Diarmuid Healy stars for Imokilly in victory over valiant Fr O'Neill's

Imokilly will face Blackrock in the semi-finals. 

Fr. O'Neill's Declan Dalton is tackled by Imokilly's Diarmuid Healy during the Co-Op Superstores Premier SHC at Midleton. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Cork Premier SHC quarter-final: Imokilly 0-27 Fr O’Neill’s 2-14 

Imokilly are back in the last four of the Co-op Superstores Cork PSHC after they kept Fr O’Neill’s at arm’s length at a packed Clonmult Memorial Park in Midleton this afternoon. In that semi-final they will play Blackrock who defeated them at the same stage two seasons ago. The latest chapter of the O’Neill’s journey has now ended, but they went out here knowing that they couldn’t have done much more against a stacked Imokilly outfit for whom Diarmuid Healy starred.

There was brief hope in the final quarter that O’Neill’s might just pull off the unlikeliest of victories. Declan Dalton, who was well marshalled by Ciarán Joyce in general, slotted over his tenth of the afternoon to leave his side trailing by 0-18 to 0-12 with fourteen minutes remaining. Billy Dunne then halved the deficit as he claimed a lofted delivery from John Millerick before blasting the ball to the net.

The Imokilly response was impressive. Dalton traded points with Healy before the stripey men hit the next four through Sean Desmond, Shane Hegarty and a couple of Jack Leahy frees. Dalton had a free saved on the line by Timmy Wilk during that time too, but soon he had a chance to take on Eoin Davis from the penalty spot. His effort nearly burst the net, and when he followed it up with a free, the O’Neill’s crowd dared to dream.

It was not to be, however, as Imokilly hit the last four of the game through Healy, Mike Kelly, Daire O’Leary and Darragh O’Brien to take a deserved victory. There was still time for another Dalton penalty, but Davis saved this time, and that was that.

If O’Neill’s were going to cause an upset, they really needed to start well. What will frustrate them is that they did create the chances. They hit seven first half wides, Dalton had a free blocked while John Millerick had an effort on goal blocked after good play from Billy Dunne and Jason Hankard pulled wide when he was first to react to a breaking ball following a Dalton sideline.

Meanwhile, Imokilly were on the ruthless side of efficient and led by 0-5 to 0-2 after the first fifteen minutes. Séamus Harnedy had clipped over two points, Leahy popped over a free while Desmond and Hegarty had the others. Dalton had the O’Neill’s scores and his third was the only for one his side of the next five as Leahy (2), Desmond and Daire O’Leary put Imokilly 0-9 to 0-3 in front.

John Millerick then had O’Neill’s first score from play, and they steadied from there to the short whistle. Dalton landed three more frees and a beauty of a line ball, but they were matched by three Adam Murphy points and Healy’s first of the day to leave the divisional outfit leading by 0-13 to 0-8 at the break.

The third quarter followed a familiar pattern. Dalton landed another two points, Cillian Broderick got his name on the scoresheet but three more Leahy frees for Imokilly were supplemented by points from Healy and Kevin O’Neill to push them 0-18 to 0-11 to the good.

From there O’Neill’s made a kick, but Imokilly were more than able to withstand it.

Scorers for Imokilly: J Leahy (0-8, 0-1 ’65, 0-6 frees), D Healy (0-4), S Desmond and A Murphy (0-3 each), S Hegarty, D O’Leary and S Harnedy (0-2 each), M Kelly (free), K O’Neill and D O’Brien (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Fr O’Neill’s: D Dalton (1-12, 1-0 pen, 0-10 frees, 0-1 s/l) ,B Dunne (1-0), John Millerick and C Brodefick (0-1 each).

IMOKILLY: E Davis (St Catherine’s); T Wilk (Cobh), M Russell (Aghada), M McGrath (Dungourney); D O’Leary (Watergrasshill), C Joyce (Castlemartyr), J Cronin (Lisgoold); S Hegarty (Dungourney), B Cooper (Youghal) (c); Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr), D Healy (Lisgoold), S Harnedy (St Ita’s); A Murphy (Watergrasshill), S Desmond (Watergrasshill), J Leahy (Dungourney).

Subs: K O’Neill (Watergrasshill) for Cooper (inj, 29), M Kelly (Castlemartyr) for Brian Lawton (55), D O’Brien (St Ita’s) for Leahy (60), Barry Lawton (Castlemartyr) for Murphy (63), 

FR O’NEILL’S: P O’Sullivan; M Millerick, G Millerick, E Motherway (JC); M O’Keeffe, D Harrington, C O’Connor; Joe Millerick, K O’Sullivan; P McMahon, D Dalton, J Hankard; C Broderick (JC), John Millerick, B Dunne.

Subs: P Hassett for McMahon (47), R Kenneally for Hankard (51), R Cullinane for Joe Millerick (57), M Wall for Broderick (59) 

Referee: Brendan Barry Murphy (Aghabullogue).