Micheál O’Rourke goal seals victory for Mallow

Mallow 1-13 Bantry Blues 0-10: A crucial Micheál O’Rourke goal helped Mallow overcome Bantry Blues in the first round of the Cork PIFC at Newcestown yesterday evening.

A tight championship game including two early black card offences was tied on four separate occasions and in which Mallow never led by more than two points until Micheál O’Rourke’s late intervention secured his side’s safe passage into round 2A.

The Avondhu club were 0-12 to 0-10 ahead with six minutes to go but struggling to put away a dogged Bantry before a sweeping move ended with O’Rourke firing low past Donal Casey.