Four-goal Fermoy pick Killeagh apart in ruthless fashion

This was their second team - up against Killeagh’s third - and the east Cork side were unable to match them.

Sun, 03 Dec, 2023 - 16:14

Therese O’Callaghan

Fermoy 4-11 Killeagh 1-9

Fermoy were ruthless in Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday, a mixture of youth and experience leading them to victory in the Co-Op Superstores Cork JBHC (Inter-Division) final.

This was their second team - up against Killeagh’s third - and the east Cork side were unable to match them.

For three starters on the Fermoy team - captain Mark Flynn, who proudly accepted the Dan Hoare Cup, Páidí Shanahan and James O’Sullivan, this was extra-special as they were part of the side that won the junior county back in 2009.

Fermoy were well on their way at the interval, nine up.

Although Killeagh battled back to within five points midway through the second-half, the Avondhu men were rampant all over the park.

They started as they meant to go on.

The early stages belonged to them, they had all the play with Brendan Daly splitting the posts. Eric Delaney had the sliotar in the net a minute later, with Mark Flynn’s diagonal pass setting him up.

Delaney then knocked over a point from a free and one from play before Paudie Mackey stemmed the tide with a goal for Killeagh in the ninth minute. James Fitzpatrick and Dan Landers (’65) swapped white flags to leave the score 1-4 to 1-1 after the first quarter.

Fermoy struck again with three points - Darragh O’Brien, Brendan Daly and Eric Delaney - their defence coping admirably with what came their way.

This was epitomised by wing-back Niall Cloney’s long delivery that ended up in the Killeagh net two minutes from half-time, it yielded an assured 2-8 to 1-2 lead.

Killeagh had a chance of a goal but Dan Landers’ shot flew wide of the post.

On the changeover, they had another opportunity when Luke Fogarty broke through but his effort went out for a ’65, which wasn’t converted.

The game was more or less wrapped up six minutes after the restart when Páidí Shanahan collected a long ball from Eric Delaney, good work too by Luke Aherne, it brought them 11 points clear.

With Dan Landers unerring from placed balls, Killeagh stayed in touch, a run of six unanswered points cut the gap to five.

Fermoy edged ahead again, substitute Dale Dawson got their fourth goal late on, helping them stretch away to a convincing win.

Scorers for Fermoy: E Delaney (1-4, 0-2 frees), D Dawson, N Cloney and P Shanahan (1-0 each), B Daly (0-3), D O’Brien (0-2), M Flynn and J Fitzpatrick (0-1 each).

Scorers for Killeagh: D Landers (0-6, 0-3 frees, 0-2 65s), P Mackey (1-0), Aaron Walsh, P Carroll and Andy Walsh (0-1 each).

FERMOY: L Clancy; L Cronin, J O’Sullivan, J Lonergan; N Cloney, C Roche, J Murray; D O’Brien, L Aherne; B Daly, P Shanahan, J Fitzpatrick; E Delaney, M Flynn (Capt), A O’Connor.

Subs: D Dawson for J Murray (40 inj), C Barry for A O’Connor (53), N Sherwood for J Fitzpatrick (56), C Fitzgerald for P Shanahan (60), R O’Sullivan for L Cronin (61).

KILLEAGH: B Murphy; P Geary, C Meade, R Landers; R Treacy, B Collins, C Coughlan; B Kelly Budds, D Coleman (Capt); Aaron Walsh, K Lane, D Landers; P Mackey, Andy Walsh, L Fogarty.

Subs: C Fogarty for B Kelly Budds (half-time), P Carroll for P Mackey (37), D Collins for L Fogarty (45), B Motherway for Aaron Walsh (52), G Collins for K Lane (62).

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Valley Rovers).