Coolera/Strandhill safely through to quarter finals after second half dominance over DRP
as the seasiders were comfortably dominating.
Keelan Cawley, who had a big impact when coming on as a substitute against St Molaise Gaels in the opening match, once again played a big role in what was a physical battle between the two sides. It was Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point who had the best opening quarter, with 4 scores on the trot coming from the North Sligo men as Coolera/Strandhill were looking to get a grasp on the game.
Paul Logan got the game’s first score through a well struck free on 4 minutes while 2 minutes later Coolera/Strandhill were bounding down on the Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point goal, Niall Murphy linking up with Barry O’Mahony but Murphy’s shot sliced wide.
Coolera/Strandhill were guilty of a number of wides as they tried to get on the scoreboard but instead captain Neil Ewing pointed a fine score from play for Drumcliffe/Rosses Point as they added 2 more with a second fantastic long-range Logan free and a point from Jamie Gillen to give Drum- cliffe/Rosses Point a 0-4 to 0-0 advantage. Captain Niall Murphy did get the elusive first score for Coolera/Strandhill through a free after he was fouled and all of the next 3 scores came from the Coolera/Strandhill man.
Another free sliced off the posts but Murphy collected and pointed on 25 minutes, adding another free 2 minutes later.
Gary Cadden too saw his chance come off the post from a similar position and the same player linked up with Murphy who brought the game level on 29 minutes.
Drumcliffe/Rosses Point, for their early dominance, had gone 17 minutes without scoring and it was Logan who gave them a one-point cushion right before the break as Drumcliffe/Rosses Point led 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval.
The lively Murphy was again on target through a free shortly after the resumption as the game drew level once more before Drumcliffe/Rosses Point had their own goal chance but it went across the face of the goal.
A foul on Ewing was pointed by Logan, his 4th free on 39 minutes before substitute Shay Doherty sent over a fine point from play 3 minutes later, good work from Kevin Banks, as it was all square again with 6 points a piece.
The hardworking Cawley nudged Coolera/Strandhill into the lead for the first time on 44 minutes and from here they never looked back. Cawley was instrumental in setting up Laffey for his goal followed by a good point from Banks as Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point looked to be fading.
The second Coolera/ Strandhill goal was a brilliant finish from Comerford with Karol O’Neill and Shane McCallion providing the assisting pass on 62 minutes. Brian Óg Murphy got the game’s last point for the North Sligo men but it was not to be their day.
They face St Molaise Gaels in a winner-takes-all in 2 weeks’ time.
COOLERA/STRANDHILL: K Kelly, E Mitchell, G Cawley (Joint Capt), M Comerford 1-0, S Murphy, C McDonagh, A O’Boyle, K Cawley 0-1, K Banks 0-1, B Doyle, C Parke, P Laffey 1-0, G Cadden, B O’Mahony, N Murphy (Joint Capt) 0-5.
Subs used: S Doherty 0-1, K O’Neill, S McCallion, D McGee, J Hampson.
DRUMCLIFFE/ROSSES POINT: R McCormack, A McCormack, J McGowan, C McLoughlin, J Harvey, D Long, S Power, B Monaghan, C Lally, N Ewing (Capt) 0-1, Paul Logan 0-4 (3f), N Canning, J Gillen (0-1), N Collery, K Davey.
Subs used: O O’Reilly, E Gaughan, B Óg Murphy (0-1).
REFEREE: J Griffin.