Kevin Sheehan guides Mallow to victory over neighbours Fermoy
Seven points from Kevin Sheehan helped guide Mallow to a first-round win in the Senior A Football Championship on Saturday night.
The Avondhu men were made to work all the way by neighbours Fermoy but ultimately it was the men in red's superior strike force and powerful runners that would make the difference on this difficult night for football.
Last season’s beaten finalists had to dig deep in the final 10 minutes to take the spoils after Fermoy fought back from two points down to lead this one in the final quarter.
The victors will now be well-fancied to make the knockout stages even though Clyda Rovers and Bantry Blues must still be faced.
“All you want to do is get off the mark with a win,” said Mallow manager Keith Moynihan at the final whistle. “Obviously the way things are set up you are coming against Fermoy, the top seed versus the second. It was tight in the semi-final last year and tight again tonight.
“The conditions were tough there but that is what you have to expect now coming into the winter but all told, we are delighted with the win.”
Fermoy may have come out on the wrong side of this one but their manager Mick Hennessey feels his side’s chances of progression are far from gone.
“Look, we came here to win it, plain and simple. We knew it would be a tough battle. We played 20 odd minutes with 14 men but thought we gave a massive spirited performance – we have to tighten up a small bit, that is for sure.
“For us now it is hurling for the next two weeks but we are far from done in this group, far from done.”
Mallow were first out of the traps with a pointed free from Sheehan. The number 14 was clinical with the few chances he got in the opening 30, bagging three points while also linking well with Cork U20 star Sean McDonnell.
McDonnell himself bagged a brace of points in an opening half and could have had more late on if it wasn’t for the brilliance of Fermoy keeper Liam Coleman.
Mallow also had Cork senior star Mattie Taylor in their starting 15 with Shane Merrit (centre-back), Ryan Harkin (centre-forward), and substitute Stephen O’Callaghan all impressing.
Corner-back Bill Myres was another thorn in the side for Fermoy with his surging runs providing an extra man in the danger area for the victors.
For Fermoy, Pádraig de Róiste was key to their competitiveness throughout with four classy points, with Alan O’Connor and Ben Twomey (free) also raising white flags in the opening 30 minutes.
Mallow led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval.
A brilliant individual goal from Kieran Morrisson settled Fermoy in the second half and with three points from substitute Ruairi O’Hagan putting Fermoy in charge, this one was in the melting pot - but Mallow weren’t to be denied and fought back with two Sheehan frees and a pair of placed balls from Michael O’Rourke to ultimately see this one out by two.
K Sheehan 0-7 (6 frees); M O’Rourke (2 frees), S McDonnell 0-2 each; J Dillon, M Taylor, S O’Callaghan 0-1 each.
P de Róiste 0-4; K Morrison 1-0; R O’Hagan (2 frees) 0-3; B Twomey (1 free), A O’Connor 0-1 each.
K Doyle; B Myres, E Barry, O Carroll; J Dillon, S Merritt, M Taylor; D Moynihan, E Stanton; M O’Rourke, R Harkin, K O’Sullivan; S McDonnell, K Sheehan, P Herlihy.
S O’Callaghan for P Herlihy (3), P Lyons for M O’Rourke (60).
L Coleman; E Clancy, A Creed, A Baragry, P Murphy, G Lardner, T Clancy; P de Róiste, D Dawson; D O’Flynn, A O’Connor, S Aherne; B Twomey, M Brennan, K Morrisson.
R O’Hagan for M Brennan (38), G O’Callaghan for A O’Connor (50), A Aherne for B Twomey (45), J Molloy for E Clancy (56).
M Collins (Clonakilty).
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