Douglas withstand late Fr O'Neill's goal hunt to secure second win on the bounce

CLOSE-FOUGHT AFFAIR: Mark Howell, Douglas getting his pass away watched by Cillian Broderick, Fr O’Neill’s in their Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier SHC match at Páirc Uí Rinn. Pic: Dan Linehan

Douglas 1-16 Fr O’Neill’s 0-16 

Douglas withstood a series of late goal pushes from Fr O’Neill’s to secure their second win of the Cork PSHC.

Ahead by six early in the second-half, Douglas’ lead had been chopped to the minimum six minutes from the end of the regulation hour. And while sub Eoin Dolan - his third since being introduced - and Cian Baldwin subsequently nudged them three in front, they spent the closing minutes of this tense Group B encounter successfully repelling Fr O’Neills’ hunt for an equalising green flag.

At the heart of that resolute Douglas defensive effort was outstanding full-back Brian O’Neill. Indeed, on an evening where neither Shane Kingston for Douglas nor Declan Dalton for Fr O'Neill's stood out, it was O’Neill at one end and his teammate Alan Cadogan at the far end that were the key drivers in delivering a second Douglas victory.

Fr O’Neill’s, led by Ger Millerick, Daniel Harrington, and Kevin O’Sullivan, will have their regrets. Their inaccuracy early on meant they spent the entire day chasing their opponents. And valiant chase they gave, but at no time could they get level.

The Douglas goal on 22 minutes and the passage of play that preceded it captured perfectly Douglas’ more clinical nature and the dreadful levels of first half waste on the Fr O’Neill’s side.

Rob Cullinane’s point attempt for Fr O’Neill’s dropped short, with Douglas then working possession out to the middle where Mark Howell’s point attempt from distance was batted back into the square by goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan and whipped to the net by Brian Hartnett.

The sole green flag of the half moved Douglas 1-7 to 0-3 clear. It was a scoreline unreflective of the general play. It was, however, a scoreline that did justice to the economy and composure of the Douglas forward unit and the complete lack of either from the premier senior newbies. Everything bar the final product was up to scratch from Fr O’Neill’s.

The men from Ballymacoda and Ladysbridge finished the half with seven points and seven wides. Their location of the posts improved somewhat towards the end of the half, points from Cillian Broderick, Declan Dalton (free), John Millerick, and Kevin O’Sullivan bringing them from seven to four behind in first-half stoppages.

Shoving the Douglas advantage back out to five just before the interval curtain fell was Alan Cadogan, the Cork senior shaking off Mike Millerick to score his second.

Cadogan was among six Douglas players to find the mark inside 17 minutes, the southside citymen racing 0-6 to 0-1 ahead. Their other five early contributors were midfielder Cillian O’Donovan, the half-forward trio of Brian Turnbull, Cian Baldwin, and Conor Kingston, and the latter’s brother Shane. The spread was a necessary departure from the Kingston-Cadogan 2-14 show of last weekend.

Second half sub Eoin Dolan was another who chipped in handsomely when raising three white flags upon his introduction. Cadogan top scored with 0-4, while also winning important frees.

O’Sullivan, Cillian Broderick, and Declan Dalton, from the placed ball, were to the fore in hauling last year’s Senior A champions right back into contention in the third and fourth quarter.

Their cause is by no means a lost one. Victory over Erin’s Own in Round 3 and they’ll be right there in the conversation for progression. As for unbeaten Douglas, their fate is very much in their hands.

Scorers for Douglas: A Cadogan (0-4); B Hartnett (1-1); S Kingston (0-2 frees), E Dolan (0-3 each); C Baldwin (0-2); C O’Donovan, C Kingston, B Turnbull (0-1 each).

Scorers for Fr O’Neill’s: D Dalton (0-7, 0-7 frees); K O’Sullivan, C Broderick (0-3 each); M O’Keeffe, J Millerick, B Dunne (0-1 each).

Douglas: D Maher; M Howell, B O’Neill, M Harrington; K McSweeney, D Murphy, S Donnegan; C O’Donovan, S Moylan; C Kingston, B Turnbull, C Baldwin; A Cadogan, B Hartnett, S Kingston.

Subs: E Dolan for Harrington (35); S Bourke for Turnbull (38); C Lucey for Donnegan (43); C Lucas for Hartnett (54).

Fr O’Neill’s: P O’Sullivan; G Millerick, E Motherway, M Millerick; T Millerick, D Harrington, M O’Keeffe; K O’Sullivan, J Millerick; R Cullinane, D Dalton, J Hankard; J Millerick, B Dunne, C Broderick.

Subs: L O’Driscoll for Cullinane (51).

Referee: M Maher.