Short by a point

JUNIOR 4 FOOTBALL LEAGUE White’s Cross 2-11 Nemo Rangers 4-06

If there was ever a game of two halves, it was this Junior 4 Football League game played in Trabeg on Sunday, 21st May. Nemo had a star-studded line up with several former senior county medallists in the form of Dylan Mehigan, Liam O’Sullivan and Michael Morgan. In contrast, White’s Cross fielded a very young side and it took a while for them to get to grips with their much more experienced opponents.

Dylan Mehigan lorded it from kickouts while Liam O’Sullivan, Shane Marshall and Paul Hogan looked dangerous on every attack. The first half was all theirs and they lead at the break on a score of 4-04 to 0-01. Having only 15 available players, the chances to ring the changes to start a comeback was off the table. As such, the possibility of a comeback looked remote.

The coach Sean Coughlan simply asked the lads to apply themselves more and work a bit harder in the second half. They did this and some more. Conor Docherty was back in a White’s Cross shirt for the first time in a while and he was outstanding in the second half. Minor player Eddie Coughlan also had a great game. The backs also tightened up with Sean O’Donnell, Richie Sherlock having great games at the back.

The Nemo dominance at midfield ended as Cathal Quinlan and Mury Kelleher started to take over. White’s Cross cut down the lead score by score and with 5 minutes to go we had cut the lead to one point. We had a chance to score a late goal to actually win the game but Daniel Kelleher was fouled as he was about to shoot. Eddie Coughlan tapped over the free to get it down to one point. That was it, we fell short by a single point. Nonetheless, the team will take huge heart from such a great comeback

Team: Ruairi Quinlan, Sean O’Donnell, Richie Sherlock, Sean O’Leary, Luke Murphy, Dan O’Sullivan, Cathal Quinlan, Fiachra O’Connell, Murt Kelleher, Eddie Coughlan (1-08, 7 frees), Max Philpott, Cathal O’Flynn, Fionnán Quinlan, Daniel Kelleher (0-01), Conor Docherty (1-02).

JUNIOR 1 HURLING LEAGUE White’s Cross 0-14 Passage 1-17

The Junior A hurlers went under to Passage in a hurling league played in Passage on Thursday night, 24th last. The opening 24 minutes of this game saw the sides go point for point. They were level on eight occasions. Eddie Coughlan was once again responsible for the majority of the White’s Cross scores with Donncha Murnane also getting a point from play.

With the score level at eight points apiece on the 24th minute, Passage were awarded an innocuous free-in. A bit of dissent from the White’s Cross backs saw the ball being moved forward. Passage took a quick free to unmarked full-forward who buried the ball to the net from closerange. This was the key score of the game. Eddie Coughlan did get the next three points either side of half time to bring the team back into it.

However, the home side then took over. Aided by the introduction of former Cork and Sarsfields senior hurler Cian McCarthy, they rattled over the next eight points to completely change the momentum of this game. White’s Cross did rally in the last 10 minutes and Eddie Coughlan added three more points with Conor Buckley getting a point from play. However, the purple patch enjoyed by the home side in the third quarter as well as the goal were key in deciding the outcome of this game.

Team: Shane Cahill, Senan Ryan, Murt Kelleher, Chris Dunne, Gearoid Flemming, Ruairi Quinlan, Seamus Quinlan, Tom Casey, Aidan O’Neill, Conor Buckley, Fiachra O’Connell, Donncha Murnane, Eddie Coughlan, Cathal O’Flynn, Cathal Quinlan. Subs: Fionnán Quinlan, Dan O’Sullivan, Richie Sherlock.