Upwardly mobile Iveleary secure another title in style

It is a second promotion in four months for Iveleary

Sun, 05 Dec, 2021 - 14:29

Therese O’Callaghan

Cork IAFC Final: Iveleary 0-20 Mitchelstown 0-7

In the space of four months, Iveleary have gone from junior to Premier intermediate football, and they were fully deserving of the honours today in the Bon Secours Cork IAFC final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Crowned junior champions in the delayed 2020 final in early August, they continued their impressive form to achieve successive promotions against last season beaten finalists Mitchelstown.

Notably, the injured Cathail O’Mahony didn’t start for the north Cork side and he was replaced by Dylan Reidy Price at full-forward, who were already without Mark Keane who has returned to Australia.

Inspired by Chris Óg Jones (0-8) and Cathal Vaughan (0-5), Iveleary led 0-7 to 0-5 at the short whistle, and they put the issue well and truly beyond doubt with their spectacular second-half showing.

It was all Iveleary at the start. In a changed strip because of a clash of colours, Chris Óg Jones pointed in the second minute. This was followed by a Cathal Vaughan free. Vaughan then had a shot at goal repelled, but the same player was on target to give his side a three-point lead after 10 minutes.

It got better for the Muskerry team when Barry O’Leary raised a white flag, and approaching the quarter-hour mark Ian Jones put them five clear.

In the 16th minute, Darragh Flynn - one of four starters who won a county JAHC medal with Ballygiblin a fortnight ago - opened Mitchelstown’s account to leave them trailing 0-5 to 0-1 at the first water break.

Even though Chris Óg Jones extended the Iveleary lead, Mitchelstown worked their way back and came within two in the 25th minute, courtesy of James Sheehan and Michael Walsh from play and a free.

A swift move involving captain Pa Magee, Sheehan and Cormac Hyland could have resulted in a Mitchelstown goal only for Iveleary goalkeeper Joe Creedon to come to the rescue. However the resultant ’45 was kicked over by Walsh to cut the gap to one.

In the final act of an enjoyable half, Iveleary skipper Brian Cronin lobbed over a point to give his team a 0-7 to 0-5 interval advantage.

Iveleary restarted with Chris Óg Jones bearing down on goal but his marker Lorcan Finn did well to dispossess him and concede a ’45 - which was converted by goalkeeper Creedon.

Within five minutes they were ahead of the Avondhu men by double scores (0-10 to 0-5).

At this juncture, Mitchelstown introduced Cathail O’Mahony (but he had to be substituted again) while Sean Walsh and Joseph O’Sullivan also came off the bench.

Iveleary were rampant though, outscoring Mitchelstown nine points to one in the third quarter, to leave them 0-16 to 0-6 to the good. Meanwhile, Mitchelstown’s cause wasn’t helped when Fionn Herlihy received a black card for a foul on Ian Jones in the 44th minute.

Iveleary continued to pile on the scores, and record a winning margin of 13-points.

Scorers for Iveleary: C Óg Jones (0-8, 0-2 frees), C Vaughan (0-5, 0-1 free), B O’Leary (0-3), J Creedon (45), C Galvin, B Cronin and I Jones (0-1 each).

Scorers for Mitchelstown: M Walsh (0-3, 0-1 free, 0-1 45), C English, J Sheehan (free), D Flynn, and A O'Brien (0-1 each).

IVELEARY: J Creedon; D O’Riordan, F McSweeney, B Murphy; K Manning, S O’Leary, C Galvin; D Kelly, C O’Riordan; B Cronin (Capt), C Vaughan, B O’Leary; C O’Leary, C Óg Jones, I Jones.

Subs: L Kearney for B O’Leary (48), D Cotter for D Kelly (54), S Lehane for C Vaughan (56), S Galvin for I Jones (59), M Lucey for K Manning (62 inj).

MITCHELSTOWN: L Hanna; K Roche, F Herlihy, L Finn; D Dineen, S Beston, G Carroll; P Magee (Capt), C English; C Hyland, S O’Sullivan, M Walsh; J Sheehan, D Reidy Price, D Flynn.

Subs: C O’Mahony for D Reidy Price (36), S Walsh for S O’Sullivan (38), J O’Sullivan for G Carroll (38), S Kenneally for C O’Mahony (50 inj), A O’Brien for F Herlihy (53).

Referee: Robert Whelan (Aghada).

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