Cork SAFC: Béal Átha'n Ghaorthaidh and Newmarket share the spoils
UP FOR GRABS: Colman O'Tuama of Ballingeary breaks away from Cathal Browne of Newmarket in the Cork SAFC in Kiskeam. Pic: Don MacMonagle
Three late Hugh O’Connor frees into the wind hauled Newmarket back for a draw with Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh which keeps both sides at the top of Group B.
It was a game that could’ve swung either way in the six minutes of added time that followed the Cork U20’s leveller.
There was a wide at either end before Paudie Allen, the impressive Newmarket corner-back, pounced on the final break around his goalmouth to seal the point apiece.
Ben Seartan was the shining light for the Gaeltacht side, with his fingerprints on almost every last score. He landed 1-5 from play, was fouled for two pointed frees, and assisted two further points.
They meet manager Denis Reen’s former club Kiskeam, who were eliminated by this result, in the final round.
Newmarket coach Barry O’Leary will also face his former protégés in their final game, a winner-takes-all clash with Clyda Rovers.
Béal Átha lined out into the strong wind but started well. They held possession for the opening two minutes, punctuated by a Seartan point, before the full forward weaved through the cover for another to make it 0-3 to 0-1.
Newmarket were creating chances, though, and applying pressure on the opposition kick-out. Conor O’Keeffe intercepted one such restart and had the empty net to aim for, albeit at a tricky angle. His kick just missed, finding the side-netting instead.
He soon kick-started a run of six consecutive points, which was enabled by the superb ball-winning of Cathal Browne in midfield. He caught back-to-back Béal Átha kick-outs for Ryan O’Keeffe and Donal Hannon to curl over.
After a Seartan response, Browne boomed over a deserved point and followed up by marking the subsequent kick-out. But that 27th-minute score would be their last from play all day.
They went in 0-9 to 0-5 ahead and added just five frees in the second half.
The first, from Conor O’Keeffe, moved them ahead by double scores but that advantage was wiped out in the space of two minutes.
Seartan followed a Conchúr Ó Loingsigh free with a point and then robbed the subsequent short kick-out to sidefoot the ball to the net.
Good work from the Seartans, Donagh and Ben, enabled Diarmuid Mac Tomáis to give them their first lead in 25 minutes.
Conor O’Keeffe stole a second short kick-out at the other end and worked another shot on goal, just wide, but it was called back for a levelling O’Connor free.
Béal Átha kicked on with three points, two originating from Daire Ó Ceallacháin carrying the ball forward and the Seartans splitting the posts. They had now outscored Newmarket by 1-6 to 0-1 in the space of 13 minutes.
The Duhallow side fought back with Mikey Cottrell breaking three tackles to give them another sight of goal. While he missed, it was called back for another free; the first of four in a row for O’Connor.
He converted three and that was enough for a split of the points.
B Seartan (1-5); D Mac Tomáis (0-3, 2 frees); A Ó Coinceannáin (free), C Ó Loingsigh (free), D Seartan (0-1 each).
H O’Connor (0-7, 6 frees); R O’Keeffe (0-3, 1 45); C O’Keeffe (0-2, 1 free); C Browne, D Hannon (0-1 each).
D Ó Coill; É Ó Duinnín, C Ó Nuanáin, N Ó Laoire; L Ó Criodáin, A Ó Loingsigh, J Ó Donnchú; A Ó Coinceannáin, C Ó Loingsigh; C Ó Tuama, D Seartan, C Ó Duinnín; D Mac Tomáis, B Seartan (capt), D Ó Ceallacháin.
S Ó Tuama for C Ó Tuama (41), L Ó Conchúir for Ó Nuanáin (45), S Ó Luasa for Ó Ceallacháin (48, inj).
J O’Keeffe; M Browne, G Forde, P Allen; A Browne, TJ Brosnan (capt), B Daly; M Cottrell, C Browne; D O’Keeffe, D Hannon, B O’Connor; C O’Keeffe, H O’Connor, R O’Keeffe.
A Ryan for Forde (41), P Browne for D O’Keeffe (46), K O’Sullivan for C O’Keeffe (51, inj), J Ryan for Daly (57, inj).
P O’Leary (Cloughduv).
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