Inniscarra bow out after a heavy defeat
Valley Rovers 1-21 Inniscarra 0-12
NARROWLY defeated by eventual runners-up Fermoy at the quarter final stage in 2016, Inniscarra made their exit from the PIHC title race in a most ignominious manner at Pairc Uí Rinn last Saturday evening.
They finished 12-points adrift of a Valley Rovers side they had beaten in Round 2A last year, and, in truth, their fate was sealed from a long way off, as they failed to mount any sort of a decent challenge.
Having provided Ballinhassig with a stern test in Round 1, the Mid-Cork side’s feeble capitulation hardly looked on the cards beforehand, notwithstanding the fact that they were severely handicapped by the absence of Colm Casey and Sean O’Donoghue.
That Casey and O’Donoghue are two of Inniscarra’s leading lights is beyond dispute, but even their unavailability couldn’t be put forward as a mitigating reason for their dismal display.
It was obvious from the outset Valley Rovers were much sharper, with their forwards moving smoothly as a unit to regularly unhinge the Inniscarra rearguard. Their defence was also well on top, although Kieran Rice did bag an early point for Inniscarra, which made it 0-2 to 0-1 in the fifth minute.
It says a lot for Inniscarra’s limitations in attack that they didn’t add to their tally from play until Dan O’Connell slotted over a fine score in the 29th minute, and Valley Rovers had built up an eightpoint lead in the interim.
With Cork senior panellist Chris O’Leary providing the leadership on the ‘40, and Kevin Canty, Jack Walsh, John Cottrell and Eoin O’Reilly going great guns as well up front, they carved out the openings virtually at will, and a couple of late points from Cottrell and Gary Farrell allowed them to go in at the break 0-14 to 0-5 in front.
Indeed, Inniscarra could have been further behind at the interval had not the crossbar denied Eoin O’Reilly a goal midway through the first half, but, as it was, the deal appeared done and dusted at the interval, such was the ease with which Valley Rovers ran the show during the opening 30 minutes.
There wasn’t a hint of a recovery from Inniscarra in the second half, although, in fairness, they did compete a bit better, thanks to the spirited efforts of Stephen Olden, John O’Callaghan and Gerard Burke at the back, Andrew McCarthy at midfield and Aidan O’Mahony and Conor Buckley in attack.
Valley Rovers remained firmly in the driving seat, however, stretching the gap to 13 points after hard-working wing forward, placed by Chris O’Leary, fired in a goal in the 37th minute.
Eoin O’Reilly quickly tacked on a point to make it 1-18 to 0-7 before Aidan O’Mahony replied with a brace for Inniscarra, the second of which resulted after Andrew McCarthy’s precision cross presented him with a goal-chance.
O’Mahony’s effort went narrowly over the bar, however, and Inniscarra were unable to make further inroads on the deficit after that, as Valley Rovers cruised home.
It was the second time in three seasons that Inniscarra bowed out of the championship at the hands of Valley Rovers, whose victory was even more emphatic, 3-20 to 0-5, in a third round tie two years ago.
Scorers
VALLEY ROVERS: C O’Leary 0-9 (6f), G Farrell 1-1, J Walsh 0-4, K Canty, J Cottrell and E O’Reilly 0-2 each, C Butler 0-1
INNISCARRA: A O’Mahony 0-7 (6f), P O’Donoghue 0-2 (1f), K Rice, D O’Connell and T O’Connor 0-1 each
VALLEY ROVERS: W Burke; T O’Brien, D Murphy, J Lynch; D Lynch, N O’Donovan, S O’Regan; C Butler, C Desmond; K Canty, C O’Leary, G Farrell; E O’Reilly, J Walsh, J Cottrell Subs: E Delaney for O’Regan, 44, D Lordan for Cottrell, 56
INNISCARRA: J O’Keeffe; J O’Brien, J O’Callaghan, B O’Mahony; S Olden, G Burke, D O’Carroll; T O’Connor, A McCarthy; K Rice, P O’Donoghue, C Buckley; A O’Mahony, S Dornan, D O’Connell Subs: T Murphy for O’Carroll, 40, S O’Mahony for Dornan, 44, M Nagle for O’Connell, (injured), 55
REFEREE: C Dineen (Douglas)