Barrs, Ballincollig and Nemo make winning starts to new season

Luke Connolly had three points as Nemo Rangers defeated Clonakilty in their opening game of the Cork Credit Unions county football league. 

A new season of Cork Credit Unions county football league action began with St. Finbarr’s, Ballincollig and Nemo Rangers amongst the weekend’s winners.

In Group A of the Division 1 League, reigning county champions St. Finbarr’s edged Éire Óg 3-5 to 0-13 in Ovens on Saturday afternoon. The Barr’s netted a goal inside the opening minute before their opponents recovered to lead 0-6 to 1-2 after quarter of an hour.

A second goal enabled the visitors retake the lead, 2-3 to 0-7, at the break prior to a third green flag immediately after the restart. Éire Óg chipped away at their opponents and drew level 0-13 to 3-4 only to lose out to a late St. Finbarr’s match-winning point.

Ben Grogan (2-1), Denis O’Brien (1-1), Ian O’Callaghan, Enda Dennehy and Ryan Scully (0-1 each) provided the winners scores with Daniel Goulding (0-6), Eoin O’Shea, Rian O’Flynn (0-2 each), Dylan Foley, Kevin Hallissey and Ronan O’Toole (0-1 each) on the Éire Óg scoresheet.

On Sunday, Ballincollig proved too strong for Mallow and registered a 1-9 to 0-7 victory despite Pa Herlihy, Ryan Harkin (0-2 each), Sean McDonnell, Jack Dillon and Michael O’Rourke (0-1 each) replying for the latter.

Also in Group A, Liam O’Sullivan, Robbie Cotter, Adam Hennessy, Luke O’Herlihy and Simon Falvey scores weren’t enough to prevent St. Michael’s from losing 2-13 to 0-9 at home to Fermoy. Kiskeam had two points to spare in their 1-12 to 1-10 group win at home to Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh.

Group B of the Division 1 League began on Saturday with Carbery Rangers hosting Carrigaline. It took a late Daragh Hayes free to earn the west Cork club a share of the spoils on an afternoon the young forward finished with (0-5, 0-4f). Darragh King’s 54th minute goal pushed Carrigaline 1-6 to 0-7 ahead but Carbery Rangers staged a late comeback and earned a point following a 0-9 to 1-6 draw.

Brian Hodnett (0-2), Paul Hodnett and Peadar O’Rourke were Rangers’ other scorers while Darragh King (1-0), Kevin O’Reilly, David Drake (0-2 each), Luke Cooper Boyle and Stephen Dwane (0-1 each) were on target for Carrigaline.

In the same group, Nemo Rangers got their campaign off to a winning start courtesy of a 0-10 to 0-3 success at home to Clonakilty. Luke Connolly (0-3, 0-2f), Ronan Dalton, Ross Corkery, Conor Horgan (0-2 each) and Ciaran McCartan (0-1) provided Nemo’s scores. Conor Daly, Brian White and Jack Cowhig were on the mark for Clonakilty.

Elsewhere in Group B, Clyda Rovers edged Ilen Rovers 0-9 to 0-8 in Rath. Dan O’Callaghan was on top form for the winners, contributing 0-6 of his team’s total. Sean Kelly, Kevin Graham and Cormac O’Reilly (0-1 each) were Clyda’s other scorers in a fixture Dan Mac Eoin contributed the bulk of Ilen’s points.

Eoin Delaney (1-1), Fiachra Lynch, John Cottrell (0-3 each) and Darragh Crowley (0-1) were on target in Valley Rovers’ 1-8 to 0-7 victory away to Douglas. O’Donovan Rossa and Cill na Martra’s scheduled Group B game was postponed.