Delanys make a little bit of history

JUST one permanent tsb Cork County SHC contest down for decision over the weekend and it was another important milestone in the history of Dublin Hill club Delanys, when they recorded their first victory at senior level at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday by defeating Douglas 3-14 to 1-11.

Last season’s intermediate champions showed great resilience and spirit in dusting themselves down after exiting to Blackrock in the opening round.

But, their joy will unfortunately be short-lived as they will be given no chance of dethroning the Rockies when they meet again in round three.

Nevertheless, they will take much heart from this display. The damage was done in the opening seven minutes when they crashed home 2-2 without replay.

But, it was their direct style of play, combined with sweet confident striking, that left them with the stronger hand.

And once the foot was to the floor Douglas were lost - their cause would have been much worse only for a exhibition of free-taking from centre-back Paddy Barry.

This time, however, they had to be content living in the shadow of their north side opponents.

Scorers for Delanys: J Egan 1-4 (0-1 free), B Egan 1-2, K Egan 0-5 (0-3 65's, 0-2 frees), M McElhinny 1-0, J O'Driscoll 0-2, R Foley 0-1.

Douglas: P Barry 1-6 (1-4 frees, 0-2 65's), B Boyle 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 sideline), J Moylan and A Joyce 0-1 each.

In the Cork County IHC it took Bride Rovers a long time to click into gear before seeing off Mallow’s challenge 3-9 to 2-9 in the third round at Ballyhooly on Saturday.

By far the more accomplished side, Bride Rovers seemed bent on self-destruction, hitting a total of 12 wides to their opponents’ three in the first half. And to add to their frustration they also conceded a very soft goal.

The sides were level at 1-3 apiece at the break.

Scorers for Bride Rovers: S. Ryan 1-1; D. Ryan 1-1; Brain Murphy 1-0; B. Hazelwood 0-2 (0-2 from frees); J. O'Driscoll 0-2; T. Broderick, M. Horgan and Barry Murphy 0-1 each.

Mallow: T. O'Riordan 1-1; R. Galvin 1-0; P. Dineen 0-6 (0-5 from frees); F. McCormack and D. Kerrisk 0-1 each.

What was billed as a potential classic fell well short of expectations on a night to forget at Cloughduv on Saturday.

Kilbrittain just about deserved to edge through 1-11 to 2-4, but they were made fight all the way by a plucky Blarney side who will have to go back to the drawing board if they are to repeat their impressive showing at the turn of the millennium.

The standard was simply appalling and there was an edge and tension written all over this game from the throw-in.

Referee Denis O’Flynn had a busy night with the book, yellow-carding numerous individuals, and it was Blarney who suffered most when two players received red in the second half.

Blarney led 2-2 to 0-6 at half-time.

Scorers: Kilbrittain: A. Hayes 1-0; E. Sheehy 0-3 (frees); M. Holland and J. Deasy 0-2 each; D. O’Connell, O. Sexton, J. O’Brien and P. Sexton (free) 0-1 each.

Blarney: A. Shanahan 2-4 (2-3 frees).

In the Cork County IFC Glanmire upset Kiskeam 1-14 to 1-11 in Glounthane.

Helped in no small way by the sending off of Kiskeam wing-back Declan Cremin in the 50th minute, Glanmire turned on the power in the final quarter to leave fancied Kiskeam, last year’s junior champions, for dead.

Yet this was a contest the Riverstown men didn’t look like winning at the end of the third quarter.

Leading 1-11 to 0-11 entering those final hectic 15 minutes, after Niall Cronin’s 38th minute goal from the penalty spot had given them the lead for the first time, Kiskeam were full of running and controlling the contest

they will face with confidence.

Scorers for Glanmire: B. O’Callaghan 1-1, K. Goggin 0-4 (0-1 free), K. Murphy, P. Ryan, M. Hopkins (0-1 free), 0-2 each, M. Cussen, J. Herlihy, C. O’Leary 0-1 each.

Kiskeam: N. Cronin 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-4 frees), P. O’Leary 0-2, J. Angland, J. Herlihy, B. Dennehy, D. O’Leary 0-1 each.

ALL the drama in this Examiner Cup final at Newmarket yesterday came in the closing minutes where Ballydesmond, thanks to a last gasp pointed free from Donncha O'Connor, won the Duhallow Junior Football League title 1-9 to 0-11, holding off a terrific late challenge from Dromtariffe which almost earned them a replay.

Looking comfortably on their way to their first Cup victory since 1885, when leading 1-8 to 0-6 with eight minute remaining, Ballydesmond suddenly found themselves under pressure.

But in one last surge Ballydesmond won a free and the sure footed O’Connor became the hero of the hour by converting the kick in style.

A good omen then for Ballydesmond for when they last won the title back in 1985 they won the Duhallow championship the following year.

Scorers for Ballydesmond; A. Moynihan 1-2 (0-1 free), D. O'Connor 0-5 (0-4 frees), T. Howard, M.J. O'Keeffe 0-1 each.

Dromtariffe: J. O'Sullivan 0-6 (0-4 frees), G. Burns 0-2 (0-1 sideline), J.A. Murphy, D. O'Connor, T. O'Sullivan 0-1 each.