3 days Ago By Irishexaminer.com
Cork SAFC: Carrigaline 1-15 Cill na Martra 0-16 With scoring difference meaning neither side were likely to advance directly to the semi-finals, it was a game that carried little weight. And yet, both teams put up impressive performances, with Carrigaline narrowly edging out Cill na Martra in Ballymaw on Sunday afternoon – to the delight of manager Michael Meaney. “At the end of the day, we're very happy with where we are,” he says.
“We’re in the knockout stages and in a quarter final. “It didn't matter whatever team won today, once Kanturk and Knocknagree did their business – but I think keeping the winning momentum going, and that was the key for us today.” After a bright start from the Gaeltacht side that saw them lead by eight at the break – led by Cork senior football Brian O’Drsicoll, Carrigaline produced a superb resonse.
They hit Cill na Martra for six points in a row on the restart, and by the end of the third quarter led their opponents by two. “Brian has come in and he’s after fitting in perfectly with us, and he has that experience at inter-county level. “Today in the second-half he really came to the fore and he had some great scores.
Even in the first half, he kept us in the with the frees.” After being hit for six scores in a row Cill na Matra played it patient and were rewarded with an important score though Ciarán Ó Duinnín. Daniel Ó Duinnín’s fifth point and a free from Damien Ó hUrdail levelled the game for the seventh time – but that would mark the end of Cill na Martra’s scoring in the 50th minute.
An immediate response from O’Driscoll 30 seconds later put Carrigaline back in front – and they held their shape in the final 10 minutes. “The key thing for us was to keep winning as best we can and get the confidence up, get the winning feeling back again,” Meaney explains. “We haven’t been in a quarter final since 2015.
” They added three more scores, but their physical and robust defensive approach paid dividends as they kept their opponents scoreless. It was a convincing second half display that showed why they’re title favourites and was an improvement on what they produced in the first period. Two points from Daniel Ó Duinnín put Cill na Martra 0-4 to 0-2 in front after 10 minutes, but Carrigaline’s response was green – with Brian Coakley passing to Cian Barry, who buried it into the net from close in.
Cill na Martra did get back in front thanks to points from Daniel Ó Duinnín and his cousin Maidhcí, but two frees from O’Driscoll restored Carrig’s one-point advantage by the 16th minute, 1-4 to 0-6. That was the last time Carrigaline led until the 45th minute, as their opponents clinical in front of the posts for the rest of the half. Shane Ó Duinnin levelled the contest after Damien Ó hUrdail assisted, and they outscored Carrig 0-5 to 0-1 to close out the half – though their opponents would produce a classy response in the second half to ensure they preserved their winning streak.
Scorers for Carrigaline : B O’Driscoll 0-6 (0-3 f), N Coakley 0-4 (0-2 f), E Desmond 0-3 (0-1 f), C Barry 1-0, D Greene 0-2. Scorers for Cill na Martra : D Ó Duinnín 0-5, S Ó Duinnín 0-4 (0-1 f), D Ó hUrdail 0-3 (0-2 f), J MacCárthaigh 0-2 (0-1 f), M Ó Duinnín, C Ó Duinnín 0-1 each. CARRIGALINE : S Mellet; N Quirke, I Sheerin, K McCarthy; D King, C O’Herlihy, J McCarthy (Cpt); B O’Driscoll, C Barry; A Cohalen, B Coakley, D Greene; E Landers, N Coakley, E Desmond.
Subs : K Kavanagh for King (43), E Ryle for Cohalen (50). CILL NA MARTRA : M Ó Deasúna; D Ó Conaill, T Ó Corcora, F Ó Faoláin; C Ó Duinnín, S Ó Foirréidh, C Ó Cróinín; G Ó Goillidhe (Cpt), F Ó h-Éalaithe; E Ó Conaill, D Ó Duinnín, J MacCárthaigh; M Ó Duinnín, D Ó hUrdail, S Ó Duinnín. Subs: C Ó Foirreidh for Ó h-Éalaithe (HT), A Ó hUidhir for C Ó Foirreidh (39-41 bs), Ó hUidhir for Ó Conaill (48).
Referee : Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers) A collection of the latest sports news, reports and analysis from Cork..
