Uibh Laoire 1-14

Naomh Abán 0-14

JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS 

A RETURN to the final of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier IFC was something Uibh Laoire had to earn and they did just that on Sunday.

Six points to the good inside nine minutes at the Castle Grounds in Macroom, they had been pegged level by west Muskerry rivals Naomh Abán by half-time and then fell 0-8 to 0-7 behind on the restart.

A burst of 1-2 – the goal from Cork star Chris Óg Jones – put them back into a lead that would not be lost, though they had to battle having been reduced to 14 players following a sending-off before a black card at the death meant they finished with 13.

Uibh Laoire's Sean O'Riordan puts the squeeze on Naomh Abán's Colm de Roiste. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

For manager John McNulty, there was satisfaction in getting over the line to set up a meeting with Kiskeam.

'At half-time, 0-7 each, we had a lot of work to do,’ he said.

‘We had to come out in the second half and just up our game, which I think they did.

'The response was the pleasing bit. We lost two men then in the second half, a second yellow and a black card, but they finished strong and they kept their heads and they were very composed.'

In the wake of the second booking for influential midfielder Timmy Roberts, Uibh Laoire conceded a pair of points as their lead dropped to three but then the decision to push up on Naomh Abán disguised the numerical disparity and yielded four points on the trot to put them out of reach.

'Normally, when you go down to 14 men in the new rules and you're ten on 11, that makes it very difficult to defend,' McNulty said.

'If you sit too deep, then you're probably inviting them on and you’re struggling to get out on your kickout.

'I think we're fortunate that the players responded and reacted in the way they did. They just adapted and they're very good at that.'

Naomh Abán led for the first time, 0-8 to 0-7, when Aodhán Ó Luasa pointed early in the second half.

Ian Jones levelled before he and his brother Chris Óg had them two clear again, 0-10 to 0-8, before the pair combined for a goal.

Centre-back Ciarán O’Riordan played a major role in the move as his quick free went long to Ian Jones and he held possession before passing across the small rectangle for his sibling to divert the ball to the bet and a five-point lead.

Their position threatened to be shaken when they lost influential midfielder Timmy Roberts to a second yellow card before Naomh Abán sub Conor Ó Críodáin and then Dara Mickey Ó Loingsigh were on target to cut the deficit to a goal.

If Uibh Laoire were nervous, they didn’t show it, though. They pushed up high as a perfect example of how to play with numerical disparity and a point from sub Ciarán Galvin was followed by a Cathal Vaughan beauty and Chris Óg Jones’s fifth moved them six ahead.

Naomh Abán's Christeoir Ó Deasuna applying pressure on Uibh Laoire's Chris Óg Jones. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Ó Críodáin threatened a Naomh Abán goal but Uibh Laoire goalkeeper Joe Creedon bravely saved and soon they were seven clear, 1-14 to 0-10, thanks to Ian Jones’s third.

That, in the 56th minute, was their last addition to the scoreboard – with everything having come from play – and from there it was a case of digging in as Naomh Abán, who had lost Cork U20 star Ed Ó Mír to injury, came strongly. Ciarán Ó Luasa flashed a shot wide before a huge Darragh Ó Laoire free yielded an orange flag and then, after Uibh Laoire’s Daniel O’Riordan incurred a black card, Dónal Ó Ceallaigh’s free made it a four-point game, 1-14 to 0-13.

While the scoreboard showed 1-14 to 0-14 after that, another Ó Ceallaigh free meant reality caught up as the game moved into the last minute injury time. Naomh Abán pushed but Ciarán O’Riordan’s excellent defending forced a turnover free and Uibh Laoire held out.

Their start, encompassing two-pointers from Seán O’Riordan and Conor O’Leary, suggested that they might win at their ease but Naomh Abán reacted well to the early six-point deficit, with Ó Mír and Darragh Ó Laoire to the fore in their attack while Seán Ó Ríordáin impressed in midfield.

They were back to within 0-6 to 0-4 in the 25th minute and, while Chris Óg Jones briefly broke the momentum, two from Ó Mír and one by Dermot Ó Ceallaigh ensured the sides went in level.

While Naomh Abán went in front three minutes into the new half, it was only a fleeting state of affairs and Uibh Laoire produced the necessary riposte.

OUR STAR: If the measure of a county player is that he produces when required at club level, 1-5 from Chris Óg Jones ticked that box for Uibh Laoire. As ever, displayed near-telepathy with his brother Ian, who scored 0-3.

Scorers - Uibh Laoire: Chris Óg Jones 1-5; Ian Jones 0-3; Conor O’Leary, Seán O’Riordan 0-2 (2pt) each; Cathal Vaughan, Ciarán Galvin 0-1 each. Naomh Abán: Ed Ó Mír 0-4 (2f); Darragh Ó Laoire 0-3 (1 2ptf); Donal Ó Ceallaigh 0-2f; Dara Mickey Ó Loingsigh, Caoimhín Ó Donnchú, Aodhán Ó Luasa, Dermot Ó Ceallaigh, Conor Ó Críodáin 0-1 each.

Uibh Laoire: Joe Creedon; Barry Murphy, Daniel O’Donovan, Daniel O’Riordan; Kevin Manning, Ciarán O’Riordan, Seán O’Riordan; Timmy Roberts, Conor O’Leary; Jack Sweeney, Cathal Vaughan, Sam Pickering; Seán O’Leary, Ian Jones, Chris Óg Jones. Subs: Ciarán Galvin for Manning (36), Brian Cronin for Sweeney (42), Brian O’Riordan for Seán O’Riordan (55, injured), Alan O’Brien for O’Leary (60).

Naomh Abán: Gearóid Ó Luasa; Críostóir Ó Deasúna, Colm de Róiste, Éanna Ó Críodáin; Shane Ó Loingsigh, Dara Mickey Ó Loingsigh, Jim Hendy; Seán Ó Riordáin, Caoimhín Ó Donnchú; Aodhán Ó Luasa, Ed Ó Mír, Pearse Ó Liatháin; Dermot Ó Ceallaigh, Darragh Ó Laoire, Dónal Ó Ceallaigh. Subs: Conor Ó Críodáin for Dermot Ó Ceallaigh (39), Jack Ó Donnchú for Shane Ó Loingsigh (42), Wayne Mac Cárthaigh for Ó Mír (47, injured), Ciarán Ó Luasa for Éanna Ó Críodáin (53).

Referee: Liam O’Shea (Carbery Rangers).