Ó Duínnín strikes sets Cill na Martra on their way against battling a Éire Óg side

Cill na Martra 1-9 Éire Óg 0-8

THE Cill na Martra footballers secured a historic county title success in last years intermediate championship so this year they participate in the premier intermediate grade.

Their opening championship game was arranged for Macroom on Sunday afternoon where they faced fellow Muskerry side Éire Óg. The host club had everything in readiness for the fixture but the players had to deal with trying circumstances as it rained heavily throughout the action.

Éire Óg were fancied to garner the spoils considering that they have been leading contenders in the top grade of intermediate football in recent years and last season they bowed out at the semi-final stage.

The Gaeltacht side had other ideas however and they took the lead in the second minute and they stayed ahead until the final whistle sounded. Minors from Danny Ó Conaill and Ciarán Ó Duinnín were an early boost to Cill na Martra and they were close to securing a major in the fifth minute.

Chris Kelly in the Éire Óg goal foiled Danno Duinnín’s effort at finding the net. Cill na Martra with the wind to their backs continued to have the upper hand, however, and a Micheál O Deasúna point from a free in the 14th minute consolidated their position.

Danny Ó Conaill from play and Ó Deasúna from a free raised white flags to make it 0-5 to 0-1 eight minutes from the break and Cill na Martra were not flattered by their position.

Former Cork senior Daniel Goulding lifted Éire Óg’s spirits in the period before the interval when he was on target from two long range frees and Eoin O’Shea kicked a point from play.

The minimum consequently separated the sides at the short whistle so the Bride Valley side were still in with a chance of victory. Cill na Martra were the dominant side when the action resumed however.

Danno Ó Duínnín scored a point in the 31st minute. Ó Deasúna added on another two minutes later and the winners than secured the only goal in the game in the 36th minute.

A centre from Ó Deasúna put the Éire Óg citadel under pressure and a vital touch by Danno Duínnín put the football in the path of the in rushing Shane Ó Duínnín. The latter quickly transferred the ball to the nett.

The score now read 1-7 to 0-4 and there was no question of a confident well marshalled side conceding significant ground following that vital score. Éire Óg to their credit did endeavour to turn their situation around and another Goulding point from a free reduced the arrears.

It was promptly nullified however when the in form Ó Deasúna drove the football between the uprights from a long range effort from the side line.

Daniel Goulding scored from play and from a free to make it 1-8 to 0-7 entering the final quarter but that was as good as it got for Éire Óg.

Substitute Maidhchí Ó Duínnín kept the Cill na Martra situation comfortable as the scores were at premium during the closing stages.

The only item of note before the finish was a Ronan O’Toole point for Éire Óg.

The winners whose club is gone from strength to strength can look forward to the third round of the championship with confidence while Éire Óg must travel by the scenic route which is unlikely to be easy.

CILL NA MARTRA: A Ó Conaill, D MacLochlainn, G Ó Mocháin, E Ó Loinsigh, S Ó Foírréidh, N Ó Laoire, S Ó Ceílleachair, G Ó Goillidhe, F Ó hÉalaithe, S Ó Duínnín (1-0), M Ó Deasúna (0-4, 3f), D Ó hUrdáil, D Ó Conaill (0-2), D Ó Duínnín (0-1), C Ó Duínnín Subs: S ÓLoinsigh for MacLochlainn, 12, M Ó Duínnín (0-1) for Ó Ceílleachair, 42, G Ó Faoláin for Ó hUrdáil, 52, C Ó Laoire for C Ó Duínnín, 58

ÉIRE ÓG: C Kelly, M Corkery, D O Herlihy, J Mullins, L Sheehan, J Cooper, M O Shea, A O’Mahony, R O Toole (0-1), D O’Connor, A O Doherty, D Murphy, J Murphy, D Goulding (0-5, 4f), E O’Shea (0-2) Subs:

J Kelleher for O’Mahony, 52, D Kelly for A O’Doherty, 55

REFEREE: T O Donovan (Douglas)