly, Padraig Britton; Paddy Murphy, Bill Kingston; Liam Walsh, Ben O’Shea, Decky Copps; Ronan O’Sullivan, Mark Kelleher, Kevin O’Connell.

Subs: Richie McAuliffe for Kelleher (ht), Jack Roche for E Walsh (38), Adam Roche for O’Connell (46), Donnagh Merritt for Britton (57), Jack Quill for D Copps (60).

Referee: Robert Whelan.