MUSKERRY 1-15
CARBERY 1-14
SEÁN HOLLAND REPORTS
CHRIS Óg Jones was the point of difference figuratively and literally in this closely-fought McCarthy Insurance Premier SFC Divisions/Colleges semi-final at Ovens.
The Uibh Laoire man, who finished with 0-5, was a constant threat throughout and it was the Cork forward who scored the winning point to end Carbery’s involvement in this season's championship.
‘It is disappointing,’ Carbery manager Colm Aherne said.
‘Look, we had the chances, but we just didn't take them. Maybe we had a bit too much of an overreliance on Damien (Gore). He kept us ticking there. We just couldn't seem to get scores from everyone else, and anytime we got close to them, they were able to just tick on a point, tick on a point. They were always able to just pull away from us.’
It was the above-mentioned Gore who got Carbery off the board early, pointing the first of four white flags he kicked off his left foot. It turned out that this was the only time Carbery led in the contest. Muskerry responded immediately with a fisted point from Liam Twohig. That was added to two minutes later when an errand handpass from Carbery goalkeeper Mike Casey was collected by Eolan O’Leary, and the Macroom man played a neat give-and-go with Óg Jones before rifling a shot to the roof of the net.
Muskerry's Liam Twohig cuts inside Dan Twomey of Carbery to put the ball over for a point during the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork County Division/Colleges game in Ovens on Friday evening.
Gore responded with another beauty off his left before Muskerry added another two from Óg Jones and Liam O’Connor (free). Muskerry could have had a second goal but Casey was on his toes, firstly diving across the air to tip away a squaring handpass from Óg Jones bound for Liam Twohig, and then as the Cork senior cut in from the right wing he parried away the goal-bound effort.
After Keith O’Driscoll and O’Connor traded scores, Carbery were back in the contest. Neat footwork from Arthur Coakley allowed him to put Seán Daly through on goal, and the Randal Óg man, who was very impressive throughout, rattled the net from close range.
Ian Jones pointed immediately in response but Dan Mac Eoin pinged two beauties with his trusted left peg to level matters once more. Muskerry finished the half the stronger with Twohig (free), Óg Jones and O’Connor on target to leave it 1-8 to 1-5 at the short whistle.
Muskerry's Mark Corrigan breaks from the challenge of Colm O'Driscoll of Carbery during the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork County Division/Colleges game in Ovens on Friday evening.
Both sides went point for point on the resumption of the second half, with half-time substitutes Seán Ryan and Olan Corcoran making an impression. The pick of the scores in the third quarter was Gore’s pointed effort from the right sideline, which left onlookers questioning if his left foot was better than his preferred right. Down 1-12 to 1-9, Carbery made their push for home with 15 minutes left, kicking three unanswered points. Two short 45s were finished by Corcoran and Mac Eoin, with the Ilen Rovers man knocking over a free in the 50th minute to level matters.
No sooner were Carbery level, the resulting kickout was fielded by O’Leary who set off Liam Wall who put the Muskerry men ahead once more. Goalkeeper Joseph Creedon (free) put the Mid-Cork men two in front once more but Carbery fought back valiantly through Corcoran and Gore but it left the stage open for Óg Jones to send Muskerry through and Carbery home.
Scorers
Muskerry: C Óg Jones 0-5; L Twohig 0-4 (2f); E O’Leary 1-0; L O’Connor 0-3 (1f); I Jones, L Wall, J Creedon (f) 0-1 each.
Carbery: D Gore (1f), D Mac Eoin (2f) 0-5 each; O Corcoran 0-3; S Daly 1-0; Keith O’Driscoll 0-1.
Muskerry: J Creedon (Uibh Laoire); W Ronan (Kilmurry), E Lehane (Canovee), D O'Donovan (Uibh Laoire); K Manning (Uibh Laoire), M Corrigan (Macroom), S O'Riordan (Uibh Laoire), C O'Donovan (Macroom), L Wall (Kilmurry); A O'Sullivan (Aghabullogue), C Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire), E O'Leary (Macroom); L O'Connor (Inniscarra), I Jones (Uibh Laoire), L Twohig (Aghinagh).
Subs: C Dodd (Canovee) for Corrigan (ht), K O’Connell (Donoughmore) for O’Leary (38), M McLoughlin (Inniscarra) for C O’Donovan (53).
Carbery: Mike Casey (Bantry Blues); Dan Twomey (Ballinascarthy), Peter Collins (Randal Óg), Seán O'Riordan (Barryroe); Seán Daly (Randal Óg), Peter Murphy (Bandon), Ger O'Callaghan (Gabriel Rangers); Seánie O'Leary (Bantry Blues), Kevin O'Driscoll (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh); Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues), Colm O'Driscoll (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh), Keith O'Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers); Dan Mac Eoin (Ilen Rovers), Damien Gore (Kilmacabea), Arthur Coakley (Bantry Blues).
Subs: Seán Ryan (Ballinascarthy) for Kevin O’Driscoll, Olan Corcoran (St Mary’s) for Coakley (both ht), Peter O’Driscoll (Ilen Rovers) for O’Callaghan (58).
Referee: Brian Coniry.
