Avondhu miss out to impressive Bride Rovers

IT was a case of flattering to deceive on Avondhu’s part in the county SHC clash with Bride Rovers at Castletownroche last Saturday evening.

Four points to the good inside ten minutes, they appeared set to deliver another strong performance and build on their hardearned victory over Ballymartle in Round 1, despite the unavailability of Kildorrery’s Peter O’Brien, who had been their chief marksman last time out.

By the end of the first half, however, the North-Cork divisional side were 2-6 to 0-9 in arrears, and, in truth, they never seriously threatened to make up the leeway in the second half, not least because of the control exerted by the Bride Rovers rearguard, which, to a man, excelled.

Elsewhere, Barry Johnson made a massive contribution at midfield for the winners, while Michael Collins, Sean Ryan and especially Daniel Dooley were most effective in a workmanlike attack, but it would be fair to say that every Bride Rovers player put a shoulder to the wheel as the Rathcormack men again exhibited the renowned battling qualities that have earned them so much admiration since they first tested the water at senior level in 2004.

Simply put, the divisional outfit couldn’t match the desire, intensity and unity of purpose that Bride Rovers brought to the table, and their prospects were always shrouded in futility once the EastCork side got the bit between their teeth following the boost of a brace of goals in the second quarter.

Avondhu had the better of the exchanges prior to that, with Seanie O’Connell, Jack Barry, Jerry Hayes and Andrew Cagney, from a placed ball, on target before Barry Johnson broke Bride Rovers’ duck with a pointed free in the 10th minute.

Indeed, Avondhu would have been further ahead at that juncture had not Bride Rovers ‘keeper Denis Fitzgerald deflected a shot from almost point-blank range by O’Connell outside the posts earlier.

They led by 0-5 to 0-2 before Johnson drilled an unstoppable shot to the net from a free about 30 metres out in the 15th minute, and after Henry O’Gorman quickly replied with a point for Avondhu, Bride Rovers struck tellingly again seven minutes later to hit the front for the first time.

The chance came about after Avondhu wing-back Martin Brennan had an attempted clearance charged down by Sean Ryan, who cut in from the right corner before placing Michael Collins for a well-taken goal.

From that point onwards, Bride Rovers grew in stature, while Avondhu’s self-belief appeared to dip in equal measure, and the winners, in light of their uncertain start, had every reason to go in at half time with their tails up.

That was underlined by the manner in which they made the early running on the resumption, and, but for shooting four wides in as many minutes, they could well have squeezed the life out of Avondhu’s resistance long before the finish.

As it was, their advantage was reduced to less than three points just once after the interval when midfielder Jack Barry found the target for Avondhu to make it 2-8 to 0-12 in the 38th minute.

The losers’ tally was completed by intermittent points from Pa Herlihy, substitutes Darragh O’Reilly and Seamus Ronayne, from a free, but, unable to build on any sort of momentum, it became increasingly obvious as the second half wore on that they weren’t going to knock gritty Bride Rovers off course.

Trailing by five points, Avondhu were denied a consolation goal, with long-serving Bride Rovers ‘keeper Fitzgerald again proving his worth when keeping out a rasper from Pa Herlihy in stoppage time before Michael Collins had the last word for the victors.

This was a trademark performance from Bride Rovers, brimful of conviction, composure and industry, and they will certainly head into the quarter-finals in buoyant mood in the wake of it.

Avondhu have another chance to qualify for the last eight, and – with the return of Peter O’Brien, and the expectation that Cork Under 21 players Killian O’Connor of Mallow and Darragh Fitzgibbon of Charleville will also come into the equation – they should have a stronger hand to play with in Round 3.

Eoin Dillon, Brian O’Sullivan, Jeff Daly and Eoin Clancy were most effective in a reasonably solid Avondhu defence on this occasion, but the input from their midfielders was sporadic, while, apart from the first quarter, they found it extremely difficult to make headway up front.

Superbly marshalled by Brian Murphy from centre back, the Bride Rovers defence generally held sway, with Ryan Prendergast, Donncha Carr and Shane Kearney comprising a rock-solid full back line, particularly in the second half.