Robbie O’Flynn fires crucial double as Christians see off St Flannan’s to confirm place in quarter-finals
This win for CBC, coupled with Ardscoil Rís’s victory against Clonmel yesterday, means the meeting of the Cork and Limerick schools in final round of the group stage will merely be to determine first and second places.
Christians were made to work for victory, however. Playing into the wind, they trailed at half-time 0-9 to 2-4 – though the goals from Robbie O’Flynn were of huge importance – and it wasn’t until 13 minutes after the restart they opened their second-half account.
Thereafter, good defending, with Flannan’s limited to just two points in the second period, and impressive free-taking by Jamie Corkery ultimately secured victory.
The victors couldn’t have wished for a better start as they faced the elements, with O’Flynn knifing through the cover with a surging run before placing a low shot to Darragh Ryan’s net. Though Flannan’s got off the mark with points from Ross Hayes and Jack Murphy, O’Flynn then struck again when he won Corkery’s dropping free and finished well under pressure.
That 2-0 to 0-2 lead after five minutes was as good as it got for Christians in the first-half, however, as Flannan’s took control.
Hayes punished any indiscretions with his dead-ball accuracy and Seán Kennedy also showed up well in attack as Christians struggled to make headway, even with the withdrawal of Corkery to provide extra resources around midfield.
Still, CBC only trailed by a point at half-time – and felt aggrieved they weren’t allowed to take a 65 they had won just before the whistle – as Flannan’s wasted further chances to open up a more dominant lead.
Even so, the opening stages of the second-half brought about something of a stalemate situation,the Flannan’s half-back line doing well to repel Christians pressure but with their attack unable to augment their advantage in the teeth of the gale.
Having only had one wide in the first- half, Christians soon quadrupled that tally as they snatched at chances, but an excellent Ben Kehoe point from the right sideline had them level. Moments later, O’Flynn might have had his hat-trick goal but Ryan pushed the ball onto the post and it stopped on the line, allowing the goalkeeper to clear.
A long-range effort by Christians midfielder Rob Downey gave them the lead for the first-time since the opening half but Flannan’s struck right back with a good point by sub Aidan Kennedy before Hayes sent a penetrating free from the halfway line between the posts.
They wouldn’t score again, and Corkery ensured Christians assumed the upper hand again with two frees in three minutes, the latter a superb score from the left.
He missed another as the wind and rain rose, prompting referee Richard Moloney to bring the teams off until the conditions improved, but, upon the resumption, Flannan’s search for an equaliser was in vain.
Instead, Kehoe drew a good save from Ryan at the other end to win a 65, and Corkery’s conversion of same was the last action, leaving Christians looking ahead to the knockout stages.
R O’Flynn 2-1, J Corkery 0-4 (three frees, one 65), R Downey, B Kehoe 0-1 each.
R Hayes 0-5 (frees), S Kennedy 0-3 (frees), C Donnelly, J Cmurphy, A Kennedy 0-1 each.
T O’Connell (Midleton); K Green (Blackrock), K Crowley (Sarsfields), C Barrett (St Finbarr’s); B Hennessy (St Finbarr’s), E Moloney (Midleton), C McNamara (Erin’s Own); R Downey (Glen Rovers); M Walsh (Cloughduv); B Kehoe (Ballincollig), E Monaghan (Erin’s Own), S Finn (Midleton); P Blake (Whitechurch), R O’Flynn (Erin’s Own), J Corkery (Glen Rovers).
D O’Sullivan (Kilshannig) for Monaghan (60).
D Ryan (Clooney-Quin); P Collins (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), D Crimmins (Clarecastle), C D’Arcy (Kilmaley); C Mullins (Crusheen), C Donnelly (Clarecastle), G Cahill (Corofin); R Hayes (Crusheen), R Crimmins (Clarecastle); J Murphy (Clarecastle), A Cassidy (Clarecastle), S Kennedy (Kilmaley); B Horner (Crusheen), L Brack (Clarecastle), C Lynch (Ballyea).
J Hannon (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield) for Brack (29), A Kennedy (Kilmaey) for Horner (half-time), M McAuliffe (Clarecastle) for Donnelly (39), D Mescall (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Murphy (48).
R Moloney (Limerick).
