Kilmurry advance to Premier JFC final after hard-fought win over Cobh

ON THE TURN: Kilmurry's Joe Ryan takes on Cobh's Timmy Wilk during the Cork Premier JFC semi-final at Páirc Ui Rinn. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

Cork Premier JFC semi-final

Kilmurry 0-12 Cobh 1-7

The rise of Kilmurry football continues with another winning chapter in Friday's Cork Premier JFC semi-final in Páirc Ui Rinn. The Muskerry men edged Cobh by two points to advance to a final against either St Finbarr's or Urhan who contest the other semi-final on Saturday.

This was a repeat of last year's county junior final and produced the same winners, although Cobh came close with a late surge.

A 57th minute goal from Cobh’s Jamie Hamilton had Kilmurry sweating with four minutes of added time to play but they held strong to progress to the decider.

It was the end of the first quarter before Cobh found their feet with Kilmurry looking comfortable up to that point. Two scores from Cobh's Eoin Hastings and another from Nathan O’Connell before the break meant it was a one score game at 0-5 to 0-4.

Two quick-fire points from Joe Ryan after the restart gave Kilmurry some breathing space but Cobh weren’t long pulling it back, responding with two well worked scores of their own from Nathan O’Connell and Adam Hastings.

Sean Cummins drew Cobh level for the first time after 39 minutes when Nathan O’Connell’s blocked shot fell to him.

On 48 minutes Cobh’s Cian Spriggs broke free and played a clever ball across the square to sub George Rasmussen who came agonisingly close to a crucial goal, hitting the underside of the cross bar.

This stirred Kilmurry into action and they scored five points on the trot, three from the impressive Sean Warren.

Cobh weren't done though. Joe Hamilton, just introduced, came onto a loose ball and buried it past Kilmurry keeper Jason McDonnell with a minute of normal time to go to reduce it to 0-12 to 1-7.

The drama didn’t end there. With the last play of the game a Cobh shot was deflected out to Hamilton once more, but this time his effort hit the post and went wide.

Scorers for Kilmurry: S Warren (0-5), J Ryan (0-4), L Wall, J O’Mullane and P Brehanu (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cobh: J Hamilton (1-0), E Hastings and N O’Connell (0-2 each), S Cummins, A Hastings (0-1 each), D Heelan (0-1, 1f).

Kilmurry: J McDonnell; B Hinchion, K Barrett, G O’Mahony; A Aisling, W Ronan, T Collins; K Kelleher, J O’Mullane; D Cahalane, L Aisling, R Duggan; J Ryan, L Wall, S Warren.

Subs: P Brehanu for R Duggan (41), J McGinn for J Ryan (54), G Barrett for K Kelleher (60), R Leahy for A Aisling (63), M Dromey for D Cahalane (64).

Cobh: E Walsh; C McLaughlin, T Wilk, J McCarthy; M O’Rourke, G Keating, A McCarthy; S Cummins, D Heelan; E Hastings, N O’Connell, A Hastings; C Kidney, C Spriggs, E Cullimore.

Subs: G Rasmussen for E Cullimore (HT), G Kelly for C Kidney (52), J Hamilton for A Hastings (52), A Stanton for M O’Rourke (57).

Referee: Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).