Douglas dominate closing exchanges to see off Carrigaline challenge

The decisive score came when a slashing run by Sean Powter ended with a clever pass to sub Diarmuid McCarthy, who flicked to the net

Douglas player Brian Harnett wins the ball from Carrigaline's David Griffin at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

DOUGLAS 1-15 CARRIGALINE 0-9 

Douglas had a relatively comfortable win over Carrigaline in this Bon Secours Premier SFC Round 1 game at Páirc Uí Rinn, the city side taking over late on.

The sides spent the early part of the game getting to grips with each other, with Douglas’s Conor Russell getting the lone score of the opening minutes.

Alan O’Hare then converted a 45 and Dylan Ward blazed over the bar with the goal gaping to push Douglas three ahead by the 10th minute.

Another O’Hare free made it 0-4 to no score as Douglas maintained control around the middle of the field and attacked at will, whereas Carrigaline struggled to make openings at the other end of the field.

David Drake eventually broke Carrigaline’s duck with a free just before the first water-break: 0-4 to 0-1.

Douglas resumed with a Russell point while Carrigaline struggled to find their range until David Griffin hit a point on the run.

From the kick-out, Douglas swept downfield, however, where Russell converted a free. In injury time, O’Hare intercepted a Carrigaline kick-out and pointed, leaving it 0-7 to 0-2 at the half.

Douglas resumed with a fine Daniel Harte point and Dylan Ward came close to a goal, but Carrigaline improved - they hit back with a Drake point, and an Adam Coholan effort made it 0-8 to 0-4.

Again Douglas surged upfield, and Brian Hartnett put five between them - only for Griffin to respond from the kick-off - 0-9 to 0-5 on 38 minutes. Kieran Kavanagh hit a long-range free for Carrigaline soon afterwards to make it a three-point game ahead of the second water break.

Carrig’ full-back Stephen Dwane hit a long-range effort that bounced over the bar on the resumption, but O’Hare restored the three-point cushion for Douglas with a free.

Then came the decisive score - a slashing run by Sean Powter ended with a clever pass to sub Diarmuid McCarthy, who flicked to the net: 1-11 to 0-8 with three minutes left.

The same player added a point soon afterwards as Douglas took charge completely in the closing minutes of the game, with Powter and Nash also getting on the scoresheet.

Scorers for Douglas: A. O’Hare (1 45, 3 frees)(0-5); C. Russell (1 free)(0-3), D. McCarthy (1-1); B. Lynch, D. Ward, D. Harte, B. Hartnett, E. Nash, S. Powter (0-1 each).

Scorers for Carrigaline: D. Drake (3 frees)(0-4); D. Griffin (0-2); A. Coholan, K. Kavanagh (free), S. Dwane (0-1 each).

DOUGLAS: B. Boyle; D. Harte, N. Walshe, L. McGrath; K. Flahive, D. Ward, S. Powter (c); B. Hartnett, E. Nash; S. Aherne, A. O’Hare, C. Collins; C. Russell, D. Kelly, L. Dineen.

Subs: B. Lynch for Collins (40); J. Wilson for Russell (45); N. Hartnett for Dineen (50); D. McCarthy for Kelly (55).

CARRIGALINE: S. Mellett (c); N. Quirke, S. Dwane, L. Boyle; C. Murphy, K. Kavanagh, J. Kelly; D. Griffin, J. McCarthy; K. Dwane, K. McIntyre, B. Pope; A. Coholan, D. Drake, E. Landers.

Subs: K. O’Reilly for Dwane (HT); D. Greene for Landers (52); R. Kenneally for Quirke (59).

Referee: J. Bermingham (Bride Rovers).