Watch and read: Barrs hold Clonakilty at bay to keep dual dream alive and book Nemo decider

First-half goals from Rickey Barrett and Thomas Egan gave the Barrs a cushion and they duly booked a repeat of last year’s Cork Premier SFC final against Nemo Rangers

Cork Premier SFC semi-final: St Finbarr’s 2-12 (2-2-8) Clonakilty 0-16 (0-3-10) 

St Finbarr’s dual bid continues as they held off a Clonakilty comeback to set up a repeat of last year’s Cork Premier SFC final against Nemo Rangers on Sunday, October 25th.

First-half goals from Rickey Barrett and Thomas Egan gave them a cushion and a four-point burst against the slackening wind reinforced their lead.

Like their hurlers’ semi-final success, they reserved significant thanks for their goalkeeper. Darragh Newman saved a first-half penalty from Darragh Gough before tipping a Seán White chance onto the crossbar in stoppage time when four points separated the sides. Clon also booted 12 wides and left half as many short.

Both sides showed one change from their quarter-final victories. Egan came in for Luke Hannigan on the Barrs side. Ross Mannix replaced Gough for Clon’s first semi-final appearance since 2021.

The first half was a poor affair, briefly enlivened by a couple of dramatic twists before the interval.

Conor Daly pointed within 20 seconds of the throw-in, but Clon’s shooting soon left them down with five wides and a shot dropped short in the first quarter alone.

Not for the first time, the Barrs’ midfield produced some powerful moments. Ian Maguire assisted three of their first four scores, beginning with a point for Brian Hayes, who finished with 0-4.

When that centrefield duo exchanged a one-two, Maguire laid on the last pass for Barrett to palm over the keeper and into the net.

They followed that eighth-minute goal with a stunning Steven Sherlock two-point free, struck with the outside of his right boot from the South Stand into the Blackrock End. He was otherwise closely monitored by Dan Peet, allowing Cork corner-back Maurice Shanley to continue in his midfield berth.

An outstanding Mannix pass allowed Daly to pull one back, but a Sherlock free and Hayes made it 1-5 to 0-2.

The Clon management had seen enough as they called upon Gough and Dylan Harrington, who have been managing recent injuries. Gough pointed with his first touch, added a free, and Dara Ó Sé made it a one-score game.

The twist came when Maguire’s shot fell short and Mark White spilled the ball under pressure into Thomas Egan’s hands for a tap-in goal.

In stoppage time, Clon almost profited from their own misdirected shot. Mannix drove in along the endline and was clipped by Fionn Crowley’s leg for a penalty. Gough stepped up, but Darragh Newman got down to tip onto the post and out for a 45. Mark White converted for a 2-5 to 0-6 half-time deficit.

Turning to play with the slackening wind, Clon still had a chance. Shanley’s goal effort struck his midfield partner Ben Ridgeway, but Chris Kenneally cashed in the rebound for a point.

Gough added another, but Sherlock gave a measure of the dying wind by pumping over a 50-metre free off the ground.

Still, Harrington and a Gough orange flag had it back to a two-point difference, 2-7 to 0-11, with 20 minutes to play.

The Barrs rattled off the next four to quell hopes of an upset. Hayes doubled his haul and Hannigan and Sherlock, getting his first from play, added white flags.

Even when Ó Sé slotted from beyond the arc, Barrett grabbed a quick tap-over response.

That 54th-minute score would be their last. Daly clipped a one- and two-pointer for Clon, but the latter effort was in the third of four added minutes.

By then, their biggest chance had gone as Seán White’s palmed effort was tipped onto the crossbar by Newman.

Gough had one last attempt from beyond the arc, but it dropped short and Egan was on hand to mop up.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: S Sherlock (0-6, 2tpf, 1 free); R Barrett (1-1); B Hayes (0-4); T Egan (1-0); C Dennehy (0-1).

Scorers for Clonakilty: C Daly (1tp), D Gough (1tp, 1 free) (0-5 each); D Ó Sé (0-3, 1tp); M White (45), C Kenneally, D Harrington (0-1 each).

ST FINBARR’S: D Newman; D Quinn, F Crowley, S Ryan; C Scully, A O’Connor, C Doolan; I Maguire, B Hayes; T Egan, R Barrett, E Dennehy; J Wigginton-Barrett, S Sherlock (capt), W Buckley.

Subs: C Dennehy for O’Connor (24, inj), J Burns for Quinn (h-t, temp), L Hannigan for E Dennehy (43), C Myers-Murray for Wigginton-Barrett (56).

CLONAKILTY: M White (capt); D Darragh, D Peet, D Lowney; S White, T Clancy, J O’Mahony; B Ridgeway, M Shanley; D Kenneally, D Ó Sé, C Kenneally; S McEvoy, R Mannix, C Daly.

Subs: D Gough for McEvoy (23), D Harrington for S White (23), K O’Driscoll for D Kenneally (49), S White for Ridgeway (56).

Referee: C Lane (Banteer-Lyre)

All footage courtesy of Clubber TV.