Queens outplay Cork IT during tough Northern exposure

Queens 0-11 Cork IT 0-7

It was Armagh star Paddy McKeever’s accuracy from frees that helped Queens pull away from Cork IT in the dying stages of the first half. The Armagh attacker, who scored a goal in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, notched up six points, five from frees.

Marty McGrath was the most influential player on the pitch, sweeping up any stray ball from midfield and manager James McCartan was full of praise for the Fermanagh centre-fielder.

There were a couple of big reputations on the Cork side, Graham Canty in particular, but he was unable to get a foothold around the centre, as McGrath and Monaghan’s Dick Clerkin controlled the game from there.

Cork actually got the better start and Micheal Reidy got the first of his four points in the third minute, after a nice move involving Aidan O’Mahoney and Canty. O’Mahony played a captain’s part, chipping in with two scores from his frequent forays up the field, but too many of Cork IT’s players went missing on the day.

Reidy’s free was the only time Cork were ahead. McKeever soon equalised with a free, before Karl Oakes, the Down forward, put Queens in front after seven minutes. Although O’Mahony kept Cork in touch, the first half turned into a scoring spree for Queens and there were 6-2 ahead after 23 minutes. Cork just had too few chances to get a score, although they might well reflect that the game could have turned out differently had Micheal Reidy’s shot not come off the crossbar in the 21st minute.

Reidy slotted over his second free before the interval to leave a goal between the teams, 0-6 to 0-3.

With McKeever barely missing, and ably supported in attack by the likes of Conal Dunne and Billy Joe Padden, Queens stretched into a five point lead, 0-10 to 0-5, with only 10 minutes remaining.

In fairness to CIT, they kept battling. And had some of Jim Smyth’s decisions been kinder to them, they might have forced a draw out of the game. They found the Queens defence, for whom John Clarke and Sean Kelly starred, too tough a wall to smash. Graham Canty got on the scoreboard in the dying seconds, with a fist over the bar, but by then Queens were already looking forward to the weekend.

Scorers for QUB: P McKeever (0-6, 5 frees), K McGroaty, K Oakes (0-1 each, frees), D Clerkin, C Dunne, J Clarke (0-1 each) CIT: M Reidy (0-4, 3 frees) A O’Mahony (0-2), G Canty (0-1)

QUB: W McSorley; K McElvanna, M Gill, C Brady, J Clarke, E Dunne, S Kelly; D Clerkin, M McGrath; P McKeever, BJ Padden, C Dunne, K Oakes, K McGroaty, K O’Reilly.

Subs: C Rafferty for Brady (24 mins), C O’Neill for Oakes(45 mins), E Farren for O’Reilly (52 mins)

CIT: K Murphy, M Brout, N O’Riordan, A O’Sullivan, E O’Connor, A O’Mahony, A O’Connor; D Hurley, G Canty; A Croinin, DJ Fleming, S O’Sullivan, R Keane, J O’COnnor, M Reidy.

Subs: K O’Shea for A O’Sullivan (24 mins), G McLaughlin for Fleming (44 mins)B Dennehey for O’Connor (49 mins)

Referee: J Smyth (Meath)