Erin's Own and Fr O'Neills take a point but run out of road

BURSTING: Erin's Own's Oran O'Regan manages to evade the challenge of Mike Millerick of Fr O'Neills in Cloyne. 

Cork Premier SHC: Erin’s Own 1-19 Fr O’Neills 2-16.

A sun soaked stalemate in Cloyne delivered the outcome that neither side wanted, as events elsewhere rendered the efforts of these Imokilly neighbours inconsequential.

Charleville's defeat of Douglas in the same group took qualification to the knockout stages out of the equation for both. While their effort may be in vain, at least neither East Cork club has any relegation concerns. Small mercies and all that.

Before anyone even had a chance to catch their breath the ball was rustling the back of the net. In the opening sequence of play the ball broke to John Millerick after a scramble in the middle of the park and with nearly 20m in front of him he burst forward and put the ball past Shay Bowen in the Erin’s Own net.

It was an electric start to proceedings but the excitement seemed to taper off after the opening quarter with both sides failing to convert their chances.

Fr O’Neills keeper Paudie O’Sullivan was called into action twice in three minutes with two fantastic saves from close range as the game began to come to life again.

Their joint captain Declan Dalton was making hay with four excellent long-range points in the first half, three of them from frees before adding a meaty 1-6 to that tally in the second period.

O’Neills had the slightest of advantages going in at the break (1-7 to 0-9) and the second half had a lot more to offer from an entertainment perspective.

Cork's Dalton got things up and running after the restart with a superb goal on 39 minutes. He beat two men down the right side and, cool as you like, slotted it past Bowen to give his side a three point lead.

Essentially running the show in the second half, Erin’s Own needed to halt both Dalton and Fr O’Neills’ momentum, and quickly. And they did just that after 47 minutes when Ronan Twomey, quickest to a breaking ball in the square, smashed it high into the top left corner of the net, bringing it back to a two point game.

The closing stages were a battle of will and determination as the two sides from the East exchanged scores, blow for blow - while also presumably aware that in Mourneabbey, Charleville were closing the door on their knockout ambitions.

Finding themselves two points ahead with three minutes left on the clock it was a matter of holding out for O’Neills but Erin’s own Oran O’Regan had different plans, slotting over two eagle-eyed frees to tie it up and earn his side a point.

Scorers for Erin’s Own: E Murphy (0-7, 5f), O O’Regan (0-6, 3f, 1 65), R Twomey (1-2), K Murphy (0-2), P O’Shea and S Cronin (0-1 each).

Scorers for Fr O’Neills: D Dalton (1-10, 6f), J Millerick (1-0), K O’Sullivan (0-3), J Hankard, Joe Millerick and M O’Keefe (0-1 each).

ERIN’S OWN: S Bowen; C Dooley, S Broderick, R O’Regan; S Cronin, J Sheehan, J O’Carroll; R Twomey, P O’Shea; S Guilfoyle, M O’Carroll, M O’Riordan; O O’Regan, E Murphy, K Murphy.

Subs: S Kelly for S Guilfoyle (41), C Lenihan for M O’Carroll (49), C Coakley for S Kelly (51), C O’Callaghan for E Murphy (54), C O’Connor for R O’Regan (55).

FR O’NEILLS: P O’Sullivan, M Millerick, E Motherway, J Barry; M O’Keefe, D Harrington, G Millerick; T Millerick, K O’Sullivan; Joe Millerick, D Dalton, J Hankard; John Millerick, C Broderick, B Dunne.

Subs: C Broderick for R Cullinane (HT), A Kenneally for J Barry (54).

Referee: Cathal McAllister (Aghada).