Impressive St Nick’s power into semi-finals

TWO second-half goals from Paul O’Brien and Gavin Moylan earned St Nicholas a deserved 2-9 to 1-8 victory over Carrigdhoun in the last of the Evening Echo Cork Co SFC quarter finals at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday.

Nick’s now play Nemo Rangers for a place in the final next Saturday night and their form of late will put them in good stead.

It won’t be remembered as a classic but that will matter little to the city side, who avenged an 11-point defeat they suffered at the hands of Carrigdhoun at the same stage of the championship last year.

There can be no dispute about the outcome. Nicks were by far the better side, far more competitive and while they kicked nine wides to their opponents three over the hour, they never looked like losing.

Scorers: St Nick’s: P. O’Brien 1-2; R. Brosnan 0-4 (0-3 frees); G. Moylan 1-0; J. Kearney 0-2 (0-1 free); D. Cunningham 0-1. Carrigdhoun: G. White 1-1; F. Lynch (0-1 free), C. O Conchuir 0-3 each; N. Murphy 0-1.

FOR Castlelyons, life at the top now hangs by a mere thread after losing 3-13 to 1-11 to Blackrock in yesterday’s competitive Evening Echo Cork Co SHC relegation play-off battle at Fermoy.

Two cracking goals from Liam Meaney and David Cashman in the closing quarter turned the tide in the Rockies’ favour after the sides were level on four occasions. Now Castlelyons must overcome Douglas to preserve their senior status.

Scorers: Blackrock: A. Browne 1-5 (0-2f), L. Meaney 1-1, D. Cashman 1-0, J. Young 0-2, B. O’Keeffe 0-2, A. Coughlan 0-2 (0-1 65, 0-1f), C. O’Leary 0-1. Castlelyons: D. Wallace 1-0, T. McCarthy 0-8 (0-4f), E. Fitzgerald 0-2, C. McGann 0-1.

Aghada turned on the style, particularly in the opening half, to outplay Mallow 1-17 to 1-11 at Castlelyons on Saturday, thus preserving their Premier Intermediate hurling status, leaving the Avondhu men with one last chance to survive — a clash against Delanys.

A splendid game, but Aghada, with Trigger O’Keeffe on top of his game, always looked sharper, their teamwork far superior to Mallow’s, who looked very raw at times.

Scorers: Aghada: T. O’Keeffe 0-9 (0-5 frees, 0-1 65), J. Connolly 1-0, P. O’Neill 0-3, V. Morrissey and S. O’Keeffe 0-2 each, B. Crowley 0-1. Mallow: P. Dineen 1-6 (1-5 frees, 0-1 65), C. Moloney 0-3, B. Murphy 0-2.

WHEN it comes to bottle, look no further than Castlehaven. A memorable Evening Echo Cork Co U-21 FC decider under lights at Páirc Uí Rinn went their way, 0-13 to 1-9, but spare a thought for Macroom, unlucky losers in a final that will, for many reasons, live long in the memory of each of the 32 players that paraded such fabulous skills.

Stephen Hurley’s injury time point may have been the one that secured the ‘Haven their fourth title. But it was goalkeeper Nigel Whelton who can take a huge bow for a fabulous point blank stop from Stephen Casey when the sides were level and time running out. Casey had an easy point chance at his mercy but went for glory.

Scorers: Castlehaven: S. Cahalane 0-5 (frees), S. Hurley, G. O’Mahony 0-2 each, T. O’Donovan, S. Dineen, K. Hegarty, D. Limrick 0-1 each. Macroom: F. Goold 0-4 (0-1 free), S. Casey 1-0, D. Goold (0-1 free), J. Ryan (0-1 free) 0-2 each, S. Kiely 0-1.

THE two Cork Co IHC semi-finals were decided with Fr O’Neill’s beating a wasteful Kilworth side 0-14 to 1-10 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday and Bandon edged past Kanturk 1-15 to 0-16 at Coachford.

A pulsating Co JAFC semi-final ended in a draw 1-11 to 3-5, Andrew O’Brien kicking the Kildorrery equaliser a minute into injury time at Ballingeary. Urhan, helped by two goals in the opening five minutes of the second-half went eight points clear only for Kildorrery to mount a heart warming recovery to deservedly earn a second chance against the Beara champions.

Meanwhile, in the Co JAHC quarter-finals two late points from Mervyn Gammell propelled Rathluirc into the semi-finals, 0-14 to 0-12, in an incident packed encounter with Grenagh at Dr Croke Park, Ballyclough. Rathluirc now meet Kilbrin.

Twenty-four hours after winning their first mid Cork JAFC title since 1999, Canovee junior footballers beat Nemo 2-12 to 0-2 in their Evening Echo Cork Co JAFC quarter-final in Ballincollig yesterday.