Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh past stern St Nicks' test

Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh edged out St Nicks in a feisty Bon Secours Cork SAFC encounter at Carrigadrohid on Sunday.

Cork SAFC

Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh 1-15 

St Nicks 1-13 

Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh edged out St Nicks in a feisty Bon Secours Cork SAFC encounter at Carrigadrohid on Sunday.

But only just.

Trailing by two points deep in injury time, a long delivery was fielded by David Brosnan of St Nicks on the edge of the square who fed Liam Coughlan, but his effort went just wide of the target. It would have been tough justice on Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh as Diarmuid Mac Tomáis kicked points from all angles while the Seartan brothers also shone.

St Nicks cruised into an early lead courtesy of points from Liam Coughlan and Adam Lynch. The Gaeltacht side squandered chances but got back on level terms with scores from Conchúr Ó Loingsigh and Matt Ó Riordáin. St Nicks edged in front with a magnificent point from Adam Lynch but Ben Seartan equalised with a fine score before the water break.

Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh really seized control in the second quarter with Diarmuid Mac Tomáis rattling off three scores to grab the initiative. Conchúr Ó Loinsigh put the Gaeltacht men three points clear with another beautiful score from play. Crucially St Nicks landed two points on the stroke of half-time through James Morrissey and Dean Brosnan to trail by 0-7 to 0-6 at the break. St Nicks got back on level terms with a fine score from Liam Coughlan and edged ahead when David Brosnan clipped over following a mark. But the Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh inside forward line always looked dangerous and Donagh Seartan put through Seamus Ó Tuama for a classy goal. Nicks battled back heroically with a brilliant Simon Kennefick goal and an equalising point from Kenneth McCarthy Goade to leave it at 1-12 apiece after 55 minutes. But Mac Tomáis landed another beauty before Seartan clipped over another. Nicks substitute Alan Hosford reduced it to the minimum before Conchúr Ó Loinsigh landed the final score of the game.

Scorers for Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh: D Mac Tomáis 0-6, C Ó Loingsigh 0-3, S Ó Tuama 1-0, D Seartan 0-3, B Seartan 0-2, M Ó Riordáin 0-1.

Scorers for St Nicks: S Kennefick 1- 2, D Brosnan (1f), D Brosnan (1f), A Lynch, L Coughlan 0-2 each, J Morrissey, A Hosford, K McCarthy Goade 0-1.

BÉAL ÁTHAN GHAORTHAIDH: G Ó Muirthile; S Ó Duinnín, J Ó Donnchú, N Ó Duinnín; M Ó Riordáin, L Ó Criodáin, D Ó Ceallacháin; E Ó Duinnín, C Ó Tuama; C Ó Duinnín, A Ó Conceannáin, C Ó Loingsigh; D Mac Tomáis, B Seartan, D Seartan. Subs: S Ó Tuama for D Ó Ceallacháin (45), S Ó Luasa for C Ó Duinnín (45), L Ó Conchúir for C Ó Tuama (50).

ST NICKS: E Fuller; D Dunlea, A O’Donovan, R Byrne; A Lynch, K Mc Carthy; L Forde, J Morrissey; D Morris, D Brosnan, K McHenry; S Kennefick, D Brosnan, L Coughlan.

Subs: D Busteed for A Fuller (h/t, inj), R McCarthy Coade for L Forde (45), A Hosford for R McCarthy Coade (inj,60).

Referee: M Collins ( Clonakilty).