Clinical Carbery make wasteful Avondhu pay
A John Sheehan goal proved pivotal for Carbery as they eventually saw off Avondhu in the opening round of the divisional phase of the Cork SHC in Páirc Uí Rinn last night. Sheehan’s emphatic finish arrived in the 52nd minute and gave the West Cork men a 2-14 to 0-15 lead and the breathing space they needed in the closing stages.
Avondhu, who were without the services of Cork’s Cormac Murphy, were left to rue their 16 wides across the hour. The opening half was pedestrian and lacking in any real bite, but the West Cork outfit were that bit slicker throughout. Their half-forward trio of Gearóid O’Donovan, Darragh O’Donovan, and Don McCarthy were particularly impressive, accounting for 0-6 between them as the Avondhu rear-guard struggled to cope with their movement.
The key score of the half came from their inside line when Darragh Coakley finished to the net after good work from Kevin O’Donovan. It gave Carbery the lead for the first time, 1-2 to 0-3, and it was a lead that they never surrendered.
The opening period also saw Avondhu’s shooting at its most erratic as they shot 11 wides. Most of their best work came from Stephen Condon and his four-point haul left his side trailing by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break.
Avondhu were much improved on the resumption as Brian Murphy came into the game, plundering three points in 10 minutes as they set about overturning the deficit. Colin O’Brien also impressed at wing-forward and though they brought the gap down to just a point on three occasions, they never managed that crucial equaliser.
They did bring it back to a three-point game following Sheehan’s goal, and Condon whistled a late effort just wide for Avondhu, but a late Gearóid O’Donovan point secured Carbery’s date with reigning champions Imokilly next Tuesday night.
D Coakley 1-2, D McCarthy 0-5 (0-4 frees), J Sheehan 1-0, D O’Donovan, K O’Donovan, G O’Donovan and P Butler 0-2 each, N O’Donovan 0-1.
S Condon 0-5 (0-2 frees), C O’Brien 0-5 (4 frees, 1 ’65), B Murphy 0-3, B O’Sullivan, H O’Gorman, K O’Connor (free), W Condon and L Cronin 0-1 each.
CARBERY:
D Delea (Kilbree), C O’Donovan (Argideen Rangers), J Hurley (Kilbrittain), C O’Driscoll (St Oliver Plunketts), P Crowley (Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas), B O’Donovan (Kilbree), P Butler (Argideen Rangers), J Sheehan (Argideen Rangers), J Murphy (Barryroe), G O’Donovan (Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas), D O’Donovan (Argideen Rangers), D McCarthy (Kilbree), K O’Donovan (Diarmuid Mathúnas), D Coakley (Kilbree), P Wall (Kilbrittain).
N O’Donovan (Kilbrittain) for Murphy (h/t), K O’Donovan (Ardfield) for Wall (51 mins), S Lucey (Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas) for D O’Donovan (57 mins), P Brennan (Kilbrittain) for Crowley (58 mins).
AVONDHU:
A Long (Mallow), R Sheehan (Mallow) K O’Connor (Mallow), E Clancy (Fermoy), N Byrne (Kilworth), K Morrisson (Fermoy), L Cronin (Killavullen), S Roynane (Clyda Rovers), D Buckley (Dromina), C O’Brien (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels), B O’Sullivan (Fermoy), W Condon (Kilworth), S Condon (Harbour Rovers), H O’Gorman (Milford), B Murphy (Milford).
S Linehan (Ballyhooly) for O’Sullivan (h/t).
Patrick O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).
