Carrigaline down following Cork Premier SFC relegation playoff replay defeat to Mallow
DOWN AND OUT: Callum Barrett, Carrigaline on the ground after a tackle by Matty Taylor, Mallow. Picture Dan Linehan
MALLOW will again be playing Premier Senior Championship football next season.
For Carrigaline though it’s a drop down a division following this five point Relegation Playoff replay defeat in Blarney on Sunday and they can have few complaints after going so close to victory in the drawn encounter two weeks ago.
Much better conditions on Sunday though as two late first half Mallow goals from Sean McDonnell and Sean Hayes did a lot of damage to Carrigaline, who wasted a lot of chances.
And even when they did manage a second half resurgence, a third goal from Jack Dillon in the 54th minute all but made it safe for Mallow.
Far from rousing opening half though, plenty of endeavor but few scores until those two late goals that gave Mallow a huge lift. After Callum Barrett missed a good opening chance for Carrigaline it was Mallow who took the lead in the seventh with a fine Hayes point and were never headed subsequently.
Carrigaline just couldn’t hit the target and it was Mallow who doubled their lead seven minutes later with a Mark Tobin free, after an error by Carrig keeper Callum Dungan. Brian Coakley, who left several frees short, did hit the target for Carrigaline and it was 0-2 to 0-1 to Mallow after the opening quarter.
Mallow were far sharper in the second quarter with Paul Lyons, Matty Taylor and Jimmy Glynn in fine form but although Sean McDonnell kicked their third point in the 25th minute Carrigaline were well in the contest and left to rue some missed free chances.
Then that double goal blast from McDonnell and Hayes after some super approach play and Carrigaline were rocked, trailing 2-4 to 0-3 at the break.
When Mark Tobin added to Mallow’s lead just after the restart Carrigaline were in big trouble but after the winners lost big Shane Merritt through injury in the 32nd minute Carrigaline got a grip on the contest and held Mallow to a point for the rest of the quarter.
Points followed from a Kevin O’Rilly free, Eanna Desmond and Jack McCarthy and just five points separated the side entering the final quarter, 2-6 to 0-7.
Then a lifeline for Carrigaline in the 48th minute, David Griffin putting Jack McCarthy clear and when he was taken down Brian Coakley slotted home the penalty. Game on now.
But no way Mallow were giving up on this contest as a terrific battle ensued. First McDonnell pointed a free and in the 54th minute and then Tobin set up Jack Dillon for A third third Mallow goal and all Carrigaline’s battling rally was knocked on its head.
Carrigaline battled bravely and scored some nice points from Niall Coakley, David Griffin and Eanna Desmond. But Mallow always had their measure, the goals doing huge sending Carrigaline down a tier.
S McDonnell (1-3, 2fs), S Hayes (1-1), J Dillon (1-0), M Tobin (0-3, 1f), M Kelleher and P Hennessy (m) (0-1 each).
B Coakley (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1f), E Desmond (0-4 , 1f), N Coakley (0-2), J McCarthy, K O’Reilly (free) and D Griffin (0-1 each).
K Doyle; P Lyons, B Myers, S Copps; S O’Callaghan, M Taylor, J Glynn; D Moynihan, S Merritt; S McDonnell, J Dillon, M Kelleher; R Harkin, S Hayes, M Tobin.
P Hennessy for Merritt (32, inj), E Crone for Glynn (59), L Walsh for Kelleher (59), D Hayes for S Hayes (60), E Barry for Tobin (60).
C Dungan; N Quirke, I Sheerin, C O’Herlihy; Kevin Kavanagh, C Barry, J McCarthy; D Griffin, Kieran Kavanagh; C Barrett, N Coakley, E Desmond; O Barry, B Coakley, K O’Reilly.
T. Vaughan for O’Reilly (52), E Ryle for Barrett (52), D Greene for C Barry (55), D King for O Barry (54).
David Daly (Brian Dillons).
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