Carbery save their best for last to escape relegation and send Éire Óg down

A first championship win in three seasons was attained thanks to Cork senior John O’Rourke’s accuracy, an excellent third quarter effort and Paul Hodnett’s match-clinching goal.

HURLEY BURLY: Carbery Rangers' Patrick Hurley bursts past Eire Óg's Adam McCarthy during the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC relagation play off at Enniskeane. Pic:: Eddie O'Hare

Cork Premier SFC relegation play-off: Carbery Rangers 1-11 Éire Óg 2-6 

Carbery Rangers have preserved their McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC status but it will be senior A championship football for Éire Óg in 2025.

The West Cork club’s tenure amongst Cork GAA football’s elite will continue for a 20th year thanks to a relegation play-off victory in Enniskeane. That’s the bottom line and only statistic that matters to manager Seamus Hayes at the conclusion of what’s been a challenging campaign.

Relegation from Division 1 of the county league coupled with one draw and two championship losses prior to taking the field against Éire Óg meant dropping down to senior A was a real possibility for the 2016 senior county champions. Instead, Rangers saved their best display of the year for when it mattered most.

A first championship win in three seasons was attained thanks to Cork senior John O’Rourke’s accuracy, an excellent third quarter effort that rendered their opponents scoreless and Paul Hodnett’s match-clinching goal.

“We have been waiting for that win for a long time,” Carbery Rangers manager Seamus Hayes admitted. “Couldn’t believe their injury-time goal ended up in the back of the net and I was just looking at the ref and saying please don’t let another play go ahead.

“We really deserved to win that game. Without a doubt, we were the better team on the day and the performance from the lads was exceptional, especially given the pressure that they were under.” In contrast, Éire Óg’s players were crestfallen. Long after the final whistle, the Ovens club’s players were still hunched on the playing surface, staring into space and struggling to take in the enormity of the moment.

The Ovens club led 1-4 to 0-6 at the end of a tight first half thanks to Diarmuid Dineen’s well finshed goal.

Alas, Éire Óg couldn’t get going in the third quarter, or weren’t allowed to by a more clinical opponent.

Brian Hodnett, Paul Shanahan (45) and John O’Rourke (free) edged Rangers 0-9 to 1-4 ahead as Carbery forced Chris Kelly into two top class saves.

Daniel Goulding replied with two efforts, Éire Óg’s first scores of the second period, after 51 and 53 minutes.

0-10 to 1-6 in front, Carbery Rangers put the result to bed when Paul Hodnett’s close range effort trickled over the line.

Though they rallied in the closing minutes, and despite losing Dylan Foley to a black card, Daniel Healy’s injury-time goal proved a mere consolation as Éire Óg slipped down to the senior A grade.

Scorers for Carbery Rangers: J O’Rourke 0-4 (1f), Paul Hodnett 1-0, P Shanahan 0-3 (2f, 1 45’), P O’Rourke 0-2, P Hurley, B Hodnett 0-1 each.

Scorers for Éire Óg: D Dineen, D Healy 1-0 each, D Goulding 0-2 (1f), C Clifford, R O’Flynn, C O’Callaghan, J Cooper 0-1 each.

CARBERY RANGERS: P Shanahan (captain); James O’Riordan, T O’Rourke, J Kevane; Jerry O’Riordan, K Eady, C McCarthy; B Hodnett, K Scannell; J O’Rourke, J Hodnett, P Hurley; P O’Rourke, D Hayes, B Shanahan.

Substitutes: Paul Hodnett for D Hayes (52), Padriag Hodnett for P Hurley (55), S Lenihan for B Hodnett (60), D O’Dwyer for J O’Riordan (63).

ÉIRE ÓG: C Kelly; D Herlihy, M Corkery, C Clifford; C McGoldrick, M Griffin, D Dineen; D McCarthy (captain), R O’Toole; R O’Flynn, C O’Callaghan, D Kelly; J Kelleher, J Cooper, D Goulding.

Substitutes: A McCarthy for M Corkery (28, inj), J Murphy for D Kelly (38), D Foley for A McCarthy (46, inj), H Murphy for R O’Toole

(50), D Healy for J Kelleher (58).

Referee: Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).