Grattans leave Rangers reeling

Carbery Rangers (Cork) 0-9 Inniskeen Grattans (Monaghan) 0-12

Carbery were playing catch-up for most of the game, despite landing the first meaningful blows with a brace of points from key man John Hayes after five minutes.

Rangers were relying far too much on their county man for scores however, and it took 45 minutes for one of his team-mates to raise a flag, midfielder Micheal O'Sullivan firing over a point from distance.

Grattans were far more democratic with their spread of points, the first coming from impressive full-forward Paul Meegan on five minutes, reducing the arrears to the bare minimum.

The Ulster side proceeded to dominate for the remainder of the half with the Lennons, Michael (2) and Niall, tacking on points in quick succession to put them ahead.

Hayes hit another pair of points to offset two more conceded to Paul Meegan midway through the half to leave Inniskeen 0-6 to 0-4 to the good before both sides were reduced to 14 men within minutes of each other.

Carbery centre-back Eugene Murphy was first to go, receiving a second yellow card for a silly off-the-ball foul.

Martin Dooley added another point for Grattans before they too lost a man to indiscipline, midfielder Fergal Murphy being shown the line for a needless second yellow.

At the start of the second half Carbery faced a three-point deficit which should have been doubled within two minutes when corner-forward Ronan Meegan somehow skewed wide of Kevin Santry's goal from six yards out.

Inniskeen tacked on two more points before Niall Lennon, the other corner-forward, also had a glaring miss from close range.

Hayes and O'Sullivan kept the game alive with two points midway through the half, as did Santry who blocked down a goal-bound Niall Lennon shot after 47 minutes. But the signs were ominous for the Munster champions.

Carbery's chances seemed to all but disappear when Hayes pulled up with a reoccurrence of an old calf injury.

Declan Hayes took up the slack on his departure by slotting over two quick-fire points but Inniskeen continued to keep the Cork side at bay.

Paul Meegan added two more points to bring his tally to six while Lennon atoned partially for his earlier miss with a fisted point a minute from the end.

Carbery's O'Sullivan had the last say, firing over the bar when a goal looked on.

CARBERY RANGERS: K Santry; J Murphy, S Hayes, A Ronan; G Ryan, E Murphy, J Murphy; M O'Sullivan (0-2), K McMahon; M Ronan, D Hayes (0-2), N Hayes; M Moloney, J Hayes (0-5, 3f), M Moore. Subs: A Roche for S Hayes 30, J Kingston for J Hayes 51, P Whyte for N Hayes 51, J Fitzpatrick for M Ronan 56.

INISKEEN GRATTANS: G O'Rourke; T Meegan, R Lennon, A Meegan; M Dooley (0-1), J Meegan, M Fitzpatrick; F Duffy, M Lennon (0-2); M Callan, Patrick Meegan, P Rice (0-1); N Lennon (0-2), Paul Meegan (0-6, 2f), R Meegan. Subs: T Mulholland for R Meegan 38, S Loftus for A Meegan 47, P McSkane for Patrick Meegan 59.

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).