BY BRENDAN KENNEALLY
Aghinagh 0-18
Beal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh 1-10
AGHINAGH had to win this second-round Group 3 game in the Ross Oil Mid Cork Junior Football Championship at Kilmichael to ensure their continued interest in the competition.
They will be happy therefore with their five-point victory, particularly as there was only a point between the teams as late as the 49th minute after Sean Ó Muineacháin had fired in a goal for Beal Átha.
One minute earlier the Gaeltacht side had lost a defender to a second yellow card and Aghinagh made full use of their numerical advantage subsequently, outscoring their opponents by 0-5 to 0-1 in the closing stages to be reasonably comfortable winners at the end.
This win gives Aghinagh three points going into their final group game against pointless Clondrohid, and a win here would guarantee them a place in the knockout stages.
Aghinagh, champions in 2021 and beaten finalists last season, were strongly fancied to get the better of Béal Átha’s second 15 and they started without their injured star forward Liam Twohig. With wind advantage, points in quick succession from Con Buckley, Gearóid O’Sullivan and TJ Buckley saw them lead by 0-3 to nil after four minutes.
Seán Ó Muineacháin got a point back for Béal Átha but the Aghinagh response was instant and telling – Aodh Twomey set up by a Dave Barry burst out of defence and Declan Ambrose with a brace making the score 0-6 to 0-1 in the ninth minute. Ó Muineacháin and Dara McCarthy exchanged points, Liam Seartan and Declan Ambrose did likewise, and it was 0-8 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.
After Sean Ó Muineacháin pointed a free for the western side, Aghinagh were boosted by a superb TJ Buckley point in the 27th minute which opened up a five-point gap. Béal Átha finished the half strongly with three unanswered points – two from the wily Liam Seartan, the other from Daire Ó Briain. With a lead of only two points at half time, 0-9 to 0-7, Aghinagh had reason to be worried at the interval.
Aghinagh introduced Liam Twohig at corner forward for the second half acknowledging their lack of penetration in attack. Twohig put in Con Buckley for a welcome point but Béal Átha quickly replied with a free from Ó Muineacháin, and then a super point from play from Seartan; it left a point between the teams in the 35th minute.
Con Buckley relieved the situation for Aghinagh with a well-taken point and Liam Twohig then added a free. Aghinagh were leading by 0-13 to 0-9 when Con Buckley had his third point from play in the 44th minute.
Béal Átha lost Rónán Ó Loinsigh to a black card in the 48th minute but were jubilant a minute later when Matt Ó Riordáin dropped a high ball into the Aghinagh goalmouth which Seán Ó Muineacháin fielded before turning to lash the ball to the net to cut his side’s deficit to a mere point.
The extra man did count in the next ten minutes as TJ Buckley caused Béal Átha all sorts of trouble; he dominated the play up the right wing and shot over three points. Liam Twohig set up the opportunity for a 50th-minute point, Declan Ambrose did likewise a minute later and the wing back then took his third point in as many minutes to leave Aghinagh leading by 0-16 to 1-9 in the 53rd minute.
Brian Ó Duinnín had a final point for Beal Átha on 55, Aghinagh replied with a point from a Liam Twohig mark, then missed a golden goal scoring opportunity when Béal Átha goalkeeper Barra Ó Súilleabháin dived to save a Gearóid O’Sullivan penalty. McCarthy was then second yellow carded and sidelined, but Aghinagh finished on a positive note with a point from Liam Twohig.
Scorers
Aghinagh: TJ Buckley 0-5; Con Buckley 0-4; L Twohig 0-3 (1f, 1m); D Ambrose 0-3 (1m); A Twomey, G O'Sullivan (f), D McCarthy 0-1 each.
Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh: Sean Ó Muineacháin 1-4 (2f); L Seartan 0-4; D Ó Briain, B Ó Duinnín 0-1 each.
***
Grenagh 0-15
Blarney 0-6
In Group 1, Grenagh were too good for Blarney in a weather-delayed second round junior football championship game at Donoughmore and now are back in contention for a knockout spot, with pointless Donoughmore their final group opponents. Blarney will face unbeaten Inniscarra.
Blarney scored first but were 0-5 to 0-1 in arrears after the opening quarter. By half time it was 0-10 to 0-1 and Grenagh were in a very strong position. It was 0-12 to 0-3 at the three-quarter mark with little doubt now about the outcome.
Scorers
Grenagh: Ultan Duggan 0-4; Seán Joyce, Kelvin Cummins 0-3 each; David Coleman 0-2; Paul Ahern, Ted Twomey, Seamus Cronin 0-1 each.
Blarney: Ray Murphy, Vincent O’Mahony, Keith Costelloe, Cathal Hegarty, Denis McSweeney and Olan Hegarty 0-1 each.
