St Finbarr's get defence of title off to winning start against Éire Óg

HANDS UP: Finbarrs Colm Scully getting his fingers to the ball. Pic: Denis Boyle

St Finbarr’s 1-12 Éire Óg 0-9

The Barr’s, without playing particularly well and without their scorer-in-chief from last year’s Cork and Munster winning campaign, were successful in scripting an opening night statement of intent that the chasing pack will no doubt have taken note of.

Steven Sherlock’s injury-enforced absence and Conor McCrickard returning home to Down meant the county champions began their title defence minus their two most prolific forwards from last year.

Two significant gaps to fill but stepping ably into the breach were senior football championship debutants Ethan Twomey and Ben O’Connor, two men known more for their hurling and rugby exploits in recent times.

But as was most evident here, the two youngsters are a dab hand at the football too. Twomey, who won an All-Ireland U20 hurling medal with Cork last year, kicked three first half points, two of which were superb left-footed efforts from the tightest of angles.

2021 All-Ireland minor hurling winning centre-back O’Connor, while not managing to get his name on the scoresheet, was top of the assists list. He provided the final pass for two of Twomey’s white flags, the same as he fed Brian Hayes for two second half points when the pair swapped places on the 45 and 20-metre lines.

In the battle of Cork senior football championship debutants between himself and Éire Óg’s Kerry import Mark Griffin, it was young O’Connor who comfortably came out on top.

As impressive as O’Connor and Twomey were, the Barrs’ leading forward was Hayes. His fielding, particularly in the second half, stood as the highlight of what was a dull and rather lifeless Group A contest. And just think how strong that attack will be when Sherlock is back at full fitness in later rounds.

Éire Óg’s front effort was incredibly tame by comparison, the Ovens men who had pushed the Barrs to the edge of torment in last year’s quarter-final enduring barren spells of 12 and 15 minutes respectively in either half. Five points from play across 60 minutes of football won’t win you many games, even fewer still at premier senior level.

While acknowledging that they were without first-team regulars Jack and Hugh Murphy, Conor McGoldrick, and Eoin O’Shea, this disappointing showing, coupled with their League semi-final hammering to Nemo a fortnight ago, means management have a job on their hands to lift the troops for their remaining must-win group games against Carrigaline and Carbery Rangers.

The Barrs’ 1-7 to 0-5 interval advantage had its roots in an unanswered 1-4 between the 20th minute and half hour mark that took the reigning champions from one behind to six in front.

The opening score of this sequence was arguably the most impressive. The John Kerins restart following Colm O’Callaghan’s second point to move Éire Óg one in front was lasered straight into the grasp of unmarked midfielder Eoin Comyns.

He offloaded to centerfield partner Ian Maguire and off set Maguire on one of his trademark gallops through the heart of the opposition defence. The finish, on this occasion, more than equaled the build up, Maguire taking the roof off the net with his less favoured left foot.

Alan O’Connor added a point shortly after, with a Cillian Myers Murray free on 28 minutes stretching their lead out to double scores, 1-5 to 0-4.

The last two points of the Barr’s burst were started by O’Connor and finished superbly by his Cork U20 hurling teammate Twomey, the former making sure Mark Griffin endured a difficult first night of Cork championship action.

Colm O’Callaghan was Éire Óg’s sole scorer from play in the opening period, the remaining three of their first half 0-5 provided by the dead-ball proficiency of Daniel Goulding.

No inroads on the Barrs lead did Éire Óg make upon the change of ends. Smart and aggressive defending, added to the work of O’Connor and Hayes further up, meant the champions were untroubled in setting out on a journey they hope will conclude with a first set of back-to-back county titles since 1980.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: C Myers Murray (0-5, 0-3 frees); B Hayes, E Twomey (0-3 each); I Maguire (1-0); A O’Connor (0-1).

Scorers for Éire Óg: D Goulding (0-5, 0-4 frees); C O’Callaghan (0-2); R O’Toole, J Kelleher (0-1 each).

St Finbarr’s: J Kerins; B Hennessy, S Ryan, A O’Connor; C Scully, J Burns, C Lyons; I Maguire, E Comyns; E McGreevey, B Hayes, E Dennehy; E Twomey, B O’Connor, C Myers Murray.

Subs: C Dennehy for Twomey (58).

Éire Óg: C Kelly; J Mullins, M Griffin, M Corkery; D O’Herlihy, John Cooper, D Dineen; D McCarthy, R O’Toole; Joe Cooper, C O’Callaghan, K Hallissey; D Goulding, D Foley, J Kelleher.

Subs: D Kelly for Dineen (42); B Hurley for John Cooper (55, inj); D Kirwan for Foley (58).

Referee: A Long (Argideen Rangers).