Three off as Barrs stymie Nemo in feisty League opener

Shields, Dennehy and Kerrigan off as Barrs hold rivals scoreless for 34 minutes

DERBY DAY: St Finbarr's opened the new, and long-anticipated, club GAA season in Cork with a Cork Credit Unions SFL Division 1A victory over southside rivals Nemo Rangers on Monday. Here, Steven Sherlock keeps Nemo's Steven Cronin at bay. 

Six points from Steven Sherlock helped 13-man St Finbarr’s overcome Nemo Rangers, who had Paul Kerrigan red-carded, in a feisty, scrappy opening round of the Cork Credit Unions Division 1A SFL at Togher on Monday.

It was a tense affair, the final scoreline of 0-11 to 1-3 an accurate reflection of proceedings with Nemo Rangers’ last score a Paul Kerrigan goal in the 26th minute.

Kerrigan and St Finbarr’s defender Conor Dennehy both received straight red cards for an off-the-ball incident in the 42nd minute.

The two sides were without some of their regular players due to their involvement with Cork and injury.

Nemo, against the strong wind in the first half, were first to score through centre-forward Kerrigan from a placed ball. This was cancelled by Sherlock who kicked an excellent point following a wonderful catch from the kick-out.

St Finbarr’s were 0-4 to 0-3 in front when Kerrigan blasted to the net after a bout of short passing.

The hosts had a chance of a goal a minute later but Ian O’Callaghan’s shot was pushed to safety by Nemo goalkeeper Luke Towler, his side leading 1-3 to 0-5 at the interval.

The second half was one-way traffic as the wides accumulated for Nemo Rangers with the wind to their backs.

St Finbarr’s pushed on adding unanswered points from Sherlock, Myers Murray, Luke Hannigan, Sam Cunningham and Darragh Callanan. Three minutes from time, St Finbarr’s midfielder Michael Shields got a second yellow card.

Elsewhere in Division 1A, Éire Óg had four points to spare over Kiskeam, 1-11 to 0-10 with Joe Cooper firing the all-important goal.

Cill na Martra and Clonakilty took the spoils in Division 1B with respective victories over Carbery Rangers (1-11 to 0-8) and St Michael’s (0-12 to 0-11). Cill na Martra had good scores from play from Danny O’Connell and Shane Dineen, with the decisive goal coming from Cian Furey. Free taker Mike Desmond was also unerring.

Nemo Rangers are waiting to play Castlehaven in the delayed Bon Secours Premier SFC final from 2020. The west Cork side fell to a two-point defeat to Valley Rovers in an extravagantly high-scoring encounter, 2-18 to 4-14 in Division 2A at Moneyvollahane Goals from Billy Crowley, Fiachra Lynch, Ciaran McCarthy and Gary Farrell secure victory of the Innishannon side. Kevin O’Donovan and Shane Nolan both hit 1-2 for the losers.

Also in Division 2A, Mallow - who will contest the 2020 SAFC decider against Éire Óg on Saturday week - were defeated by O’Donovan Rossa by 3-11 to 1-15.

In Division 2B an exciting tussle between Newmarket and Fermoy was finally decided by a 60th-minute goal from Newmarket’s Michael Cottrell.

Two quickfire goals after the break from Colm Dineen and Seamus O’Sullivan put Newcestown out of sight in their 3-13 to 1-9 win in Douglas in Division 3B. The visitors led 0-9 to 0-4 at the break, but the opening two goals in as many minutes ended the game as a contest. Douglas full forward Conor Russell goaled from a penalty to spark hopes of a comeback, but it was quickly snuffed out when Podge Collins got on the end of another sweeping Newcestown move up the field to add a third goal.

In Division 4B a 12th-minute goal from Barry Collins put Bandon in the driving seat away to Bishopstown, and it was a three-point buffer they maintained thereafter. They led 1-5 to 0-5 at the break and though Tim Twohig stretched the lead to five (1-9 to 0-7), they could not shake off the home side, who kept things tight with points from Diarmuid Lester (2), Simon Collins and Denis Vaughan.

In Division 7, Tomas Ó Se got his senior managerial career off to a winning start as Glanmire saw off the challenge of Adrigole by eleven points, 2-13 to 0-8. Luke Hackett grabbed both goals, one in each half.

RESULTS

Division 1A: St Finbarr’s 0-11 Nemo Rangers 1-3, Eire Og 1-11 Kiskeam 0-10; Division 1B: Clonakilty 0-12 St Michael’s 0-11, Cill na Martra 1-11 Carbery Rangers 0-8.

Division 2A: O’Donovan Rossa 3-11 Mallow 1-15, Valley Rovers 4-14 Castlehaven 2-18; Division 2B: Newmarket 1-10 Fermoy 0-10, Ballincollig L Ballingeary L.

Division 3A: Kanturk 3-12 Macroom 2-13, Clyda Rovers 0-12 Carrigaline 0-11; Division 3B: Newcestown 3-13 Douglas 1-9, Ilen Rovers 0-11 Aghabullogue 1-7.

Division 4A: Aghada 4-11 Glanworth 2-8, Dohenys L Nemo Rangers L; Division 4B: Bandon 1-10 Bishopstown 0-11, Naomh Aban 1-12 Rockchapel 0-11.

Division 5A: Bantry Blues 1-16 St Nick’s 1-3, Kinsale 2-14 St Vincent’s 1-16; Division 5B: Mitchelstown 1-10 Gabriel Rangers 0-8.

Division 6A: Mayfield 1-13 St Finbarr’s 0-15, Glenville L Ballinora L; Division 6B: No Piarsaigh 3-10 Grenagh 1-8, Kilshannig 2-11 Kildorrery 0-5.

Division 7: Glanmire 2-13 Adrigole 0-8, Castletownbere 2-19 Milstreet 1-8.