Cork Premier JFC: Buttevant edge goalfest thriller, Luke Murphy sublime for Cullen
Cullen finished on top of Group 2 after they beat Na Piarsaigh by 2-18 to 3-2 in Glantane. Pic: David Keane.
It was a straight shootout in Mourneabbey on Friday night when Buttevant and Inniscarra clashed in Group 3 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier Junior Football Championship. These were the only two sides who had two wins from two, and with two very healthy scoring differences, whoever won would be taking top spot in the group, top seed in the championship and a place in the final four of the competition.
In torrential rain, both sides went goal crazy in the first half. Inniscarra set the tone with Liam O’Connor, Sean Sheahan and Steve Dornan finding the net to put them into a 3-4 to 0-5 lead with David Hanlon kicking 0-3 for Buttevant. However, two goals from Mark Lenehan in the lead up to half-time brought the Avondhu side right back into it. A Hanlon penalty to go along with another 0-4 was enough then for Buttevant to secure a 3-12 to 3-10 win.
Joining them in the final four will be St Nick’s as they topped Group 1 as a result of their 2-11 to 0-7 win over Urhan in Dunmanway. The goals for Nicks both came in the opening half from Eoin Downey and Eoin O’Leary. Jack O’Sullivan was also in fine form for the city men, kicking 0-7 while 0-3 from Donagh Coughlan, including a two-pointer helped them over the line. Urhan finished in third place despite the best efforts of Conchubhar Harrington who kicked 0-5.
Cullen finished on top of Group 2 after they beat Na Piarsaigh by 2-18 to 3-2 in Glantane. Luke Murphy was in sublime form for the Duhallow side as he kicked 1-11 which included three two-pointers from play. Colin O’Leary also contributed 1-3 while Aaron Nolan clipped 0-2. Sean Paul Cooke, Cian Hogan and Shane O’Connell raised the green flags for Na Piarsaigh as they finished in third place.
Cullen will play Canovee in the quarter-final after their 3-9 to 1-5 win over Ballydesmond in Macroom secured them second spot in Group 1. Mark Healy hit a crucial 1-1 in both halves for Canovee while Conor O’Neill grabbed their other goal in the second half. Jack Kelleher kicked 0-3 for last year’s beaten finalists while for Ballydesmond, 1-4 from Donncha O’Connor wasn’t enough to keep them out of the relegation playoff.
Cobh’s 1-11 to 0-3 win over Kinsale in Ovens earned them a quarter-final spot against Inniscarra. The Imokilly side got off to the perfect start here, kicking the first six points of the game with Fionn Duggan’s two-pointer the pick of them, while points from Timmy Wilk and Diarmuid Kearney helped them to a 0-7 to 0-2 half-time lead. Things didn’t get much better from there for Kinsale as two second half points from the excellent Jack Ronan and a goal from Darragh Burke helped Cobh to recover fully from their opening round loss to Cullen.
Millstreet will play Ballydesmond in the relegation playoff despite playing out a 0-17 to 1-14 draw with Glenville in Pairc Uí Rinn. 0-5 from Hugh Lenihan had kept Millstreet in touch with Glenville after a Ciarán O’Leary goal had given the Imokilly side the impetus in the opening half. Three second half points from Colin O’Keeffe helped keep Glenville ahead until a late two-pointer from Pa Dineen pushed Millstreet clear but Glenville found the equaliser they needed to keep themselves safe and send Millstreet into the playoff.
Buttevant, St Nick’s
Inniscarra v Cobh, Cullen v Canovee
Ballydesmond v Millstreet
