Duhallow bow out to 5-goal Nemo Rangers in county championship
Nemo Rangers 5-13 Duhallow 0-12
DUHALLOW’S interest in the County Senior Football Championship was extinguished on a semi final defeat to Nemo Rangers at Pairc Uí Rinn last Sunday.
A jaded divisional line up that involved 13 players operating with their clubs the previous day didn’t possess the fire-power necessary to create a sustained impact and the winning margin confirmed the difference between a fresher outfit and leg weary opponents.
In fairness, all involved with Duhallow couldn’t be faulted for effort and application yet from an early stage, Nemo carried superior class and the authority to make their dominance count to progress to a county final against near neighbours St Finbarrs.
As the game aged, the lively Nemo attack were provided with sufficient possession to enjoy a lucrative return, full-forward Luke Connolly grabbed 3-3 with corner men Paddy Gumley and Ciaran Dalton credited with 1-1 apiece.
Frustrated Duhallow manager Padraig Kearns expressed disappointment at the scheduling of the fixture.
“Result wise, there are no excuses, we were defeated by a better team but realistically, four clubs from the division playing yesterday was a huge disadvantage. We‘ve very good players, we’re not given a chance, the structure is not made for the divisional teams, the powers that be don’t want the divisions,” he said.
Duhalllow had received a positive start, Aidan Browne and Seamus Hickey linked up for
Michael Vaughan to punch a point for their only lead. Soon Nemo arrived at the pace of the game, Jack Horgan and Connolly pointed before Dalton provided the perfect pass for former Cavan player Gumley to net his side’s opener.
Follow up points from Gumley and Connolly stretched Nemo’s position yet Duhallow were competing well. For a time, the divisional side stemmed the flow from the positive efforts of Kevin Crowley, Browne, Bart Daly and Mark Ellis.
Indeed points from Anthony O’Connor, Crowley and Donncha O’Connor brought Duhallow right back into contention to trail 1-6 to 0-6. However, the picture changed in the 23rd minute, a darting run from Dalton allowed Connolly goal for his side hold a 2-7 to 0-7 advantage at the break.
And the mountain became all the more steeper for Duhallow quickly on the restart, substitute Conor Horgan, the provider for Connolly to blast home again. Duhallow prospects weren’t helped on injury to Ellis with Newmarket pair Daly and T J Brosnan, coming into the game with knocks from the previous day, also withdrawn.
Nemo controlled matters, at midfield, Alan O’Donovan delivered a tour de force performance, well supported by Alan Cronin, Aidan O’Reilly, Stephen Cronin and Jack Horgan. Little surprise, the scores continued, Tomás Ó Sé , Paul Kerrigan and Gumley involved for Dalton to slip home a fourth goal.
In fairness, Duhallow plugged away, Crowley pointed a pair with substitute Eoghan McSweeney also on target. A full blown recovery was never likely, the rest of the tussle was pure academic after Connolly netted from the penalty spot following a foul on Colm Kiely.
The contest petered out to its inevitable conclusion, favourites Nemo assured of a place in the decider long before the finish.
NEMO RANGERS: M Martin; C McWhinney, A Cronin, A O’Reilly; T Ó Sé 0-1, S Cronin, K Fulignati; J Horgan 0-2, A O’Donovan; B O’Driscoll 0-1f, P Kerrigan C O’Brien 0-1; P Gumley 1-1, L Connolly 3-3 (1-0p), C Dalton 1-1 Subs: C Horgan for O’Driscoll (30 inj), K O’Donovan for Kerrigan (46), C Kiely 0-1 for Gumley (46), J O’Donovan (0-1) for Fulignati (49), M Dorgan for Horgan (51), A Greaney (0-1) for Dalton (55)
DUHALLOW: P Doyle (Knocknagree); D Hickey (Cullen), A Ryan (Newmarket), E O’Callaghan (Rockchapel); K Crowley (Millstreet) 0-3, J McLoughlin (Kanturk), A Browne (Newmarket); M Ellis (Millstreet) 0-1, T J Brosnan (Newmarket); B Daly (Newmarket), A O’Connor (Knocknagree) 0-2, S Hickey (Rockchapel) 0-1; J O’Connor (Boherbue), D O’Connor (Ballydesmond) 0-3f, M Vaughan (Millstreet) 0-1 Subs:
E O’Connor (Kanturk) for Ellis (26 inj), M Dilworth (Knocknagree) for Brosnan (35), E McSweeney (Knocknagree) 0-1 for Daly (35), D Buckley (Boherbue) for Ryan (47), F O’Connor (Knocknagree) for A O’Connor (51), S Hickey (Millstreet) for McLoughlin (58)
REFEREE: M Collins (Clonakility)