Uibh Laoire 4-22

Kiskeam 0-23

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

WITH Ian and Chris Óg Jones providing much of the weaponry, Uibh Laoire produced a devastating display of fire-power to shatter Kiskeam’s ambitions in a remarkable county premier intermediate football championship final.

The Jones brothers finished with a total of 4-13 between them during a contest in which tactics went out the door and all-out offence was the strategy adopted by both sides.

To engage in a shoot-out with Uibh Laoire was always going to be a risky business for Kiskeam, given the acknowledged potential the Mid Cork side carried up front.

That Kiskeam were playing with fire proved to be spot on, as they were ultimately overwhelmed by the awesome attacking talents of the Jones brothers, who weren’t lacking support up front either at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday.

Sam Pickering and Cathal Vaughan were regularly seen to good effect as well, as was Conor O’Leary at midfield, but there’s no denying the impact made by Ian and Chris Óg Jones was the key to Uibh Laoire’s emphatic triumph.

Uibh Laoire's Ian Jones wins the tussle with Kiskeam goalkeeper Billy Daly to score a goal. (Photo: George Hatchell)

Uibh Laoire selector John O’Callaghan acknowledged how valuable the contribution from their dynamic attacking duo was, but he stressed it was an excellent performance from the team as a whole.

‘The Jones brothers have been on fire all year, and they proved their worth again tonight,’ O’Callaghan said.

‘We could have got another four or five goals maybe. I don’t think Kiskeam created many goal chances, although the amount of two-pointers they got was unbelievable.

‘It was a game of contrasting styles really, because they’re a very good kicking team whereas we’re more of a running team,’ O’Callaghan remarked.

‘Thankfully, we came out on top in the end. To be honest, I always felt we were in control, although I suppose you’re never in control with the new rules and the two-pointers and stuff.’

Central figures in Uibh Laoire's victory were brothers Ian and Chris Óg Jones. (Photo: George Hatchell)

Never hauled back to equality after hitting the front courtesy of an Ian Jones goal in the fourth minute, Uibh Laoire looked very much in control after Jones, put clean through by Cathal Vaughan, calmly rounded Kiskeam goalkeeper Billy Daly to bag his third major and make it 3-10 to 0-6 with 26 minutes gone.

One could be forgiven for thinking the extent of the Muskerry side’s winning margin was the only issue to be resolved at that juncture, but gutsy Kiskeam soon showed they were by no means ready to succumb tamely.

Aided by a brace off two-pointers from Thomas Casey and Paul O’Callaghan, they cut the deficit to six points, 3-10 to 0-13, before half time.

O’Callaghan found the target for Kiskeam with another two-pointer in the 32nd minute, as did Casey and O’Callaghan, from a free, in quick succession five minutes later, but, crucially, Chris Óg Jones had fired in Uibh Laoire’s fourth goal in the meantime.

It meant the Inchigeelagh men still had a bit of breathing space, leading by 4-11 to 0-20, approaching the last 20 minutes.

Uibh Laoire captain Cathal Vaughan raises the Billy Long Cup. (Photo: George Hatchell)

That was as good as it got for the spirited losers, whose cause was always shrouded in futility after midfielder Adrian Carroll struck the butt of the upright with their only clear-cut goal chance in the 52nd minute.

Uibh Laoire were leading by 4-17 to 0-22 at the time, and, carving out the openings virtually at will, they piled on the punishment in earnest on the run-in.

Cathal Vaughan’s dead-ball kicking – he converted four 45s – was a feature of Uibh Laoire’s compelling second-half display, which could have seen their goal tally almost reach double figures but for the brilliance of Billy Daly between the sticks for Kiskeam.

OUR STARS: Difficult to separate the Jones brothers, but Chris Óg was simply unmarkable, showing why he’s currently rated as one of the leading forwards in the game at inter-county level. That said, hat-trick hero Ian Jones got the official man-of-the-match award.

Scorers

Uibh Laoire: C Óg Jones 1-10 (1 2pt, 1f); I Jones 3-3 (2pt); C Vaughan 0-4 (4 45s); S Pickering 0-3; J Sweeney, C Galvin 0-1 each.

Kiskeam: P O’Callaghan 0-7 (2 2pt, 1 2ptf); S O’Sullivan 0-5 (2ptf); T Casey 0-5 (2 2pt); S O’Riordan, D Fitzgerald 0-2 each; J O’Connor, Mike Casey 0-1 each.

Uibh Laoire: J Creedon; B Murphy, D O’Donovan, D O’Riordan; S O’Riordan, C O’Riordan, C Galvin; T Roberts, C O’Leary, J Sweeney, S O’Leary, S Pickering; I Jones, C Vaughan, C Og Jones.

Subs: K Manning for Murphy (38), B Cronin for Sweeney (42), B O’Riordan for Galvin (53), A O’Brien for D O’Riordan (59), L Kearney for Pickering (63).

Kiskeam: B Daly; Mike Casey, J O’Connor, J Daly; D Murphy, E Daly, K O’Connor; S Meehan, A Carroll; G Casey, AJ O’Connor, P O’Callaghan; S O’Sullivan, T Casey, S O’Riordan.

Subs: Maurice Casey for Murphy (ht), D Scannell for AJ O’Connor (40), M Cronin for G Casey (40), D Fitzgerald for S O’Riordan (45), M Collins for K O’Connor (49).

Referee: R Whelan (Aghada).