Avondhu bow out after defeat by Valley Rovers

Valley Rovers 0-18 Avondhu 1-14

AVONDHU and Valley Rovers played an entertaining County SFC fourth round game at Ovens on Sunday. The cross wind made scoring rather difficult. Valley Rovers opened the scoring through John Cottrell.

Avondhu replied by Ruairi O’Hagan. Killian O’Hanlon cut through and goaled for the North Cork Divisional side. They added points by Michael Sheehan, Shane Beston as they moved 1-4 to 0-1 clear after 15 minutes.

Chris O’Leary received an injury that had the game held up for eight minutes. Further Avondhu pressure yielded a fine point by Ryan Harkin. In the 20th minute O’Hagan pointed a free.

The South East side had a point back by Eoghan O’Reilly and when Jack Walsh pointed the lead was down to six points 1-6 to 0-3. Fiachra Lynch and Ruairi O’Hagan swopped a pointed free. On the stroke of half time John Cottrell with a pointed free cut the lead at the break 1-7 to 0-5.

On the changeover Colm O’Neill pointed a free for the winners. Fiachra Lynch replied immediately. Further pressure by the Innishannon side saw Rory O’Sullivan point. In the 35th minute Fiachra Lynch with a pointed ‘45 cut the lead to a goal 1-8 to 0- 8.

Avondhu replied with three points on the trot that had them 1-11 to 0-8 clear after 42 minutes. Valley’s hit back for three rapid points as the lead was back to a goal by the 44th minute 1-11 to 0-11. Jack Walsh and Michael Sheehan swopped a point before Fiachra Lynch with two pointed frees left just the minimum between the sides 1-12 to 0-14.

Jack Walsh and Ruairi O’Hagan exchanged a point as Avondhu held a slender lead 1 -14 to 0-15. It was all Valley’s in the closing few minutes. Fiachra Lynch had two points to force level. In injury time John Cottrell with a well executed point sealed victory for Valley Rovers by the narrowest of margins. They will now await the draw for the quarter finals.

VALLEY ROVERS: C Desmond, T O’Brien, T Cummins, N O’Donovan, D Lordan, D Lynch, S Kiely, D Murphy, G Farrell, T O’Brien, J Walsh 0-3 E O’Reilly 0-1 C O’Leary, J Cottrell 0-3 (2f), F Lynch 0-9 (6f, 2 ‘45’) Subs: E Delaney for Chris O’Leary (inj), R O’Sullivan 0-1, for E Delaney, J Lyons 0-1 for N O’Donovan, Kevin Canty for E O’Reilly

AVONDHU: Ciaran Cotter (Glanworth), Mattie Taylor (Mallow), Andrew Cashman (do), Seanie Shanahan (Fermoy), Tomas Clancy (do), Killian O’Hanlon 1-1 (Kilshannig), Padraigh Clancy (Fermoy), Eoin Stanton (Mallow), Padraigh De Roiste (Fermoy), Michael Sheehan 0-3 (Glanworth), Shane Beston 0-2 (Mitchelstown), Ryan Harkin 0-2 (Mallow), Colm O’Neill 0-1 (Ballyclough), Ruairi O’Hagan 0-5 (2f) (Fermoy), Colm O’Connell (Kilshannig)

Subs: Sean Walsh (Mitchelstown) for Shane Beston, Killian O’Connor (Mallow) for Padraigh De Roiste, Kieran O’Sullivan (Mallow) for Eoin Stanton

REFEREE: Pat O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers)