Doughty Duhallow edge through in scrappy encounter

Duhallow 1-11 Muskerry 0-13

But unless they show radical improvement in front of the posts, with just five points and a scrappy goal coming from play, they won’t trouble any of the big guns.

With a good stiff breeze behind them, and with Pat O’Riordan and the strapping Fionnan Sheehan on top in midfield, Muskerry dominated the first half to lead 0-9 to 0-3.

It should have been more, a dozen wides testament to a lot of very poor shooting, mostly from the half-forwards and midfielders. Inside, Diarmuid O’Riordan and Johnny Hurley looked dangerous in the corners, with Iniscarra’s Gerard Bourke completing a very strong line.

Unfortunately for Muskerry that trio did not see an awful lot of ball during that half of dominance.

O’Riordan notched four, Hurley had one, centre-forward John Russell landed a brace, Fionnan Sheehan with a long-ranger and corner-back James Hughes with a 90-yd free completed the Muskerry scoring.

In reply, Fergus Browne, Seamus Whelan and full-forward Donie Broderick had points for Duhallow, but as the sides headed for the dressing-room, those scores looked like mere consolation.

It had taken Muskerry nearly 11 minutes in the first half to score their first point, following which they went on something of a run. It took them nearly 14 minutes in the second half, by which time Duhallow, through corner-forward Kevin McCarthy and free-taker Fergus Browne (2) had narrowed the gap to just three points, 0-6 to 0-9.

With wind-assisted Duhallow now doing most of the pressing, that three point gap remained until the 50th minute, when a 110-yd free by impressive keeper Anthony Nash landed in the Muskerry goalmouth and was scrambled over the line by substitute Mark Sheehy. It was now all square, 1-8 to 0-11.

Amazingly, just five points were produced in the remaining 14 minutes, three from frees. An exchange of frees between the deadly Browne and O’Riordan kept it tied, Duhallow edged two ahead (yet another Browne free, one from play by midfielder Donagh Dwane), Diarmuid O’Riordan got one back two minutes into added time.

Bourke had one last chance to tie it up, perhaps even goal, but was crowded out by solid Duhallow defence.

Scorers for Duhallow: F. Browne 0-7 (0-6 frees); M. Sheehy 1-0; D. Dwane, S. Whelan, K. McCarthy, D. Broderick, 0-1 each.

Muskerry: D. O’Riordan 0-6 (0-3 frees); J. Hurley 0-3 (0-2 frees); J. Russell 0-2; F. Sheehan, J. Hughes (free), 0-1 each.

DUHALLOW: A. Nash (Kanturk); S. O’Flynn (Banteer), C. Buckley (Banteer), N. Cronin (Kilbrin, capt.); B. Sheehan (Millstreet), S. Barrett (Millstreet), D. McCarthy (Millstreet); D. Dwane (Kanturk), S. Whelan (Tullylease), F. Browne (Kanturk); K. McCarthy (Millstreet), D. Broderick (Freemount), J. Lehane (Millstreet).

Subs: N. O’Callaghan (Kilbrin, Lehane 30); M. Sheehy (Tullylease, Hayes 33).

MUSKERRY: B. Kelly (Ballincollig); J. Hughes (Blarney), J. O’Donoghue (Blarney), B. Moylan (Ballincollig); M. Hodge (Ballinora), N. Buckley (Aghabullogue), J. O’Riordan (Cloughduv); F. Sheehan (Eire Og), P. O’Riordan (Dripsey); M. Hurley (Ballinora), J. Russell (Grenagh), M. McCarthy (Blarney); D. O’Riordan (Dripsey), G. Bourke (Iniscarra), J. Hurley (Blarney).

Subs: K. Finnegan (Aghabullogue); D. Corkery (Cloughduv).

Referee: D. Copps (Ballyhea).