Ruthless Knocknagree get the job done early
Munster Club JFC semi-final
The outcome was decided well before the interval as the Cork side dismissed their provincial opponents with a first-half masterclass that saw them lead by 13 points at the break (1-12 to 0-2).
Manager John Fintan Daly was pleased with the win but insists more will be required in the provincial final.
He explained: “we weren’t clinical enough. We didn’t take enough scores — we will have to be much more clinical the next day but it is a long season and you are not going to do everything right every day.
“But, overall, we are happy with the result and now we can look to a Munster final.
“Dromid Pearses will be a tough test. It is another Cork v Kerry final and we carry the county’s hopes with us. Cork haven’t beat Kerry in I think 20 visits including the Mallow v An Ghaeltacht game last week. This will be number 21 and we will try to change what has been a very boring pattern.”
Despite the first half exhibition, Knocknagree were slow to get going, registering three wides before managing to hit the target just shy of the 10-minute mark. A goal from Paul O’Connor on 13 minutes settled the Cork side as they went about dismantling a Sliabh gCua St Mary’s side that had few answers.
More of the same after the interval saw Knocknagree push on again. However, the visitors battled well and a responded to the victor’s second goal (Fintan O’Connor) with Jason Sheehan’s converted penalty in the 38th minute.
However, Knocknagree ultimately cruised to victory.
F O’Connor 1-4 (two frees); P O’Connor 1-0; JF Daly, E McSweeney (two frees), M Dilworth 0-3 each; D Cooper 0-2; J Dennehy 0-1.
J Sheehan 1-5 (1-0 pen; four frees); E Kearns, A Fitzpatrick 0-1 each.
P Doyle; P O’Connor, S Daly, G O’Connor; M Mahoney, K Buckley, D Moynihan; D Cooper, P Collins; j Dennehy, JF Daly, E McSweeney; M Dilworth, C White, F O’Connor.
T Cooper for P Collins (32)(inj), K Daly for M Mahoney (50), T Long for C White (51), A Sheehan for K Buckley (55), D O’Connor for E McSweeney (56), J Carroll for S Daly (58).
D Flynn; R Gleeson, JJ Coffey, G Hallihan; D McCarthy, B McGourty, S Fitzpatrick; E Kearns, S Coffey; C Tobin, M Kearns, D Coffey; D Tobin, J Sheehan, K Sheehan.
D Whelan for G Hallinan (18)(inj), A Fitzpatrick for J Sheehan (bs)(26)(Reversed Half Time), A Fitzpatrick for D Tobin (half time), E Walsh for S Coffey (54).
Sean Joy (Kerry)
