Rockchapel finish with a flourish to overcome Macroom

Rockchapel manager Jerry Casey was delighted with the opening round win.

FLAT OUT: Rockchapel's Eamon Callaghan and Pat Curtin battle with Dylan Twomey, Macroom at Dromtarriffe. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Rockchapel 1-18 Macroom 1-13 

ROCKCHAPEL availed of a collective effort to overcome Macroom in a thrilling McCarthy Insurance Co Premier IFC Group C opening round at Dromtariffe on Sunday evening.

When required, the winners produced a workmanlike display of bringing great energy and passion to their game rewarded with a late scoring flourish.

Upbeat Rockchapel manager Jerry Casey expressed delight at the application and the spirited display from his charges.

“It was an open contest, the first game is so important to win in this championship, the win gives us some breathing space for further stiff tests," he said. "The outcome was up for grabs with 10 minutes to go but we showed composure to finish on a positive note with telling scores.”

After Macroom opened the scoring with a point from Alan Quinn, Rockchapel offered a threat, confirmed on a goal, Mikey McAulliffe’s effort blocked only for Jack Curtin to steer home the rebound. A follow-up point by Jason O’Callaghan confirmed Rockchapel’s early superiority before Macroom, under the guidance of Aidan O’Mahony, offered steady improvement from points by Seán Kiely and Quinn.

At times, Macroom were let down by faulty shooting though points from Kiely and Dylan Twomey squared up matters. Matters continued to be nip and tuck, both sides losing key players to injury, Rockchapel’s Moss O’Keeffe followed by Fintan Gould for Macroom.

As the contest aged, slick Macroom raids yielded points from the effective Quinn and Pa Lucey to secure a 0-9 to 1-5 advantage at the interval. However Rockchapel resumed the stronger of the two sides, piling on the pressure, Ewan Murphy’s effort, the start of an enterprising spell that yielded five points with on the spin to alter the scoreboard.

Credit, Macroom refusing to be knocked off course, Eolan O’Leary denied a possible goal on a time by Callaghan. In the subsequent play, Rockchapel failed to read the danger signals, a turn over allowed O’Leary feed the effective Quinn to net, Macroom ahead 1-11 to 1-10.

Rockchapel rode out the storm, the powerful play of O’Callaghan, Pat Curtin, Seamus Hickey and Jimmy McAulliffe helped channel a new energy into their play for the game to swing firmly in favour of the Duhallow side h to regain the lead Though Macroom responded, Rockchapel demonstrated their class with late points from Hickey, O’Callaghan and Mikey McAulliffe to enjoy a sufficient cushion at full time.

The perfect start for Rockchapel to the campaign, next up is a meeting with Kilshannig while Macroom will encounter Castletownbere.

Scorers for Rockchapel: J O’Callaghan (0-4), J Curtin (1-1), J McAuliffe, M McAuliffe (0-3 each), S Hickey, Ciarán Curtin (0-2 each), C Casey (1f), S Curtin, E Murphy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Macroom: A Quinn (1-6, 3f), S Kiely (0-3, 1m), P Lucey (1f), C Donovan, E O’Leary, D Twomey (0-1 each).

ROCKCHAPEL: C Casey; D Carroll, E Callaghan, B Carroll; S Curtin, M O’Keeffe, P Curtin; S Hickey, E Murphy; J Curtin, J McAuliffe, J O’Callaghan; Cormac Curtin, Ciarán Curtin, M McAuliffe.

Subs: J Walsh for M O’Keeffe (24, injured), C Keppel for B Carroll (36), N Linehan for Cormac Curtin (47), E Collins for J O’Callaghan (60).

MACROOM: B O’Connell; C Condon, J Murphy, D Creedon; C Buckley, M Corrigan, M Cronin; C Donovan, P Lucey; F Goold, S Kiely, T Dineen; E O’Leary, D Twomey, A Quinn.

Subs: M Hunt for F Goold (27, injured), C Dineen for T Dineen, S Meaney for P Lucey (both 38), J O’Riordan for C Condon (43), C O’Sullivan for C Buckley (58).

Referee: C Walsh (Nemo Rangers).