O’Leary injury woe and 2 red cards as Cill na Martra win

CORK star defender Noel O’Leary was helped off the field after a collision with a Ballyclough player in the dying minutes and a player from each side was issued with a red card by referee James Dorgan after the full time whistle as Cill na Martra qualified for the Evening Echo Cork County IFC semi-final for the very first time with a three point victory over Ballyclough at Donoughmore yesterday.

O’Leary, just a week after the All-Ireland final, played a pivotal role for Cill na Martra at centre-back. He took some hard knocks and appeared to be carrying a leg injury before the collision that resulted in him being helped off the field.

At that point his side had the game more or less won, but Ballyclough, who dominated the first-half when they enjoyed the advantage of a fresh if not strong wind, launched a succession of late onslaughts that resulted in a couple of thrilling do or die clearances from Cathal MacSuibhne and full-back Colm O’Leary, one of the three O’Leary brothers on the Cill na Martra team.