GAME FACES
Duhallow conquer Clon to reach County SFC semi-final
Inside Your Sport Pullout
Duhallow 2-15 Clonakilty 0-12
DUHALLOW’S ability to remain calm and composed under pressure saw off Clonakilty in a quarter-final of the County SFC at a miserable Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.
Apart from a brief spells, Duhallow looked by far the more formidable force, playing comfortably within themselves in neat passages and made light of the testing conditions. Indeed Duhallow laid the foundation of their success in the opening half where they utilised the elements to drive at Clon with real intent and pile up the scores.
Though trailing by 10 points approaching half time, Clonakilty interrupted the flow to outscore Duhallow 0-5 to 0-1 either side of the interval. Fortunately, Duhallow held their nerve and remained sufficiently composed to create and convert a series of excellent scores.
Clonakilty had threatened early to dominate the opening exchanges, camped in the Duhallow half but just a Ross Mannix pointed free to show for their endeavours. Indeed Clon flattered to deceive for Duhallow soon kickstarted their challenge, Eoghan McSweeney and Anthony O’Connor combined to place Cork Under 20 player Daniel O’Connell for the equalising point.
Favoured by the elements, Duhallow held a far greater tempo, adventure and urgency about them. Nobody was more impressive than defender and team captain Lorcan O’Neill, well supported by Kevin Crowley in addition to the reliable Bart Daly and John McLoughlin.
Elsewhere Paul and Aidan Walsh exerted a considerable influence at midfield while long serving Donncha O’Connor roamed in search of work and responsibility to force Clon into errors. Up front, the O’Connor brothers contributed generously with excellent ball control and clinical shooting key to Duhallow establishing a foothold on the scoreboard.
That was best illustrated in the eighth minute, Fintan O’Connor centred for his brother Anthony field from a defender and expertly blast to the net. And in the subsequent play, Duhallow made use of a rich feed of possession and an increasing menace in attack helped returns seven consecutive points, the pick of the scores surfacing from Eoghan McSweeney and Fintan O’Connor.
Clon ended a 26 minute barren run, a Seán White point followed by a converted free by Mannix helped reduce the deficit 1-8 to 0-3 at the break.
Those scores provided Clon with a major boost, warming to their task on the change of ends. With the emphasis placed on a more direct game, the momentum switched in their favour for a brief spell, the Duhallow rearguard looked under pressure on conceding points from Mannix and Timmy Anglin that helped cut the arrears to just six points.
Again Duhallow refused to be ruffled, easily weathering the onslaught and responded in the best possible means to grab a second goal.
From a patient build up, Aidan Walsh initiated the move for John McLoughlin and Seamus Hickey link up for Walsh to follow up down the centre and accept a centre to plant the ball low past a wall of Clon defenders.
A great move, it confirmed one difference between the sides, the Duhallow attack turned in a constructive performance whereas the Clon front men never functioned with any great conviction.
Indeed Clon might well had conceded a third goal, county ‘keeper Mark White caught outside his area, glad to see a Donncha O’Connor chip effort go to the right of the upright.
Points to Paul Walsh and Conor O’Callaghan strengthened Duhallow’s position. It looked ominous for Clon though substitutes Gearóid Barry and Dave O’Leary got in on the scoring act.
Still Duhallow comfortably
maintained the whiphand, substitute Ian Walsh added to the divisional potency to post the closing three points to rubberstamp a place in a semi final against Newcestown.