Erin’s Own pushed all the way by Douglas

HARDLY the performance fancied Erin’s Own desired at Riverstown on Saturday, despite their impressive tally.

But a win is a win, their Evening Echo Cork County SHC quarter-final place secure, despite failing to stamp their authority after a terrific start.

Spare a thought for gutsy Douglas though. They gave Erin’s Own one tough ride, battling tooth and nail right to Gary Wade’s 64th minute goal.

In truth, Erin’s Own were sloppy and wasteful. True they were never in danger of losing the match, but the balance never looked right. Maybe they underestimated Douglas, maybe 10 first-half wides while playing against the strong wind was unsettling. Truth is they never quite gelled and Douglas were always snapping at their heels.

Selector Billy Murray wasn’t pleased. “The name of the game is winning, we’re in the next round and that’s what matters. Fair play to Douglas they harried and hustled us and gave nothing soft. Yes we’re annoyed with all those first-half wides, we struggled a bit around midfield, but we got the job done. That’s what counts.”

And a struggle it was. Despite playing into the breeze, Erin’s Own made a terrific start with a point from Ronan Carroll, followed by a brace from Eoin Murphy, all inside the opening five minutes. Moving the ball smartly, the red-hot favourites looked on song as further points from the Murphy brothers, Eoin and Kieran, made it 0-5 to 0-0 after 10 minutes. And it also took a terrific save by Douglas keeper Denis O’Riordan to deny Brian Corcoran a certain goal.

Douglas needed an injection, and quickly, and it came in the 11th minute when a great ball from the left by Gary Wade was touched on by Willie Coveney and Bobby Ryan was quick to fire the ball past Shea Bowen

The Erin’s Own response was positive, however. Fergus Murphy was denied a goal almost immediately, but on 13 minutes Corcoran found the net after great work by Peter Kelly and it was 1-5 to 1-0 to Erin’s Own after the opening quarter.

With Paddy Barry now at centre-back on Carroll, who had a good opening, and Eoin Cadogan at wing back, Douglas grew in stature as Erin’s Own began to waste chance after chance. Points from Steve Moylan and a Paddy Barry free left just three points between the sides after 23 minutes and, despite some splendid hurling from Peter Kelly and Cian O’Connor, there was still only three between the sides at the break — 1-7 to 1-4 — still all to play for.

A much more competitive second-half as super Erin’s Own points from Eoin Murphy and wing back Steve Cronin were quickly negated by two Wade frees and it was clear Douglas were going to give this game a good rattle

Wade, now at midfield, was mighty and a teak tough full-back line – where full-back Alan Barry was superb on Corcoran — gave little away. Douglas were growing in confidence and just four points separating the sides after the third quarter with Erin’s Own, whose shooting greatly improved, leading 1-11 to 1-7.

What a cracking final quarter. A masterful sideline cut from Wade was touched to the net by the menacing Steve Moylan in the 48th minute to leave just a point between the sides and just a minute later we had a goal a the other end, this time Fergus Murphy, now in the corner, pouncing on a long breaking ball.

Two minutes later came the turning point when Steve Moylan, always a torment, was brought down. To Douglas’s cost, however, Bowen was equal to Wade’s penalty effort. It proved a vital save for Erin’s Own responded with three points on the trot from Fergus and Kieran Murphy and Cian O’Connor and the city men’s championship was over.

Not without one last blast from Wade though, when he fired a free all the way to the net. The city side had given their all but that extra bit of class in vital positions made all the difference for Erin’s Own who now meet Bride Rovers in the quarter-finals.

Scorers: Erin’s Own: E. Murphy 0-6 (0-3 frees), K. Murphy 0-4 (0-1 65, 0-1 free), F. Murphy 1-1, B. Corcoran 1-0, R. Carroll, S. Cronin, P. Kelly, C. O’Connor 0-1 each. Douglas: G. Wade 1-4 (all frees), S. Moylan 1-1, B, Ryan 1-0, P. Barry 0-1 (free), W. Coveney, M. Harrington 0-1 each.

ERIN’S OWN: S. Bowen; P. Fenton, P. Fitzgerald, S. Murphy; S. Cronin, P. Kelly, T. Kelleher; K. Murphy, C. O’Connor; S. Kelly, R. Carroll, F. Murphy; C. Coakley, B. Corcoran, E. Murphy. Sub: D. O’Flynn for S. Kelly.

DOUGLAS: D. O’Riordan; D. McSweeney, A. Barry, C. Lahive; P. Barry, E. Cadogan, R. Harris; B. Fitzgerald, M. Harrington; B.Ryan, W. Coveney, G. Wade; S. Moylan, J. Moylan, C. Dineen. Subs: M. O’Callaghan for Ryan, G. McLoughlin or Coveney.

Referee: K. Healy (Ballymartle).