Saints see off Carrig by the minimum
St Kevin’s 2-11 Carrignavar 2-10
CARRIGNAVAR led for nearly all this semi final at Mourneabbey on Friday evening.
A great last five minutes that yielded 2-2 gave victory to St Kevin’s in the end. Both sides exchanged a point in the opening minutes. The East Cork side gained supremacy in the half backline and midfield areas and a succession of points gave them a comfortable lead.
Points by Conor Hayes, Oisin Crowley free and from play had them 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after eight minutes. Paul Sheehan added another. St Kevin’s had a point by Damian Buckley but trailed 0-5 to 0-2 after 20 minutes.
Further ‘Carrig’ pressure led to points by Oisin Crowley and Michael Aherne. Adam Finnegan got a point back for the Ballyclough-Milford side but a well taken goal by Adam O’Sullivan after a three man attack put Carrignavar seven points clear 1-7 to 0-3 in the 27th minute. Shane and Damian Buckley with late points had Carrignavar double scores clear at the break 1-7 to 0- 5.
On the resumption St Kevins did well but they found scores hard to secure. With 48 minutes play the Avondhu side cut the lead with three points 1-7 to 0- 8. Carrignavar struck a purple patch and three points on the trot by Conor Hayes, Oisin Crowley and Aaron Crowley made it 1-10 to 0- 9.
Ryan Galvin had a 56th minute goal and the Imokilly side were 2- 10 to 0- 9 clear.
Two late goals by William Fitzgerald and Damian Buckley along with points by Buckley and Adam Finnegan saw victory snatched from Carrignavar’s grasp in the dying moments.
St. Kevin’s now meet Dromtarriffe in the Co final on Friday August 18 in Pairc Ui Rinn.
ST. KEVIN’S: D Hyland, D Daly, W Fitzgerald 1-0, D O’Neill, M Buckley 0-1, A Finnegan 0-2, R O’Gorman, K O’Gorman, J Sheehan, D McCarthy-O’Sullivan, D Buckley 1-7 (0-3f), S Buckley 0-1, T O’Gorman, E O’Flynn, B Murphy
CARRIGNAVAR: P O’Brien, T Coleman, D Sweeney, G Geaney, C Cronin, P Sheehan 0-1, J Aherne, C Hayes 0-2, M Aherne 0-1, D Cronin, O Crowley 0-4 (0-2f) S O’Farrell, A O’Sullivan 1-0, R Galvin 1-0, C O’Brien 0-1 A Cronin 0-1 for D Cronin.
Barry Murphy (Aghabullogue)