Dohenys bounce back with win over Fermoy

Last year's runners-up started well and took their chances.

FULL STRETCH: Doheny's Donal Rice tries to block down Ben Twomey of Fermoy during their Senior A Football Championship clash at Ballygarvan. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Sat, 17 Aug, 2024 - 21:20

Therese O’Callaghan

Dohenys 1-13 Fermoy 1-8

Last year’s beaten finalists Dohenys are back in business following their five-point victory over Fermoy in Group B of the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork SAFC in Ballygarvan on Saturday.

They bounced back from an opening day two-point defeat to Kanturk - the Duhallow side take on O’Donovan Rossa in the other group game tomorrow. As it stands, all three teams are on two points with Fermoy, who retained their status in 2023, yet to register.

The remaining fixtures early next month will see the north Cork side against Kanturk and O’Donovan Rossa opposing Dohenys.

Dohenys were that bit sharper up front, and it was their strong wind-assisted first half that proved pivotal as they went to the dressing-room 1-10 to 0-4 in front.

A Fionn Herlihy goal in the 24th minute helped them to that nine point lead - Bill Murphy and captain Keith White were heavily involved in the build-up.

White caused a lot of problems for the Fermoy defence, he finished the half with four points from play.

Cullan Barry and Gavin Farr were others who ensured the gap remained fairly constant.

Fermoy’s wide count hurt them greatly in that half (7/2), and failing to score from the 11th to 28th minute was another concern. Ben Twomey supplied three of their first half scores.

Fermoy staged a comeback in the second half, and it will be something Dohenys manager Declan O’Dwyer will look at, as his side went from 10 points up at one stage to eventually win by five.

However, they were never in danger of losing control.

Fermoy, who will take heart from their fightback, had four substitutions on the field by the time the second half commenced. And it wasn’t long before they began to eat into the deficit. One of those subs David Lardner, Twomey and Pádraig de Róiste helped trim the margin.

Four points to two (Farr and Barry frees) they outscored Dohenys before Twomey got in for a Fermoy goal in the 60th minute following an excellent Tomás Clancy’s delivery.

Ahead by four, Dohenys sub Paudie Crowley had the final say in the third minute of stoppage with his fisted point.

Scorers for Dohenys: K White (0-5, 0-1 free), F Herlihy (1-1), G Farr (frees) and C Barry (0-2 frees) (0-3 each), P Crowley (0-1).

Scorers for Fermoy: B Twomey (1-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45), D Lardner (0-2, 0-1 mark, 0-1 free), P de Róiste and G O’Callaghan (0-1 each).

DOHENYS: S Daly; D Rice, D Collins, J Farrell; B O’Donovan, C Barry, C Daly; A Mannix, R Coakley; A O’Donovan, F Herlihy, S Barry; K White (Capt), G Farr, B Murphy.

Subs: J Collins for B O’Donovan (46), P Crowley for G Farr (52), D Collins for B Murphy (59).

FERMOY: L Coleman; R O’Sullivan, P Murphy, L Aherne; J Molloy, D O’Carroll (Capt), G Lardner; J O’Brien, G O’Callaghan; M Brennan, D Daly, D Dawson; B Twomey, P de Róiste, T Clancy.

Subs: L Cronin for R O’Sullivan (25), D Lardner for G O’Callaghan, J Carr for D Daly, S Power for D Dawson (all half-time), A Aherne for M Brennan (47).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).