Fermoy lose final despite scoring four goals
Carrigaline 2-13 Fermoy 4-4
DESPITE scoring twice as many goals as Carrigaline, the Fermoy senior footballers finished n the losing side of this keenly contested County FL Division 3 final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last Friday.
The opening sequences saw both teams rather slow to settle and that was reflected on the scoreboard when they were tied at 0-1 each by the end of the first quarter. Fermoy edged in front in the 16th minute when a quickly taken free set up Alan O’Connor for a point.
Carrigaline forced level soon after when Killian McIntyre pointed and the Carrigdhoun outfit dominated exchanges over the next couple of minutes with Jack McCarthy and Olin Barry having a point each before Barry was at the end of a good movement involving Cian Barry and Billy Pope to finish to the net that raced them 1-4 to 0-2 clear by the 22nd minute.
Fermoy’s response was instant when a great solo run by Padraigh De Roiste set up Alan O’Connor who netted from close range. Further pressure by the Avondhu side saw Tomas Clancy kick over from distance to leave just a point between the teams. However it was Carrigaline that finished in a flurry with Kevin Kavanagh and Billy Pope reeling off late scores that helped them to a 1-6 to 1-3 interval lead.
On the changeover the pace of the game improved greatly with three more goals scored inside the opening seven minutes. Fermoy were back on parity within minutes of the throw in through Ronan O’Callaghan’s goal, and they struck for their third goal in the 35th minute through Arlene Aherne who netted from a tight angle.
However Fermoy’s lead was short lived when Adam Coholan set up Brian Coakley for a goal that moved the winners in front again, 2-7 to 3-3. Further pressure saw Barry Ryan and Billy Pope with a point each move them three clear by the 40th minute.
Back again came this year’s County Premier Intermediate kingpins with Ruairi O’Hagan making an immediate impact as a substitute with a point from a free before he set up Alan O’Connor for a cracking goal that gave Fermoy a slender 4-4 to 2-9 lead.
Despite staying in the hunt right to the end this was their last score with Carrigaline finding scores easier to come by in the last quarter.
In a gripping finish both teams battled hard for supremacy. Carrigaline hit the front in the 55th minute when Olan Barry pointed a free with the same player adding another point from a placed ball in the 57th minute to move two clear. Barry Ryan followed with a point moments later that put a goal between the teams.
Fermoy refused to give but it was not to be. Carrigaline were reduced to 14 players in the final moments when one of their forwards was sent to the line and it resulted in a Fermoy defender having to leave the field with a nasty facial injury. In the end it was Carrigaline that held on for a deserved win.
CARRIGALINE: K Daly, L Boyle, E Riordan, T Deasy, Kieran Kavanagh, C Barry, J McCarthy 0-1, Kevin Kavanagh 0-1, K Dwane, B Ryan 0-2, B Pope 0-3, O Barry 1-4 (0-4f), A Coholan, K McIntyre 0-1, B Coakley 1-1 (0-1f). Subs: E Kavanagh for A Coholan, S Dwane for K McIntyre.
FERMOY: L Coleman, P Clancy, J Daly, E Clancy, P Murphy, D O’Carroll, D Dawson, T Clancy 0-1, S Aherne, B O’Sullivan, P De Roiste, A Aherne 1-0, K Morrisson 0-1, R O’Callaghan 1-0, A O’Connor 2-1. Subs: J Pyne for P Clancy, J O’Callaghan for B O’Sullivan, R O’Hagan 0-1f. for R O’Callaghan, M Brennan for S Aherne, D O’Flynn for P Murphy.
REF: Eamonn Sheehy (Newcestown)