Kanturk earn weekend off with direct route to Cork PIFC semis

Kanturk had to battle all the way to the finish but were well worth the win and will now take a few days off before getting back to work as they continue to battle on two fronts

Ian Walsh (right) scored 1-5 for Kanturk. File photo: Larry Cummins

Cork PIFC: Kanturk 2-9 Naomh Abán 2-5 

Kanturk have gone straight through to the last four of the Cork PIFC after seeing off Naomh Abán in Mallow on Saturday night.

The Duhallow side had to battle all the way to the finish but were well worth the win and will now take a few days off before getting back to work as they continue to battle on two fronts.

“Three from three - we are really happy,” manager Tim Healy said at the full time whistle. “It was particularly important to win as many games as we could coming out of last year’s final defeat. It was important to get back on the horse and I think you can see the lads have done that. Great credit to them.

“You could ask no more of these lads. Three from three in the football and straight through to the hurling semi-final as well – very impressive to be fair to all.” 

Naomh Abán may well have been first on the scoreboard with a tasty score from corner-forward David Ó Ceallaigh on three minutes but it was the Duhallow side that were dominating possession in the opening exchanges.

A brace of wides and a great stop from Naomh Abán keeper Finlay Walker kept the men in green at bay till the 10th minute – a superb score from Ian Walsh settling Kanturk nerves.

In windy conditions the game was beginning to open up and another brilliant save from Walker kept Kanturk at bay, that was untill Ian Walsh hit the target again on the quarter hour mark – one minute before a thunderbolt from Darragh Ó Laoire raised the first green flag on the stroke of the first water break.

The men in blue began the second quarter with another classy score (David Ó Ceallaigh’s second) but two goals in two minutes – first a penalty from Ian Walsh before a well worked goal by Colin Wash – had Kanturk three up; 2-4 to 1-4 at the break.

A pair of wides and a point for each side settled the sides into the second half before a mistake by Kanturk keeper Jordan Fullerton let Ó Laoire in for the easiest of majors.

Kanturk had to wait till just before the second water break to score again and led by the minimum (2-6 to 2-5) for the final managerial intervention.

Four easy misses with the wind to their backs looked like it would hamper Kanturk’s chances of success but an Aidan Walsh 45 and a wonderful point from Colin Walsh had the boys in green three in front with Ian Walsh pushing the gap to four – the spoils heading to Duhallow.

Kanturk through to the semis – Naomh Abán into the quarters.

Scorers for Kanturk: I Walsh 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free); C Walsh 1-3; A Walsh 0-1 (45).

Scorers for Naomh Abán: Darragh Ó Laoire 2-0; David Ó Ceallaigh; Dermot Ó Ceallaigh (1 free) 0-2 each; C Ó Criodáin 0-1.

KANTURK: J Fullerton; J McLoughlin; D Browne, L Cashman; L O’Neill, J Browne, L McLoughlin; P Walsh, A Walsh; L O’Keeffe, R Walsh, A Walsh; I Walsh, C Walsh, M Healy. 

Subs: B O’Sullivan for L McLoughlin, G Bucinkas for R Walsh (both 53).

NAOMH ABÁN: F Walker; T Ó Cathán, T Ó hAilliosa, A Ó Catháin; E Ó Criodáin, r de hide, C de Róiste; C Ó Criodáin, D Ó Lóonsigh; D Ó Ceallaigh, P Ó Liathain, M Ó Liathain; D Ó Ceallaigh, D O Laoire, J Mac Bhrde. 

Subs: S Ó Mathuna for C de Roiste (28, inj), N Ó Ceallaigh for C de Roiste (48, inj), F Ó Loinsigh for P Ó Liathain (50).

Referee: C Walsh (Nemo Rangers).