Fermoy bow out

COUNTY PIHC QUARTER FINAL

Cloyne 2-19 Fermoy 2-12

FERMOY’S efforts to get back to the PIHC Final came to a shuddering halt last weekend when they were comprehensively beaten by Cloyne.

On a perfect night for hurling the East Cork side dominated from start to finish and except for a second half five minute spell that saw Fermoy fight back, the men in red and black looked the winners all game long.

Meetings between these two sides have been pretty lively affairs in recent years with many cards of all colours being shown, however, this one started out much more of a hurling contest than an arm wrestle as all players concentrated on the small ball rather than their respective markers.

The O’Sullivan’s are always going to be pivotal to what Cloyne will do and on this night all three starters impressed with Diarmuid, Paudie and full-forward Colm all showing really well throughout.

For the vanquished side good displays from Liam Coleman, Jack Hutchings and David Geary kept the north Cork side in touch, however, a win for them looked highly unlikely from a long way out.

“We just never got going at the start. We spoke about getting our second half display out first as we have been slow starters all year,” said Fermoy Manager John Molloy.

“There wasn’t to be any fairy tale tonight. The lads showed great courage to battle on to the end but I would expect that from a side with so much character, but on the night it just wasn’t to be. Of course we are disappointed not to have gone further and also that the footballers went out last week. Both sides couldn’t manage to get as far as last year but that is sport.”

Paudie O’Sullivan was first on the scoreboard with a long range free, something he would repeat another four times in the opening period. Paudie was very much the Paudie of old linking well and showing all that you would expect from a player of his quality.

Cork senior management’s representative on the pitch, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, also showed well from his berth at centre forward however his last involvement in the first half was blasting a penalty wide as Fermoy looked a nine point half-time gap in the face.

As it happens there was just six between the sides as they headed for the half time interval (0-11 to 0-6). Fermoy were poor in the first half and never really got to the precision of their opponents spanking six wides against Cloyne’s two and failing to hit their men on far too many occasions.

Points from Liam Coleman (two frees) and a wonderful score from corner back Ronan O’Callaghan looked to be their lot, however, a sensational brace from David Geary meant that Fermoy were not out of this one at the break.

Fermoy needed a quick start to the second period if they were to get anything from this tie but it was the East Cork men that retained their stranglehold with a nice point from Captain Colm O’Sullivan before a brilliant family move saw Cloyne’s Brian Walsh blast home past a helpless Fermoy rear-guard. The move saw all three O’Sullivan’s doing what they do best to open up what was fast becoming a Fermoy side under stress.

Fermoy to their credit responded with a goal of their own a few minutes later when Coleman despatched a penalty to the corner of the net. Fermoy hit Cloyne hard for the next 10 minutes but failed to cut the gap below six as Cloyne, and in particular Paudie kept slotting home from frees.

Fermoy cut the gap significantly on 54 minutes with a Jack Hutchings goal, but Cloyne again regrouped seeing out the game with a second green flag of their own from number 14 Colm O’Sullivan.

Cloyne will take on Mallow for a place in the show-piece game buoyed by one of their best display in many years at this grade. For Fermoy, a long summer break won’t do the club any harm as they look to prove they can compete at the latter stages of this competition again.

CLOYNE: D Og Cusack; J Sherlock, E Motherway, B Fleming; M Lynch, I Cahill 0-1, C Smith 0-1; P O’Sullivan 0-8 (7f), A Walsh 0-1; D Cahill 0-1, D O’Sullivan, K Dennehy 0-3; S Beausang, C O’Sullivan 1-3, B Walsh 1-1 Subs: D Jermyn for M Lynch (57), B Minihane for S Beausang (60), C Mullins for A Walsh (63)

FERMOY: C Quinn; R O’Callaghan 0-1, D O’Carroll, J Daly; r o’Sullivan 0-1, B O’Sullivan, S Shanahan; K Morrison, M Brennan; T Clancy, P Shanahan, L Coleman 1-6 (1-0pen, 0-4f, 0-1.65); M Flynn, D Geary 0-3, J Hutchings 1-1 Subs: S Aherne for P Shanahan (ht), P de Roiste for K Morrison (ht), R O’Sullivan 0-1 for P Murphy (48), T O’Brien for C Quinn (inj)(50)

REFEREE: M Maher (St Finbarrs)