Macroom survive late Ilen Rovers surge to retain PIFC status

Ilen Rovers late comeback wasn't enough to save them from a third relegation in four seasons.

28th September 2024; Macroom's Eolan O'Leary celebrates his goal against Ilen Rovers during the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier IFC relegation/ playoff at Dunmanway. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Cork PIFC: Macroom 1-13 Ilen Rovers 1-11

For the second year in a row, Macroom can breathe easy over the winter months after they again survived the relegation playoff in the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork PIFC in Dunmanway this afternoon. The winter will be longer and darker for Ilen Rovers, however, as their late surge wasn’t enough to save them from a third relegation in four seasons.

When Don Creedon put Macroom six points to good with eight minutes to play, this one seemed to be done and dusted. The Muskerry side led by 1-5 to 0-7 at the break and after half time they had been far more economical with their possession. Two Andrew Quinn frees along with points from Johnny Murphy, Eolan O’Leary and Tony Dineen had helped push them clear as Ilen’s accuracy deserted them. They kicked five wides and only one point from Conor O’Driscoll since the break.

A Dan McEoin free and Micheal Sheehy’s third of the afternoon threatened a burst, but Quinn’s sixth of the afternoon seemed to have made Macroom safe. McEoin sent over another free, there were three minutes to go, and his side needed a goal. Then they got it.

Dermot Hegarty floated a ball in and around the square, Emmet Hourihane was there to poke it home and everything was up for grabs again. Crucially, Fintan Goold grabbed the resultant kickout, and Macroom controlled possession superbly. When they lost it, Mark Corrigan won a vital turnover, and they managed to work one more point as Quinn set up Mark O’Riordan for the insurance score.

Ilen bombed one more ball into the square, but Rory Buckley claimed it, and that was that.

A lively opening half belied what was at stake for both sides. If they were going to drop, they weren’t going to be left wondering. A Sheehy mark for Ilen was cancelled out by a Quinn point for Macroom before Quinn’s first free of the afternoon put his side in front. Ilen looked the more incisive from then to the quarter hour as Mc Eoin’s first score followed back-to-back points from Hegarty to leave Ilen 0-4 to 0-2 to the good.

Murphy and Quinn then brought Macroom level before another classy score from Sheehy put the West Cork side back in front. Macroom then landed the first real blow of the contest. A sumptuous ball from Murphy picked out O’Leary and he finished cooly to land the game’s opening goal. Mc Eoin responded with an outrageous point from play before Macroom’s Dylan Twomey traded scores with Ilen’s Jack Collins to leave the mid Cork men one point to the good at the interval, 1-5 to 0-7.

From there they were in control, until they weren’t. But they found that poise again when it mattered the most.

Scorers for Macroom: A Quinn (0-6, 0-5 frees), E O’Leary (1-1), J Murphy (0-2), D Creedon, T Dineen, D Twomey and J O’Riordan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ilen Ro vers: D McEoin (0-4, 0-2 frees), M Sheehy (0-3, 0-1 Mark), E Hourihane (1-0), D Hegarty (0-2), J Collins and C O’Driscoll (0-1 each).

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

Subs: E O’Mahony for Twomey (40), S Meaney for O’Riordan (60).

ILEN ROVERS: D O’Sullivan; B Collins, S Minihane, J Collins; C Harrington, S Carey, D O’Driscoll; C O’Driscoll, D Hegarty; P O’Driscoll, A O’Sullivan, C Dwyer; J Hickey, D Mc Eoin, M Sheehy.

Subs: S O’Shea for Minihane (inj, 10), E Hourihane for O’Shea (inj, h/t), K O’Driscoll for Harrington, P O’Driscoll for Hickey, D Ryan for O’Sullivan (54).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).