Aghinagh 0–10
Inniscarra 0-10
BY DENNIS KENNEALLY
AGHINAGH and Inniscarra must meet again to decide the destination of this year’s Ross Oil Mid Cork Junior Football Championship after the sides drew at a damp Grenagh on Sunday afternoon last.
A draw was probably a fair result in a game where fortunes varied but it took a last-minute point, deep in time-added, from Declan Ambrose to earn a second chance for Aghinagh and they were the more relieved side to hear the final whistle. The replay this Saturday afternoon, again at the superb Grenagh venue, will hopefully be played in drier conditions and is hard to call as there is clearly very little between the teams.
The outstanding performer on the field was Cork hurling captain Seán O’Donoghue, who has always been a marvellous footballer but hurling claimed his first allegiance. The Inniscarra man operated in attack but in reality covered the whole field and in addition to scoring 0-5, set up scores for Dan O’Connell and was at the heart of much of the enterprising play from Inniscarra. His counterpoint on the Aghinagh side, Liam Twohig, was not favoured by the wet conditions but still had an excellent first half, accurate from frees and from play and his two second half scores were vital in keeping Aghinagh in contention when Inniscarra threatened to pull clear.
This was the first ever Mid Cork final played at the new Grenagh venue and arrangements were a credit to the home club. Aghinagh had the better start, Liam Twohig pointing a fourth minute free after a foul on Luke O’Leary and Gearóid O’Sullivan added a point from play within a minute. After wides from both sides, Liam Twohig had another point from a free in the 11th minute. Inniscarra needed a response and it followed as Seán O’Donoghue set up Dan O’Connell for a point.
Aghinagh restored their three-point advantage once again when Declan Ambrose parted to Twohig who sent over a smashing point from out near the corner in the 17th minute.
Seán O’Donoghue kept Inniscarra in touch with a classy point in the 19th minute, and only a rapid advance by the ‘Scarra keeper Dominic Kelleher denied Aghinagh of a goal before a free, brought on for dissent, enabled O’Donoghue to cut the deficit to the minimum, 0-4 to 0-3, in the 27th minute.
In the niggly last minutes of the first half, Liam Twohig pointed for Aghinagh but Dylan O’Sullivan replied with a free for ‘Scarra, and Aghinagh led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the break.
The second half started well for Aghinagh, TJ Buckley was at the end of a combined move to send a point over within a minute and Shane Corkery added another from play to give Aghinagh a three-point lead once again.
It was an advantage that was not to last long as Inniscarra took over. A free out from the ‘Scarra goal went straight through to Seán O’Donoghue who ran at the Aghinagh defence before sending over in the 34th minute. Wily Dan O’Connell then parted to O’Donoghue whose dipping shot just skimmed the crossbar. The sides were level at 0-7 each when O’Donoghue scored from a mark in the 39th minute. Aghinagh were struggling at this stage and Inniscarra took the lead for the first time in the 42nd minute when O’Donoghue and O’Connell combined once again for the latter to take a point from close range. Dissent caused an Aghinagh free to be advanced and Liam Twohig had no problem in popping the equaliser over in the 44th minute, 0-8 apiece.
Aghinagh lost a great opportunity of a goal as the final quarter commenced, Con Buckley and Twohig setting up the chance for Gearóid O’Sulllivan but his punched effort went just wide with the goal line beckoning and Inniscarra again took up the running as the respective teams began to introduce fresh legs, Inniscarra’s Mark McLaughlin making a significant impression around midfield.
Dylan O’Sullivan put ‘Scarra in front on 46, Dan O’Connell took a long through ball from O’Donoghue to double the advantage for his side on 48, 0-10 to 0-8 for ‘Scarra and one felt another score would see them through. They were not to score again however and Twohig pointed a vital free for Aghinagh from 45m out seven minutes from time after ‘Scarra lost possession coming out of defence.
With only a point separating the sides, chances were lost at both ends before Declan Ambrose kicked over an equalising point in the 62nd minute and the final whistle soon followed as the impending darkness ruled out any possibility of extra time being played.
Scorers:
Aghinagh: L Twohig 0-6 (0-4f), G O’Sullivan, TJ Buckley, S Corkery and D Ambrose 0-1each.
Inniscarra: S O’Donoghue 0-5 (0-1f, 0-1mark), D O’Connell 0-3, D O’Sullivan 0-2 (0-1f).
Aghinagh: Kevin Cotter: Olan Cummins, Donagh O’Riordan, Aodh Twomey: Declan Ambrose, Luke O’Leary, Eoghan McCarthy: Shane Corkery, Thomas Morgans: Mathew McCarthy, Con Buckley, Micheál Horgan: Gearóid O’Sullivan, Liam Twohig, T J Buckley. Subs: Dara McCarthy for M McCarthy 46, David Kelleher for TJ Buckley 50, Seán Kelleher for M Horgan 57, John Lynch for O. Cummins inj 59.
Inniscarra: Dominic Kelleher: David Keane, John O’Callaghan, Jack O’Sullivan: Liam Ryan, Jack O’Dwyer, Cameron Lynch: David Coughlan, Seán Sheehan: Frankie Horgan, Shay Dineen, Seán O’Donoghue: Dan O’Connell, Dylan O Sullivan, Tadgh Lyons.
Subs: Mark McLaughlin for S Dineen 46, Liam O’Connor for D O’Connell 50, Cormac Dineen for C Lynch 58, David O’Keeffe for F Horgan 62
Referee: John Ryan, Macroom
