Adrigole 2-8
Buttevant 0-13
B KENNEALLY REPORTS
ADRIGOLE can approach the forthcoming intermediate football championship with a bounce in their step after this hard-earned victory in the McCarthy Insurance Football League Division 5 final at Kilmurry on Friday evening.
Heavy rain fell for much of the contest but the two sides from opposite points of the county made light of the weather and produced a very exciting contest with the outcome in doubt to the finish. Victory for Adrigole was only secured in the 62nd minute when David Harrington ran on to a pass from Cathal O’Sullivan and fired over the decisive point.
The rains started to fall just as the game commenced but Adrigole started well and David Harrington pointed a third-minute free to get them underway. Harrington added another point from an eighth-minute free and as Buttevant continued to kick wides, Adrigole scored a third point, Jason Harrington the scorer in the 13th minute, to open up a three-point gap.
The Adrigole team that won the McCarthy Insurance Football League Division 5 final.
Buttevant midfielder David Hanlon, at last, opened the scoring for the North Cork men but in reply Adrigole struck for a goal in the 15th minute – David Harrington parting to Jason Harrington who billowed the net, 1-3 to 0-2 now the gap between the teams.
The second quarter was largely controlled by Buttevant. After an exchange of points between Conor Hanlon and Adrigole’s Neil O’Sullivan, the northern side kicked over four points in a row to narrow the gap to 1-4 to 0-6 by the 26th minute with Mark Lenehan very prominent in attack.
Adrigole lost their sweeper, Connie O’Shea, to injury in the 30th minute but his replacement in attack, Ben O’Sullivan, struck a golden goal with his first touch of the ball when sent through by a sweet pass from Jason Harrington. This goal gave Adrigole a four-point interval lead, 2-4 to 0-6, and was the vital score of the game.
The rains eased off at the commencement of the second half but it was unseasonably cold now. Buttevant got their revival underway with three points on the trot before Jason Harrington gave Adrigole some relief with a 40th-minute point that left two between the sides. The outstanding Mark Lenehan cut the gap back to one and Adrigole were now finding it difficult to hit the target. Conor Hanlon’s equalising point for Buttevant in the 48th minute ushered in a very tense and exciting closing phase.
A point from a David Hanlon free put the Avondhu men in front for the first time but David Harrington pointed an Adrigole free after he had been fouled in possession on 53. Harrington put Adrigole back in front with a point from play after 58 minutes but as regulation time ended Buttevant centre back Seamus Madigan sent over an equaliser to the delight of the Buttevant supporters. But David Harrington’s injury-time point secured the league title for Adrigole and shortened the long road home.
Scorers
Adrigole: Jason Harrington 1-2; Ben O’Sullivan 1-0; David Harrington 0-5 (3f); Neil O’Sulllivan 0-1.
Buttevant: Conor Hanlon 0-4 (1f); David Hanlon 0-3 (2f); Seamus Madigan, Mark Lenehan 0-2 each; Jack O’Riordan, Niall O’Riordan 0-1 each.
Adrigole: William O’Sullivan; Daniel Harrington, Fergal Carey, Liam Harrington; Darragh O’Sullivan, Cian O’Neill, Seanie O’Sullivan; Neil O’Sullivan, Cathal O’Sullivan; Denis Collins, Jason Harrington, Charlie O’Sullivan; Connie O’Shea, Gerard O’Shea, David Harrington.
Subs: Mikey O’Sullivan, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Tiernan O’Sullivan, Ben O’Sullivan, Kevin Goggin
Buttevant: Denis O’Sullivan; Jack O’Riordan, Niall O’Riordan, Kevin Crowley; Aaron Trimm, Seamus Madigan, Jamie Whelan; Anthony O’Neill, David Hanlon; Donal Ryan, Conor Hanlon, Kevin Lenehan; Paddy Behan, Mark Lenehan, John O’Neill.
Subs: Danny Ryan, David Walsh, Chris O’Toole.
Referee: Pat O’Leary (Kilmurry).
