Mallow make statement of intent
prevent Nemo from grabbing three goals in the second half, but all those chances came after Mallow were reduced to 14 players following the dismissal of hard-working wing-forward Ryan Harkin for a second-yellow card offence in the 38th minute.
Mallow were 1-12 to 0-7 to the good at that stage and their lead was never reduced to less than eight points subsequently, as their defence generally coped well with the pressure Nemo were able to apply as a result of their numerical advantage.
Andrew Cashman, Bill Myers and Matty Taylor were particularly unyielding at the back for the winners, who were also well-served by midfielders Eoin Stanton and Trevor McEvoy over the hour.
It was the potency of the Mallow forwards that highlighted this vibrant display, however, with such as Killian O’Connor, Pa Herlihy, Cian O’Riordan and James Loughrey really turning on the style up front.
The decision to slot Cork defender Loughrey in at wing-forward certainly worked a treat, as he took to his new role like a duck to water, making a particularly generous contribution in the first half, at the end of which he had four points to his name.
O’Connor had a massive game on the ‘40, winning an amount of possession which he invariably distributed to good effect, while O’Riordan was always eager to show for ball at the edge of the square, and Herlihy was in razor-sharp form at corner forward, as his personal tally of 2-3 amply illustrates.
Nemo held their own during a tentative opening ten minutes, responding to early Mallow points from Loughrey and O’Connor with three scores on-the-trot, but they weren’t to lead again after O’Riordan, fed by O’Connor, levelled matters midway through the first half.
Placed by Matty Taylor, Pa Herlihy quickly nudged Mallow ahead, and Loughrey tacked on a brace of points before Herlihy rifled in a great goal in the 22nd minute. There was an element of good fortune attached to Herlihy’s strike in that the chance came about after corner forward Kevin Sheehan, in attempting to shoot for a point, had his effort deflected into Herlihy’s path.
To their credit Nemo showed no signs of wilting in the wake of that body-blow, as they cut the gap to four points before Loughrey and Matty Taylor completed the first half scoring, allowing Mallow to lead by 1-9 to 0-6 at the break.
Taylor’s point, which was brilliantly taken, mirrored Mallow’s growing confidence as it stemmed from a free-flowing build-up involving Eoin Stanton, wing-back John McGuinness, Ryan Harkin, Killian O’Connor and Loughrey.
Mallow wasted little time in tightening the screw on the resumption, with O’Riordan, twice and O’Connor on target, as they outscored Nemo by three points to one inside 37 minutes.
Ryan Harkin’s departure soon followed, however, prompting a renewed effort from the city side, whose hopes of getting back into serious contention were effectively dashed after Mallow custodian Doyle proved equal to shots from close range by Nemo’s Adrian Greaney and Ryan Kennedy nearing the three-quarter mark.
By the time Doyle was called into action again to foil Nemo’s Cian Dalton in the 52nd minute, Mallow had moved 1-16 to 0-9 ahead, and they were clearly home and hosed at that stage.
Pa Herlihy, sent through by Eoin Stanton, added a goal for Mallow in stoppage time before substitute Colin Stanton got in on the scoring act to bring their total to an impressive 2-18, all but a point of which came from play.