Mallow march on following impressive win over St Michaels

Mallow 2-12 Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh 0-9

THESE are indeed exciting times for the Mallow GAA fraternity with the recent quarter final premier intermediate hurling championship victory over Valley Rovers being followed on Saturday last by a victory by the premier intermediate footballers at the same stage of their championship.

The north Cork side’s football outing was at Coachford where they faced the Muskerry Gaeltacht side Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh.

Mallow gave a solid performance to secure a comfortable victory on a day when the conditions were not conducive to attractive play. The rained poured down throughout the action, but both sides managed to produce good passages of play.

The north Cork side were shaping like winners from an early stage, however, and they fully stretched the opposing defence every time that they went on the offensive. The opening five minutes were promising for Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh when they put a couple of good attacking movements together but point scoring efforts were off target.

The failure to take an early lead was a disappointment for the Gaeltacht side and they subsequently found themselves very much on the back foot. Killian O’Connor the Mallow number eleven sent the football between the uprights in the sixth minute to open the scoring and when Cork senior James Loughrey was on the target a minute later Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh had clearly lost the initiative.

A point from Ben Seartan in the 12th minute gave some hope to the Gaeltacht side, but there was an immediate effective response from their opponents.

Killian O’Connor from play and Cian O’Riordan from a free sent the football between the uprights. Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh knew something extra was needed at that stage if they were to wrest the initiative from their opponents and minors from Andrias O’Coinceannáin and Donncha Seartan kept them in touch.

A strong attack by Mallow however in the 22nd minute got the desired result. The Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh defence foiled their effort at securing a major on a couple of occasions, but James Loughrey eventually got his fist to the football to put it in the net.

That major really put daylight between the sides and Mallow’s physically strong side performed confidently for the remainder of the action.

Donncha Seartan and Andrias O’Coinceannain secured minors to improve the Gaeltacht side’s position but Mallow scored four additional points before the short whistle. Among the scorers were full back Andrew Cashman and centre half back Mattie Taylor a clear indication that the North Cork side were attacking in a forceful manner.

Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidhtried hard to improve their situation when the action resumed but their attacking efforts only reached a certain distance as the opposing defence were conceding nothing.

A Mallow victory was appearing more and more likely as the second moiety progressed. Minors from Kieran O’Sullivan and Matt Taylor had the North Cork side leading 1-10 to 0-7 as the third quarter was drawing to a close but the departure of Killian O’Connor who was red-carded could have put them under pressure.

The Mallow defence was well marshalled however and they introduced substitutes with good effect to their attack. Craig Lynch raised a white flag while David Breen wrapped things up when he crashed home their second goal: the disappointing afternoon for Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh continued when Lionáird Ó’Conchúir saw red card in the dying seconds.

Scorers

MALLOW: James Loughrey (1-1), David Breen (1-0), Killian O’Connor, Cian O’Riordan and Mattie Taylor (0-2 each), Craig Lynch, Kevin Sheehan, Andrew Cashman, Pa. Helihy and Kieran O’Sullivan (0-1 each)

BÉAL Áthan Ghaorthaidh: Aindreas O’Coinceannáin (0-4 frees), Ben Seartan (0-3 frees), Donncha Seartan (0-2)

MALLOW: Kevin Doyle, Bill Myers, Andrew Cashman, Michael Quirke, John McGuiness, Mattie Taylor, Trevor McEvoy, Denis Hayes, Eoin Stanton, James Loughrey, Killian O’Connor, Ryan Harkin, Cian O’Riordan, Kieran O’Sullivan, Pa Herlihy Subs: Darren O’Riordan for McGuiness 36th, Kevin Sheehan for Loughrey 43rd, David Breen for McEvoy 50th, Aaron Sheehan for Herlihy 51st, Craig Lynch for O’Sullivan 54th, Stephen O’Callaghan for O’Riordan 58th

BÉAL Áthan Ghaorthaidh: Muiris Ó’Conchúir, Seán O’Donnchú, Líonard Ó’Conchúir, Ciarán Ó Núnáin, Cian Ó’Duinnín, Amhlaoibh Ó’Loinnsigh, Nollaig ó’Díinnin, Liam Seartan, Eanna Ó’Duinnín, Maitiú Rordáin, Andrias Ó’Coinceannáin, Colmán Ó’Túanam Ben Seartan, Eóin Ó’Coill, Donncha Seartan Subs: Conchúir O’Loinsigh for O’Coill (h/t), Diarmuid MacTomáis for Eanna Ó’Duinnín 40th, Barra Ó’Coinceannáin for Ó’Túama 52nd, Ian ó’Coinceannáin for Cían Ó’Dúinnín (black card)

REFEREE: Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers)