St Nick’s 1-11
St James 0-12
TOM LYONS REPORTS
ABSOLUTELY devastated was the only way to describe the reaction of the St James’ players and mentors when the final whistle blew in McCarthy Insurance Group county premier junior football relegation game in Newcestown on Saturday.
Being relegated to Carbery junior A grade after two years in premier junior was hard to stomach but worse was that it was a first-minute goal that sent the Ardfield/Rathbarry men on the slippery slide to defeat and relegation.
Cork hurler Eoin Downey was the Nicks’ player who buried the ball in the net in the opening seconds and for the remainder of the game St James were playing catch-up and never quite succeeded despite a gallant and courageous effort.
The western Saints gave as good as they got for the rest of the contest but never managed to draw level on the scoreboard, that goal the deciding moment of the game.
‘We could not ask any more from this bunch of lads,’ said a downcast St James’ secretary Liam Evans.
‘They have given their all on the pitch today. Some of these lads were playing when we won the county junior B title back in 2005 and they were out there today still giving their all for the club. They owe us nothing. They have been magnificent servants of this club.
‘We will probably have a few retirements following this game, a couple of the lads are in their 40s, but they’re still capable of going on for a couple of more seasons. They certainly died today with their boots on, gave everything they had, what more could we ask.’
St Nick’s got off to the best possible start when St James failed to cut out an attack in the very first minute and Eoin Downey finished to the net. Nicks’ best player, Gavin Marshall, added three more points in the first quarter but St James had settled and raised two white flags from their best player Frank Hayes, and Joe O’Sullivan (free).
It was score for score in a hard-fought second quarter, each side kicking four points. Jamie Corkery (two frees), Donagh Coughlan and Gavin Marshall were on target for St Nick’s while Ian Evans, Alan O’Shea, Frank Hayes and Joe O’Sullivan (free) responded for St James. Nicks’ lead of four points at the break, 1-7 to 0-6, looked a formidable one.
It was a really determined Mountain side that took the field for the second half with David Hayes, Cristóir Hayes, Kevin O’Leary, Peter Whelton, Conor Whelton, James O’Driscoll, Frank Hayes, Joe O’Sullivan and Conor Hayes all driving forward. Points from Frank Hayes (2), Joe O’Sullivan and Ian Evans, with two points from Nicks’ Gavin Marshall and Kenneth McCarthy Coade, had the lead down to two points at the end of the third quarter, 1-9 to 0-10.
A marvellous Marshall point had the lead up to three and Joe O’Sullivan cut it back to two. Again, it was three from a Danny Morris free and in injury time in an all-out assault on the Nicks’ goal in search of an equalising goal, sub Donncha McCarthy blazed the ball inches over the crossbar. Time ran out for the gallant men from the Mountain and it was the boys from Blackpool who were celebrating at the finish.
Scorers
St Nick’s: Gavin Marshall 0-6; Eoin Downey 1-0; Jamie Corkery 0-2f; Donagh Coughlan, Kenneth McCarthy Coade, Danny Morris (1f) 0-1 each.
St James: Frank Hayes, Joseph O’Sullivan (2f) 0-4 each; Ian Evans 0-2; Alan O’Shea, Donncha McCarthy 0-1 each.
St Nick’s: Eddie Fuller; Ben Heffernan, Fiachra O’Driscoll, Dave Dunlea; Robert Downey, Eoghan Variant, Josh Galvin; Kenneth McCarthy Coade, Zach Lynch; Gavin Marshall, Danny Morris, Ciarán Maguire; Donagh Coughlan, Eoin Downey, Jamie Corkery.
Subs: Dean Brosnan for C Maguire (ht), Lee Quilligan for J Corkery (47), Eoghan O’Sullivan for D Morris (53), Robert Brosnan for J Galvin (57), Seán Horgan for E Downey (60).
St James: Niall Evans; Mícheál McCarthy (B), David Hayes, Tadhg Feen; Cristóir Hayes, Kevin O’Leary, Peter Whelton; Conor Whelton, James O’Driscoll; Cathal Hennessy, Joseph O’Sullivan, Denis White; Alan O’Shea, Conor Hayes, Frank Hayes.
Subs: Mícheál McCarthy (D) for M McCarthy (B) (16), Ian Evans for A O’Shea (37), Donncha McCarthy for D White (52), James O’Sullivan for C Whelton (57), Kevin O’Brien for I Evans (62).
Referee: Ciarán Murphy (Glanworth).
