Battling Shanballymore bow out to Óg

Randal Óg 2-9 Shanballymore 1-9

RANDAL Óg will meet Goleen in an all West Cork quarter final after they saw off a stern second half onslaught by Shanballymore at Donoughmore on Friday evening.

The opening sequences saw the winners start at a hectic pace with Seadhna Crowley in devastating in attack. They were 0-4 to no score ahead before they struck for the first of their two goals in the eighth minute when a delivery from midfield by Brian Dullea saw Seadhna Crowley and Sam Kingston combine well to release Barry O’Driscoll for a well taken goal.

Further pressure saw Seadhna Crowley with another point surge them eight points clear. As the half went on Shanballymore quickly settled.

Kenneth Barry registered their first score a point in the 12th minute with James Roche and Barry following with minors by the end of the first quarter.

In their next attack they came right back into the equation. A sideline by Eoin McHugh was gathered by Kenneth Barry who in turn set up James Roche for a goal that narrowed the deficit to 1-6 to 1-3.

For the rest of the half scores were at a premium. Randal Og struck for a vital score in the 23rd minute when a free by Brian Dullea resulted in Seadhna Crowley finishing a great goal to the net.

At the other end Shanballymore reeled off a late point courtesy of Darragh Palmer to trail 2-6 to 1-4 at the interval. For the second half Shanballymore dominated matters for long periods with Darragh Palmer, Sean Lynch, Eoin McHugh, Eoin O’Regan, Kenneth Barry and James Roche prominent figures in this half. Sean Lynch got their second half charge up and running with a long range point.

In the 40th minute they were denied a goal scoring chance when James Roche cut through but was denied by the crossbar. Nevertheless three points by the mid way stage by Eoin O’Regan (2) and Eoin McHugh left just a point between the teams 2-6 to 1-8.

Randal Óg had to wait till the 48th minute to register their first score of this half when Seadhna Crowley kicked over a free. Shanballymore who accounted for many wides in this half had the lead back to a point soon after when a great pass by Eoin O’Regan set up Kenneth Barry for a well taken point.

Randal Óg upped their efforts once again in the last ten minutes with Brian Dullea, Ger Lynch, Shane Patterson, Sam Kingston and Seadhna Crowley to the fore and a point each from Crowley and Sam Kingston helped put a bit of daylight between the teams by the 58th minute 2-9 to 1-9.

From here to the end Shanballymore laid siege on the Randal Óg goal. In injury time they created a goal scoring chance but the ball went narrowly wide with Randal Óg holding on for a close win in the end.

RANDAL OG: D Lynch, J J Hurley, A O’Brien, B Lynch,Seamus Crowley, S Patterson, I Crowley, G Lynch, B Dullea, Stephen Crowley, S Kingston 0-1, P Lynch B O’Driscoll 1-1, Seadhan Crowley 1-7 (03f), E O’Sullivan Sub: D Collins for S Crowley

SHANBALLYMORE: S Donegan, P Fitzgerald, R McHugh, P Palmer, D Roche, C O’Reilly, D Palmer 0-1, E McHugh 0-1, S Lynch 0-1, V Burke, J Sheedy, E O’Regan 0-2 (0-1f), K Barry 0-3, J Roche 1-1, A Sheedy Subs: R Hallihan for P Palmer, P Burke for A Sheedy

REFEREE: John Horgan (Gleann na Laoi)