No stroll this year, but profligate champs Imokilly march on
Jack Griffin, Imokilly is surrounded by Muskerry's Padraig O'Sullivan, Fenton Denny and Mark Lucey, Picture: Jim Coughlan.
It wasn’t the dominant performance that we’ve become accustomed to, but reigning county champions Imokilly did enough to retain the Denis O’Riordan Cup and take it home to east Cork after their hard-fought 11-point victory over Muskerry in the Co-Op Superstores Cork Divisions/Colleges Premier SHC final at a showery Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday night.
The win secures their passage to the county championship quarter-final.
It must be pointed out that Denis Ring’s side were without the services of Shane Hegarty and Mike Russell from the selected team, while Séamus Harnedy was listed among the subs.
Jack Leahy rowed in with 1-8 - his goal in the 53rd minute was the only green flag raised in the game.
But the champions missed more than their fair share of scores, their wide count of 14 to eight for Muskerry, means they will have to improve on their efficiency.
A Muskerry side that was depleted mainly due to injury, but it was nothing like the 6-31 to 0-17 scoreline they endured in last year’s showdown.
This was always going to be the ultimate litmus test for them, and they did have a couple of goal opportunities but they failed to put them away.
It was a contest that never rose to any great heights, so a welcome bit of colour was added to the occasion by The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Football Club from Colorado, who are currently on tour and took in the game. They created quite the stir with their ensemble, which was complete with Stetson hats.
Johnny Galvin’s opening point after a mere 14 seconds was met with their approval.
Imokilly responded scoring the next three points through Diarmuid Healy, Will Leahy and Conor Cahill.
James Lane found space for a Muskerry point, but Imokilly kicked on with another trio of points, two from Jack Leahy (one free) and Mike Kelly to lead 0-6 to 0-2 after 13 minutes.
The script appeared to be going according to plan.
When Matthew Bradley and Seán O’Neill slotted points, the gap was reduced to two, and it was clear that Diarmuid Kirwan’s men were able to give as good as they got.
It helped that the Imokilly radar was uncharacteristically off.
The deficit remained at two up until the 22nd minute, that is until Imokilly got more into their stride approaching half-time, with Kelly, Healy and Jack Leahy putting four between them.
Galvin got his second point, which would be the final score of the half.
Muskerry were left disappointed they didn’t get any return from either Mark Lucey or O’Neill in front of goal, nor from the resultant 65.
Imokilly in front 0-11 to 0-8 at the break.
And they were quick out of the blocks in the second half with Kelly getting the ball rolling, his third point.
They hit another three, one of which might have found the net.
Meanwhile, Paul Ring kept Muskerry in touch, the difference now six points.
Bradley had a chance well saved by Eoin Davis, but the mid Cork outfit did grab points from Bradley and O’Neill.
Imokilly were always able to up the tempo, as demonstrated by Lawton, Healy, Davis (free) and Jack Leahy twice.
The lead now stretched to nine points, 0-20 to 0-11.
Lane had just pulled one back when Imokilly struck for goal. A running move that ended with Joe Stack putting Jack Leahy through and the corner-forward found the net.
The remaining seven minutes started to peter out.
A concern however in stoppage time, was an injury picked up by Imokilly defender James McCarthy.
J Leahy (1-8, 0-4 frees), D Healy (0-4), M Kelly and B Lawton (0-3 each), C Cahill (0-2), L Duggan Murray, E Davis (free) and W Leahy (0-1 each).
M Bradley (0-6, 0-1 65), J Galvin, J Lane and S O’Neill (0-2 each), P Ring, M O’Connell and K Murphy (0-1 each).
E Davis (St Catherine’s); T Wilk (Cobh), C O’Brien (St Ita’s), J McCarthy (Dungourney); J Griffin (Dungourney), C Joyce (Castlemartyr), J Cronin (Lisgoold); B Cooper (Youghal), M Kelly (Castlemartyr); C Cahill (Cloyne) D Healy (Lisgoold), B Lawton (Castlemartyr, Capt); W Leahy (Aghada), J Stack (Castlemartyr), J Leahy (Dungourney).
M Hegarty (Lisgoold) for W Leahy (46), O Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s) for M Kelly (54), A Sherlock (Cloyne) for C O’Brien, D Joyce (Castlemartyr) for J Cronin (both 56), L Duggan Murray (Russell Rovers) for B Lawton (58).
J Walsh (Grenagh); B Ó Suilleabháin (Aghabullogue), F Denny (Ballincollig), R Honohan (Donoughmore); P Ring (Aghabullogue), M Brady (Éire Óg), C Dalton (Ballincollig); M O’Connell (Dripsey), J Galvin (Éire Óg); M Lucey (Donoughmore) J Foley (Aghabullogue), C O’Callaghan (Éire Óg); M Bradley (Aghabullogue, Capt), J Lane (Aghabullogue), S O’Neill (Ballincollig).
K Murphy (Ballinora) for M Lucey (44), R Coleman (Grenagh) for J Foley (48), O O’Shea (Éire Óg) for M O’Connell (57).
Patrick O’Mahony (Kilbrittain).
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