Douglas hang on against St Michael's to secure quarter-final spot

HARD TO STOP: Keith Hegarty, St Michaels tries to stop Kevin Shanahan, Douglas from getting away. Pic: Jim Coughlan

Cork Premier SFC

Douglas 0-12 St Michael’s 1-8 

Douglas faded but they did not fall.

Despite going scoreless for 23 minutes of the second period, Douglas just about held on in this southside city derby to secure the last remaining quarter-final place in the Cork Premier SFC.

When Conor Russell kicked a fourth consecutive Douglas point on 40 minutes to move them 0-11 to 1-4 in front, this Group C play-off seemed pretty well cooked.

Douglas being Douglas, though, nothing is ever set or straightforward. They wouldn’t add to their tally again until the third minute of second half injury-time.

Breaking their barren spell was Russell, the inside forward converting his third free of the evening after the speed of fellow inside colleague Shane Kingston drew the foul.

It was a hugely decisive conversion, what with neighbours St Michael’s having managed a four-in-a-row of their own during Douglas’ scoreless spell to draw level as we headed for five minutes of injury-time.

That it was the Douglas inside line, of which Sean Powter was also a member, that should manufacture the winning score was fitting. The trio linked up so well all night. Russell brought accuracy and a booming left foot, Kingston brought searing pace, while Powter brought a bit of everything.

Where Kingston and Powter fell down, mind, was their goal-finishing. On separate occasions in the second period, both were denied green flags by Michael’s keeper Martin Burke.

Had either gone in, they wouldn’t have required Kevin Flahive to strip Tadgh Deasy of possession as Michael’s chased an equaliser in the 66th minute. Michael's were left to rue six second half wides.

A decent, if not full-blooded first half, concluded deadlocked. 1-4 to 0-7. In the second quarter alone, the sides were tied on four occasions.

St Michael’s, given they didn’t kick their first point until the 17th minute and had only two scores by the 22nd minute, would have been grateful to find themselves level at the interval.

A superbly worked Robbie Cotter goal on eight minutes, which went through the hands of Alan O’Callaghan and Andrew Murphy in the build-up, filled the Michael’s oxygen tank early. It proved a necessary fill.

Last year’s Senior A champions didn’t at all build on this green flag source of energy, rather they relied on it as a crutch to keep them in scoreboard contention while Douglas opened their shoulders and stretched out their legs.

In fairness to Dave Egan’s side, their second quarter was a great deal more composed and smarter than their first. Midfielder Andrew Murphy swung over two sweet points. Keith Hegarty chipped in too. Cotter opened and closed their first half account, converting a free after patient approach work eventually drew out Douglas indiscipline.

At the far end, Douglas’ inside operators were more than making their presence felt.

Powter assisted Kingston for their first, with Kingston returning the favour for their sixth on 23 minutes. Their point just before that, also supplied by Powter, was a sharp and swift team effort across the 20-metre line involving Russell, Sean Wilson, Conor Kingston, and the finishing Cork senior.

Where Douglas would have been slightly irked, no more than was the case after the restart, was their failure to do better with goal opportunities that fell to Russell and Adam Cantwell.

Their inability to find the net did not come back to haunt them. They’ll face Duhallow on Sunday week for a place in the last four.

Scorers for Douglas: C Russell (0-5, 0-3 frees); S Kingston (0-1 ‘45), S Powter (0-2 each); D Ward, B Hartnett, K Shanahan (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Michael’s: R Cotter (1-3, 0-2 frees); A Murphy, K Hegarty (0-2 each); R O'Shaughnessy (0-1).

Douglas: C O’Leary; N Lynch, C Kenny, S Wilson; D Ward, C Kingston, K Flahive; E Nash, B Hartnett; K Shanahan, A Cantwell, D Kelly; C Russell, S Powter, S Kingston.

Subs: N Hartnett for Ward (38); A O’Hare for Cantwell (48); J Cunningham for Shanahan (52); B Boyle for O’Leary (55); B Powter for Lynch (58).

St Michael’s: M Burke; A O’Callaghan, L Carroll, S Keating; E Sheehan, D Meaney, R Kavanagh; A Murphy, E Hickey; K Hegarty, R O’Shaughnessy, S Falvey; E Hegarty, R Cotter, A Hennessy.

Subs: J Golden for Meaney (26, inj); M O’Keeffe for Falvey (31); T Deasy for E Hegarty (40); O O’Sullivan for Kavanagh (46); L O’Herlihy for Hennessy (52).

Referee: A Long.