Ballygarvan 1-12
Castlemartyr 0-9
JJ HURLEY REPORTS
BALLYGARVAN eased past Castlemartyr in the Cork Junior A Football Championship semi-final at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday.
In what was a workman-like performance from Ballygarvan, a Sean Brady goal just after the break was decisive in making the difference.
Castlemartyr grabbed the opening score from Jack McGann. Ballygarvan were not standing still as Ray O’Halloran converted an Evan O’Connor pass and they hit the front on six minutes as Daniel O’Mahony fired over.
The early exchanges had Castlemartyr dominating and they were rewarded with a Mike Kelly score to tie the game at 0-2 to 0-2 after ten minutes. Ballygarvan responded with points from O’Connor and O’ Halloran but were pegged back on 15 minutes as Kelly claimed his second point.
Stephen Fenton raced onto an Evan O’Connor pass and stroked the ball over the bar before O’Halloran and O’Connor added two more points as they led 0-7 to 0-3 on 27 minutes. The hardworking Kelly managed to fire a point over just before the interval as Ballygarvan went in at the break leading by 0-7 to 0-4.
Ballygarvan had the perfect start to the second half as the referee played an important advantage and Sean Brady fired the ball to the Castlemartyr net. The goal was followed up with a Piaras O’Halloran point as Ballygarvan began to hit cruise control. Ray O’Halloran added another point.
Castlemartyr scored their first score of the second half on 44 minutes through Jack McGann and it was followed by two more points in quick succession. With the score at 1-9 to 0-7, Ciarán Joyce reduced the deficit by another point, but Ballygarvan’s response was a point apiece from O’Connor and Niall O’Dowd.
With time almost up O’Connor linked up with O’Halloran and he added a fine score to the Carrigdhoun side’s tally. The final score fell to the East Cork men as Jamie Stack sent over the last point of the game. Ballygarvan advance to the final where they face Inniscarra this Sunday.
Scorers
Ballygarvan: R O’Halloran 0-5; E O’Connor 0-3 (2f); S Brady 1-0; N O’Dowd, P O’Halloran, S Fenton, D O’Mahony 0-1 each.
Castlemartyr: M Kelly 0-4 (1f); J McGann 0-2 (1f); J Stack, Kieran Joyce, B McGann 0-1 each.
Ballygarvan: G White; P Ryan, R O’Leary, Z Davidson; S Brady, S O’Donovan, M O’Mahony; S Fenton, C O’Regan; E O’Connor, P O’Halloran, D O’Mahony; D Mackey, R O’Halloran, N Dowd.
Subs: D O’Connor for D Mackey (40), C Mackey for Z Davidson (50), J Fenton for M O’Mahony (52), M Cussen for C O Regan (54), S Buckley for N Dowd (56)
Castlemartyr: C White; C Martin, E Ronayne, N O’Donovan; B Ó Tuma, C Joyce, J Lawton; D Joyce, D Coughlan; M Kelly, J McGann, L Martin, D Mackey, B Lawton, B McGann.
Subs: B Lawton for D Coughlan (ht), C Ronayne for L Martin (50), J Stack for E Martin (54). R Murphy and A Kelly for B Lawton and Billy McGann (56).
Referee: Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).
