Éire Óg survive after nervy Newcestown relegation decider
TALISMAN: Eire Og's Daniel Goulding hit six points.
Éire Óg retained their Bon Secours Cork Premier senior football status following this nerve-jangling relegation play-off at Brinny today. Goals in either half proved crucial, Éire Óg having also came through a PIHC relegation play-off with Youghal last weekend.
The result wasn’t secured, however, until seeing off the stern challenge of Newcestown, who having returned to the top tier over a decade ago, will play senior A in 2023.
The teams were tied five times during a competitive opening half. They were level two points apiece before Edmund Kenneally struck over a fine point, followed by one from defender Trevor Horgan for Newcestown to lead 0-4 to 0-2 towards the end of the opening quarter.
Éire Óg settled the tempo to register the next three points - two of these frees from Goulding, and John Cooper to push the mid Cork side one ahead.
The game ebbed and flowed until it took a decisive twist a minute from half-time when Mark Griffin was allowed solo through the middle, and after a fine team move Griffin was on hand to finish to the net, 1-6 to 0-6 at the break.
As well as Goulding providing four tap-over frees in that first-half, Éire Óg should have been further ahead having kicked eight wides to Newcestown’s two.
Both clubs, it must be said, were shorn of a number of regular players.
Éire Óg conceded the first three scores of the second-half - two David Buckley frees from distance and a free from Kenneally.
However, Harry O’Reilly’s men struck another decisive blow when Colm O’Callaghan - having combined with Dylan Foley - billowed the net on 40 minutes, 2-8 to 0-9.
A couple of placed balls pegged the deficit back for the Tim Buckley managed Newcestown, 2-8 to 0-11 at the three-quarter mark.
The lead stretched to four points, but Newcestown weren’t done just yet. Another run of points from Buckley (2) and sub Niall Kelly cut the margin to the minimum.
It made for a nervous finish, but when Joe Cooper kicked the last point in the 60th minute, Éire Óg - who triumphed in the PIFC in 2019 and the SAFC in 2020 - held on for a two-point win.
: D Goulding (0-6 frees), M Griffin (1-1), C O’Callaghan (1-0), Joe Cooper (0-2), John Cooper (0-1).
D Buckley (0-6, 0-3 frees), E Kenneally (0-4, 0-2 frees), J Meade (0-2), T Horgan and N Kelly (0-1 each).
: C Kelly; D O’Herlihy, M Corkery, J Mullins; J Kelleher, John Cooper, D McCarthy; M Griffin, R O’Toole; K Hallissey, C O’Callaghan, Joe Cooper; D Foley, D Goulding (Capt), R O’Flynn.
Subs: J Murphy for M Corkery (52), D Kelly for D Foley (57).
C White; M Kennelly, C Twomey, M McSweeney; T Horgan, G O’Donovan, R O’Sullivan; E Collins, S O’Donovan (Capt); F Keane, L Meade, J Meade; D Buckley, T Twomey, E Kenneally.
Subs: C Goggin for E Collins (half-time), O Walsh for J Meade (35-37 bs), O Walsh for J Meade (43 inj), N Kelly for M Kennelly (43).
Conor Lane (Banteer).
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