Six-goal Cill na Martra make big waves with big win over Macroom

Cill na Martra 6-12 Macroom 1-11

CILL na Martra remain the hunt for that elusive PIFC title after seeing off near neighbours Macroom in a manner that will send shockwaves around this hotly contested division.

Cill na Martra came into this tie as favourites to progress over their fellow Muskerry opponents and, while Macroom battled hard all the way at Ballingeary, there really was only to be one winner from midway through the second period.

This game had a genuine championship derby feel to it in the opening period with the Gaeltacht side leading the boys in green by three at the turn (1-7 to 1-4), however, it was in the early part of the second period that Cill na Martra moved clear with no fewer than five goals in the second 30.

A penalty goal from Michael Desmond turned this game towards the victors after Macroom’s Patrick Lucey raised his sides only green flag in the opening half.

Dan Ó’Duinnin bagged Cill na Martra’s first goal from play before Shane O’Duinnin landed his side’s third major – Macroom were now seven down (3-7 to 1-6) and looking in big trouble.

The game all but ended minutes later when Dan Ó’Duinnin goaled again, this time a brilliant catch and shot saw the net almost burst from its footings.

With the match all but done, and the result well beyond doubt, goals from Fionnbarra Ó hEalaithne and Gearoid Ó Faoiláin added plenty salt to an already gaping wound and Macroom bowed out.

Cill na Martra will now face up to Kanturk in the business end of this season’s competition (Round 4) with the winners of that one sure to be one of the sides favoured for this year’s title.

For Macroom, another year that promised has ended prematurely – back to the drawing board for the Muskerry men.

CILL NA MARTRA: A Ó Connaill; D Mac Lochlainn, G Ó Mochain, E Ó Loinsigh; S Ó Foirreidh, F Ó hEalaithe 1-0, T Ó Corcora; G Ó Goilldhe, S Ó Ceilleachair 0-1; D Ó Duinnin 2-0, C Ó Duinnin, D Ó Conaill 0-2; D Ó hUrdall 0-1, M Ó Deasuna 1-5 (1-0pen, 1.45), S Ó Duinnin 1-3 Subs: C Ó Laoire for G Ó Goilldhe (40), M Ó Conchuir for C Ó Duinnin (43), M O’Duinnin for D Ó hUrdall (45), G Ó Faoláin 1-0 for D Ó Conaill (50), L Ó Loinsigh for C Ó Duinnin (51), F Ó Faolain for E Ó Loinsigh (54)

MACROOM: B Whelton; P Farrell, R Buckley, J O’Connor; M Cronin, A Quinn 0-1, M Corrigan; F Goold 0-2, D Horgan 0-1; D Creedon, S Kiely, T Dineen 0-2; C O’Sullivan 0-1, P Lucey 1-2 (2f), D Twomey 0-1 Subs: G Aingleont for P Darrell (27), E O’Leary for D Creedon (40), B Gorman for M Cronin (49), S Murphy 0-1 for S Kiely (49), A Hegarty for D Twomey (bc)(56)

REFEREE: A Whelton (Clonakilty)