Statement of intent from Nemo Rangers as B team get the better of battling Naomh Abán

County IFC Nemo Rangers 2-9 Naomh Abán 1-7 THE county got a good idea of the strength in depth at Nemo Rangers football club last weekend as both their senior and intermediate football sides cruised to victory in their respective first round championship games Saturday and Sunday last.

A day after their senior side dished out a severe beating to Dohenys (2-17 to 0-1) on Saturday night, the Intermediate side faced up to Naomh Abán in Coachford looking to make it the perfect start to the club’s championship season.

Naomh Abán were never likely to be brushed aside like Doheny’s were, but this was still going to be a tough day at the office as Nemo’s ability to produce top quality players at every grade is fast becoming legendary.

Nemo showed all in attendance that they will be strong challengers for this competition seeing off Naomh Abán thanks mainly to their second half performance, which was both clinical and impressive against a side that looked to be running out of gas near the end.

Naomh Abán were the first side on the scoreboard with Diarmuid Ó Liatháin splitting the posts inside the first minute however the city side hit back hard with a goal from Michael Kearney minutes later.

The Ballyvourney men were clearly rattled by the early developments but were back on level terms near the quarter hour mark when Michéal Ó Croinín slotted home a penalty to make it 1-1 apiece.

Nemo controlled the game till the break and hit three points without response to go in at the interval leading by 1-4 to 11. Credit must go to Naomh Abán for their first half display against the breeze however with the wind to their backs they were less impressive as Nemo took control early in the second period and never looked like losing.

Quick points from William Morgan, Conor Horgan and Sean O’Brien had the men in green and black up by six before Ó Croinín cut that to five with his sides first point in a half hour on 40 minutes.

O’Brien ended the game as a contest soon after when he finished well to the net to seal victory for Rangers, however, Abán finished well with a brace of points from O’Croinín and Maidhc O’Duinnín which only helped moral as they proved to be nothing more than consolation scores.

Round two now beckons for Naomh Abán where they will need to improve immensely if they are to avoid a nervous round three decider. NEMO RANGERS: D Farry; J Garvan, E Weldon, D O’Donovan; S Martin, C Ó’Sé, D Murphy; A O’Donovan 0-1, D Niblock; S O’Brien 1-3, B Twomey, W Morgan 0-1; C Allen, M Kearney 1-0, C Horgan 0-4 (3f, 1.45) NAOMH ABÁN: M ÓDonchú; C Ó Deasúna, S Ó Mathúna, T Ó hAílíosa; D Ó Scanaill, S Ó Riada, M Ó Liatháin; M Ó Laoire, S Ó Laoire; S A MasCárthaigh, M Ó Duinnín 0-2, N Ó Ceallaigh; D Ó Liatháin 0-1, M Ó Cróinín 1-4 (10pen, 2f, 1.45), D Ó Súilleabháin. Subs: L MacSuibhne (ht), D Ó Ceallaigh (36), C Ó Murchú (52) REFEREE: M Sheehan (Liscarroll) AGHABULLOGUE saw their latest attempt to take the Intermediate football championship title get off to a very impressive start last Saturday night after they saw off Glanmire by two points at Pairc Uí Rinn.

This was a game that promised little but delivered in spades as both sides played with their own styles and tactics for the duration.

For Aghabullogue the key was to stop Michael Cussen having a major influence on the game while for Glanmire the major factor was getting the influential midfielder into the game as often as possible.

Aghabullogue came into this game still hurting from last year’s loss at the final hurdle so there was little doubt that they needed a fast start to this year’s campaign if they were to mount another challenge for the title, while for Glanmire, well, they have failed to deliver at this grade for some time so they would have also been keen to get their 2014 campaign off to a positive start.

Aghabullogue played against the wind in the opening 30 and starting the tie would probably have been happy enough to be within three points of their opponents at the break however that’s not how things turned out as the actually led at the turn