Denis Ring content with untested Imokilly's calm in the storm
EYES ON THE BALL: Avondhu's Brian Buckley and Imokilly's Diarmuid Healy in action at Páirc Uí Rinn. Pic: Denis Boyle
Denis Ring paid tribute to his players’ calmness after they were pushed all the way by Avondhu in the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier SHC Divisions/Colleges final in Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.
Having gone straight to the decider, his team was untested.
In a game that ebbed and flowed, both sides had their noses in front at different times in the first half. Level at half-time 0-11 apiece, the wind-assisted east Cork division turned the match around in the second period. And while it continued to be very close, they maintained enough control to progress to the quarter-final of the county championship.
They could have stuck a few goals as well, but that was more down to coming in cold to championship, and the excellence of Avondhu ‘keeper Ian Butler.
“I was really impressed with our composure because it wasn’t happening a lot of the time for us,” the manager said.
“I couldn’t commend them enough for leaving it all out on the pitch. When you have Brian Lawton and Seamus Harnedy, you don’t have to say too much, in terms of what they will say to fellas to drive them on.
“We made life a little bit harder for ourselves. Sometimes we were trying to put a cherry on it. The thing about that, they had played four games and this was our first. While we played some very good practice matches, you always had different guys available for different games. That is why a semi-final (like last year) is valuable to us.
“Young Timmy Wilk is a big addition to us this year and Ciarán O’Brien. But we were down Ciarán Joyce and Colm Barry (injured).
“It was a real battle. It was credit to Denis O’Riordan (Memorial Trophy) whom I would have known.”
Level seven times in a see-saw opening half. Imokilly made their move after the restart through Bill Cooper, who is still going strong. His point was swiftly followed by a pair from Shane Hegarty.
Hegarty, Sean Desmond, and sub Jack Leahy, who celebrated his Leaving Cert results on Friday, shared 14 points between them.
The gap was cut to a single point on the stretch. It was three entering stoppage time. That it was Desmond who supplied a late brace to ease the pressure was apt.
Avondhu finished with 14 players following a second yellow card to James Keating in the 49th minute. They will be bitterly disappointed with the outcome. Goalkeeper Butler was outstanding, and defenders Brian Buckley and Bill Curtin got some great scores. So too, midfielder Eoin Carey who added four points to the eight he registered against UCC.
In the end, they just came up short.
Meanwhile, with a crucial third weekend of club championship action kicking off, Ring will be keeping his fingers crossed that all emerge unscathed. Eleven different clubs are represented on the Imokilly 30-man panel and a number of players will be lining out against each other in do-or-die scenarios.
J Leahy (0-3 frees, 0-1 ’65) and S Desmond (0-5 each), S Hegarty (0-4), W Leahy (0-3, 0-2 frees), D Healy and B Cooper (0-2 each), Brian Lawton, Barry Lawton, J Stack and S Harnedy (0-1 each).
S Condon (0-5, 0-2 frees), E Carey (0-4), C O’Brien (0-2 frees) and B Buckley (0-3 each), B Nyhan, J Twomey, C Buckley, W Condon and B Curtin (0-1 each).
E Davis (St Catherine’s); T Wilk (Cobh), M Russell (Aghada), C O’Brien (St Ita’s); Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr), D O’Leary (Watergrasshill), J Cronin (Lisgoold, Capt); S Hegarty (Dungourney), B Cooper (Youghal); Barry Lawton (Castlemartyr), D Healy (Lisgoold), S Harnedy (St Ita’s); S Desmond (Watergrasshill), W Leahy (Aghada), J Stack (Castlemartyr).
J Leahy (Dungourney) for W Leahy (39).
I Butler (Kildorrery); S Killeen (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels), B Carey (Araglin), L Carey (Kilworth); B Buckley (Dromina), J Keating (Kildorrery), B Curtin (Kilshannig); J O’Sullivan (Ballygiblin), E Carey (Kilworth); J Twomey (Kilshannig, Capt), C O’Brien (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels), W Condon (Kilworth); J Magner (Killavullen), B Nyhan (Clyda Rovers), S Condon (Harbour Rovers).
C Buckley (Clyda Rovers) for J Magner (47), J Mullins (Ballygiblin) for S Killeen (59).
Shane Scanlon (Newcestown).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
