Harrington goal the icing on the cake for Douglas

THE Evening Echo Cork Co SFC commenced over the weekend and Douglas got just the start to the new campaign they desired at Ballyanley on Saturday.

Their talented young guns blew Mallow away 1-14 to 0-6 with a power-packed second-half show that had coach Nicky Heffernan all smiles.

A scorching nine minute spell, in which they scored 1-6, turned the game Douglas’s way, for Mallow had been well in game up to injury-time in the first-half when the sides were level at 0-3 apiece.

There was a new sense of purpose in Douglas’s play once they scored those three first-half injury time points and, despite playing with 14-men for the last quarter when midfielder Cormac Dineen was sent off, Mallow were always fighting a losing battle, only the excellence of goalkeeper Terry O’Brien saving them from a bigger defeat.

It was 0-2 to 0-1 to Douglas after the opening quarter, but slowly they began to take control at midfield through the excellent Eoin Cadogan and Dineen. Not another score to the 30th minute, however - some wayward shooting by both sides the main reason - until injury time when Douglas at last showed their mettle with three smart points from Ronan McCarthy, Thomas Sheehan and Barry Fitzgerald to fashion a 0-6 to 0-3 interval lead.It got even worse for Mallow after the restart when the game was won and lost in four destructive minutes. Quick out of the blocks, wing-back Lane scored a fine point. Then a terrific move involving Cadogan, Sheehan and Harrington resulted in the impressive corner-forward scoring a fine goal.

When sub Barry Hanrahan added a point it was all over for a bemused Mallow side. There was no holding Douglas now as they cannoned into a 1-10 to 0-5 lead by the end of the third quarter, one point from Harrington in particular extra special.

Scorers: Douglas: M. Harrington 1-4 (0-1 free), J. Moylan, B. Fitzgerald, F. O’Sullivan (frees) 0-2 each, R. McCarthy, J. Lane, B. Hanrahan, T. Sheehan 0-1 each. Mallow: C. O’Riordan 0-4 (0-2 frees), G. O’Halloran, D. Golden 0-1 each.

FIVE games were played in the IFC. A strong second-half performance from Newcestown, where they limited Glenville to a solitary point, proved decisive in a dour Premier IFC game at Belgooly on Saturday which Newcestown won 0-9 to 0-8.

Scorers: Newcestown: C Keane 0-5 (frees); H Curran 0-2, C O’Donovan and K Long 0-1 each. Glenville: J Halbert 0-6 (0-5 frees); N O’Riordan 0-1.

ST VINCENT’S have the look of serious contenders for the Co Premier IFC title after they outplayed Newmarket 0-14 to 0-8 at Mourneabbey on Saturday. Producing a disciplined display of speed of thought and touch, their prospects will be further bolstered with the return of Jonathan Buckley and Anthony Fenton from injury. Free-taker Gavin O’Connor hit seven cracking points from eight attempts to inspire victory.

Scorers: St Vincent’s: G O’Connor 0-7 (frees), D O’Connor and A Buckley 0-2 each, J P Murphy, C Barry and T O’Sullivan 0-1 each. Newmarket: S F O’Connor 0-3 (0-2 frees), K O’Connor, M Corthell, T O’Keeffe, C O’Sullivan and M O’Reidy 0-1 each.

A polished Kiskeam opened their Premier IFC campaign on a high note winning 3-11 to 3-7 but Mayfield made major contribution to an entertaining six-goal extravaganza at Donoughmore on Saturday night.

Scorers: Kiskeam: B. Dennehy 2-0; S. Scannell 1-1; N. Cronin 0-6 (0-6 from frees); E. O’Mahony 0-2; M. Herlihy and D. Cremin 0-1 each. Mayfield: J. O’Donovan 2-1 (2-1 from frees); M. Barry 1-1; T. Lotty 0-2 (0-1 from free); E. Crowley, B. Hegarty and L. Crowley 0-1 each.

THE poor fare on offer in Rathcormac yesterday will not bother Killavullen too much after they greatly upset the odds by defeating Youghal 0-6 to 0-5 in the Premier IFC first round.

The victory may have been by the narrowest of margins, but the North Cork side will relish taking the scalp of one of the top-flight senior teams of 2005. This was a disappointing game though, overall, a fact readily acknowledged by Killavullen trainer and former county player Aidan Dorgan.

Scorers: Killavullen: L Dorgan 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 45m), J O’Neill 0-2 (0-1 free), P Hartnett 0-1. Youghal: K Dempsey (free and 45m) and P Moylan (0-1 free) 0-2 each, L Desmond 0-1.

AN exhibition of long-range point scoring from full-forward Andreas Concannon proved the difference as Ballingeary narrowly defeated gutsy Aghabullogue 1-7 to 0-8 in the IFC first round at Inchigeela yesterday.

Match-winner Concannon kicked five points, four beauties from play, as Ballingeary fought off a determined second-half challenge from Aghabullogue in a highly competitive if unspectacular contest.

Scorers: Ballingeary: L. Seartan 1-1; A. Concannon 0-5 (0-1 from free); P. Concannon 0-1. Aghabullogue: J. Hogan 0-3 (0-3 from frees); R. O’Keeffe 0-3 (0-3 from frees); D. O’Leary and E. Twomey 0-1 each.