Wily Walsh gets Clon back on track

BRENDAN WALSH came back out of retirement to turn in a man-of-the-match performance that helped Clonakilty get their Evening Echo Cork SFC campaign back on track with a well-deserved victory over Bishopstown at Brinny yesterday.

The veteran midfielder, who played in county finals in 1996 and again 2003 and wore the Cork jersey in the intervening years, was not even on the programme when Clon were overwhelmed by Douglas in the first round. However, he was back in a leadership role as they made heavy work of a disappointing Bishopstown side who now find themselves fighting for their senior status.

Clonakilty, however, were far from impressive and if Bishopstown had an accurate free taker they could have been in front at one stage in the first half when they missed three on the trot.

At the end of the day it was their full-back line of Liam Lyons, Diarmuid O’Brien and Timmy O’Sullivan, who saved them time and again when Jack O’Shea and the Honohan brothers, Robert and Paul, launched a succession of piercing runs during periods.

All the time it was Colm Callanan’s first-half goal that kept the sides apart on the scoreboard. That came after just four minutes and was masterminded by Brendan Walsh who won possession in the middle of the field and drew the backs before laying off to Callanan.

The full-forward weaved his way through a ragged defence and gave goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran no chance.

That score put Clonakilty five points clear with Bishopstown having to wait another seven minutes for their opening score from Brian Healy.

Callanan replied immediately with a point but once they found the target Robert Honohan, Paul Honohan and Eoin Ryan cut the arrears to two points but they missed three close-in frees in that period.

Clonakilty finished the half strongly to lead 1-5 to 0-4 at interval and they had an early second-half point from Callanan to stretch that lead.

Jack O’Shea and then Paul Honohan, with a superb long-range point from the right sideline, again cut the deficit to three points but it all ended there. Brendan Walsh, from a free, broke the stalemate after a 15-minute period that failed to produce a point from either side and two points from Conrad Murphy and another from midfielder Noel Griffin in injury time then put the issue beyond doubt.

Scorers: Clonakilty: C. Callanan 1-3 (0-2 frees), P. Griffin and C. Murphy (0-1 free) 0-2, N. Hayes, N. Griffin and B. Walsh (free) 0-1 each. Bishopstown: P. Honohan 0-2, R. Honohan, E. Ryan, J. O’Shea and B. Healy (free) 0-1 each.

CLONAKILTY: E. Harte; L. Lyons, D. O’Brien, T. O’Sullivan; D. O’Regan, F. Coughlan, N. Hayes; N. Griffin, B. Walsh; D. Murphy, H. Kenny, D. Lyons; M. O’Brien, C. Callanan, P. Griffin.

Subs: T. Anglin for D. O’Regan (16 mins), C. Murphy for N. Hayes (36), J. Connolly for H. Kenny (45), S. Nagle for M. O’Brien (50).

BISHOPSTOWN: K. O’Halloran; M. Power, S. Murphy, T. Creed; D. Hickey, A. O’Connor, C. O’Malley; D. Cullinane, A. Coomey; R. Honohan, J. Murphy, P. Honohan; E. Ryan, J. O’Shea, B. Healy.

Subs: I. Jones for M. Power (4); P. Cronin for B. Healy (half time), D. Maher for E. Ryan (51), J. L. O’Sullivn for D. Hickey (56).

Referee: P. O’Leary (Kilmurry).