O’Sullivans lead Cloyne victory charge

DIARMUID O’SULLIVAN may have been absent, but younger brothers Colm and Paudie were to the fore as Cloyne beat White’s Cross in the Evening Echo County JAFC quarter-final at Carraig na bhFear on Saturday.

Fortunate to trail 0-7 to 0-5 at the break, Cloyne were a totally transformed team in the second half.

After Kevin O’Lomasney reduced the gap when his goalbound shot was deflected over by Cross keeper Billy Sheahan, Colm O’Sullivan took the game by the scruff of the neck, kicking his team’s next four points as they nudged ahead

Though White’s Cross kept in touch, they were far poorer in the second half and it took until the 47th minute for them to open their second-half account. Gone was their fluency in passing from the opening period, when they seemed able to cut the Cloyne defence open at will, all of their points coming from play as they led by 0-7 to 0-3 by the 22nd minute, with Edwin Buckley in flying form at wing-forward, playing a part in most scores and landing two.

Murt Kelleher and Conor Buckley were well on top in the middle and the Seandún side looked set for a fairly straightforward victory.

However, Kevin Buckley’s point to open up lead of four was to be their last score for 25 minutes as Cloyne upped their game.

Kevin O’Lomasney, with a free, and a great score by James Nyhan had Cloyne within two as half-time approached, and they could even have gone in ahead but for Nyhan missing a relatively easy goalscoring chance.

Colm O’Sullivan, who had been quiet in the first half apart from scoring one free, was the main difference in the second half, though Killian Cronin became more prominent in midfield and Paudie O’Sullivan had more of an impact.

Conor Kelleher, with Cross’s first score from a free, ended their scoring drought to make it 0-8 apiece on 47 but Colm O’Sullivan was on hand with a great score to put Cloyne ahead again.

Murt Kelleher levelled it up again on 54 and Cross should really have taken the lead then but shot some very poor wides with the game in the melting pot.

They were to regret them when Colm O’Sullivan (free) and Paudie O’Sullivan gave Cloyne breathing space in injury time.

White’s Cross pressed forward in one last attack, and Murt Kelleher got the ball in scoring range, but his effort for goal went over and Cloyne held on. Despite not having played the East Cork final yet, they are now in the county semi-final, where they meet Bandon or the Muskerry representatives.