Rockchapel master two-goal Glanmire
Rockchapel 1-19 Glanmire 2-11
ROCKCHAPEL emerged masters over a battling Glanmire of this make or break tie in round 3 to the Co. Intermediate Football Championship in Mallow last Friday evening.
In doing so, last season’s runners up summoned up all their reserves of experience and character to extricate themselves from a gritty Glanmire challenge after a hugely entertaining contest.
Having incurred a disappointing defeat to Kanturk in the previous round, Rockchapel were clearly intent on making amends on looking far more sharper, hungrier and focused from the start much to the satisfaction of team manager Donal Casey.
“It was a tough battle, the half time break came appropriately after Glanmire had whittled down an eight point deficit to one. We regrouped, picked up the tempo on the restart and a number of substitutes created an impact,” he said.
At the end of the hour, there was no disputing Rockchapel emerged worthy winners, operating at a higher level to show a greater degree of commitment throughout. Still Rockchapel did lapse at stages late in both halves but compared to the Kanturk assignment, they offered an efficient performance and utilised their experience to carve out a win.
A breeze assisted Glanmire flattered to deceive on claiming the opening point from Tiernan Hourihan only for Rockchapel grabbed a hold of the proceedings with Jason O’Callaghan, Liam Collins and Seamus Hickey points.
Glanmire’s ploy of withdrawing corner forward Anthony Garvey into a sweeper role and attempt to limit the impact of Hickey failed to yield much success in the opening quater. Indeed, Rockchapel shaped up the better of the two sides, confirmed on Kevin Collins placing the enterprising William Murphy for a goal on 11 minutes.
Follow up points to Hickey, Liam Collins and John Forrest stretched Rockchapel’s position 1-7 to 0-2. Coming up to the break, Glanmire thundered into the fray through the imput of Shane Garvey, Eoghan Murphy, Hourihan and Alan Barry
Full-forward Barry spearheaded a terrific drive, accepting a pass from Timmy Leahy to goal. That score allowed Glanmire hit a vengeance, Shane O’Driscoll and James Murphy pointing to cut the leeway 1-7 to 1-6 at the break.
However, Rockchapel underlined their credentials on the restart, the springboard for their masterly provided by Kevin Collins, Conor Kepple, Murphy and Hickey in the key departments.
Indeed Rockchapel made a buisiness like spurt, target man Hickey along with the Collins brothers reeled off points that surged the Duhallow side into a commanding position.
And though Glanmire answered with a Hourihan point, the impetus remained with Rockchapel, Hickey, Forrest and Kevin Collins helped assume a 1-14 to 1-9 grip by the three quarter mark.
To their credit, Glanmire hung in, Hourihan pointed yet they rued missed chances and a disallowed goal.
However, their remained plenty of character in the Glanmire tank, Hourihan found the net in the 57th minute to leave two between the sides.
With the outcome up for grabs, Rockchapel’s grip on the proceedings looked porecarious yet in all honesty, they looked like they wanted victory more.
As the excitement mounted, Rockchapel reacted accordingly in the remaining play, two points from Hickey and another by Jason O’Callaghan put the icing on the cake.
That late flourish rubberstamps Rockchapel a place in round 4.
ROCKCHAPEL: C Murphy; N O’Callaghan, E O’Callaghan, M O’Keeffe; J O’Sullivan, K Collins 0-2, D O’Callaghan; D J O’Callaghan, C Kepple; J O’Callaghan 0-2, J Forrest 0-2, D Curtin; L Collins 0-4 (0-3f), S Hickey 0-7, W Murphy 1-1 Subs: B O’Sullivan for J O’Sullivan (39), J Doody for D J O’Callaghan (52 inj), C Aherne 0-1 for Forrest (52) , B Cahill for B O’Sullivan (57 inj)
GLANMIRE: O Barry; S Garvey, A Brennan, E Murphy 0-1; B Murphy, B Kelleher, D McCarthy; T Leahy, T Hourihan 1-3; J Burkley 0-1, S O’Driscoll 0-1, K Burke; J Murphy 0-2, A Barry 1-3 (0-1f), A Garvey Subs: A O’Mahony for McCarthy (37), K Kenneally for S Garvey (54), J O’Keeffe for J Murphy (56)
REFEREE: D Murnane (Macroom)