Rewatch: Mallow's dominant second half too much for Éire Óg
Mallow missed the experience of Cian O’Riordan and James Loughrey when they went under to Kiskeam last month, their presence tonight was invaluable. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Mallow have blown Group B of the Bon Secours Cork SAFC wide open after this powerful second-round display in Mourne Abbey.
This was a must-win game for the north Cork side in order to keep their hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stage alive. Consequently, they were up for this challenge and weren’t going to be beaten.
Even if after 25 minutes, the sides had been level four times on four points apiece and we looked set for a ding-dong battle. But, it was all one-way traffic from there to the end.
Mallow missed the experience of Cian O’Riordan and James Loughrey when they went under to Kiskeam last month, their presence on Saturday night was invaluable. Such was Loughrey’s confidence, he picked up Éire Óg captain Daniel Goulding from the off and O’Riordan rowed in with four points.
In fact, it would be hard to find a weak link in the entire Mallow lineout such was their superiority.
They will prepare for their final group game against Bantry Blues - who have yet to record a win – with belief.
In this all to play for group, Kiskeam are top on four points, while Mallow and Éire Óg with two each.
Mallow started to pull away approaching half-time raising five brilliant unanswered flags and this was a crucial period. Kevin Sheehan, Michael O’Rourke (2), Sean McDonnell and Darragh Moynihan driving them to a 0-9 to 0-4 interval lead.
To make matters worse for Éire Óg, they lost Liam Sheehan to a black card just before the short whistle. As well, they were left to rue the only goal chance of the half, when Ronan O’Toole raced through but his low shot was expertly saved by Kevin Doyle on nine minutes.
Goulding got Éire Óg off the mark in the second half with a free, Ciarán Sheehan fouled. But any sign of a comeback was halted with Mallow rifling over the next three points. O’Riordan, Sheehan and Kieran O’Sullivan to the fore.
Continuing their dominant display all over the park, the Avondhu outfit was in front by double scores, 0-12 to 0-6 at the three-quarter mark.
There was a let off for the mid Cork side when Chris Kelly saved from McDonell, however the referee called back play and awarded McDonnell a free which O’Rourke converted.
The game petered out to its inevitable conclusion as Mallow substitute Jack Dillon landed the final score deep in stoppage time. McDonnell received a black card at the death but it mattered little.
The sides were level on four occasions early on in a competitive opening quarter. Goulding profitng from one from play and one from a free and there were overs from Brian Hurley and Colm O’Callaghan.
O’Riordan was on target three times for Mallow and there was one superb point from Sheehan to leave the score 0-4 each.
Thereafter Mallow took control.
To give the full picture of how much they dominated, they kicked 14 points and 12 wides. Éire Óg seven points and eight wides.
Éire Óg will regroup against Kiskeam in their final group game.
C O’Riordan (0-4, 0-1 free), M O’Rourke (0-2 frees) and K Sheehan (0-3 each), S McDonnell, J Dillon, K O’Sullivan and D Moynihan (0-1 each).
D Goulding (0-4, 0-3 frees), D O’Herlihy, C O’Callaghan and B Hurley (0-1 each).
K Doyle; O Carroll, A Cashman, J Loughrey; T McEvoy, S Merritt, M Taylor; D Moynihan, E Stanton; K O’Sullivan, R Harkin, M O’Rourke; C O’Riordan, K Sheehan, S McDonnell.
J Dillon for M O’Rourke (57 inj), P Hennessy for K Sheehan (60), S McDonnell (BC 66).
C Kelly; D O’Herlihy, J Mullins, C McGoldrick; D McCarthy, John Cooper, D Dineen; R O’Toole, L Sheehan; E O’Shea, J Murphy, C O’Callaghan; D Goulding, C Sheehan, B Hurley.
L Sheehan (BC 32), K Hallissey for B Hurley (half-time), J Kelleher for D Dineen (50), Joe Cooper for R O’Toole (54).
Michael Collins (Clonakilty).
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