Clon blitzed as Nemo hit top gear

THEIR season may have culminated at the quarter-final stage last season but Nemo Rangers have issued a powerful response in 2010.

Last night before a crowd of 2,340 spectators in Páirc Uí Rinn they hammered reigning title holders Clonakilty in style in the Evening Echo Cork SFC semi-final and they will stride forward to the final date in a fortnight in a healthy state.

That decider will be the ninth that the Trabeg outfit have contested in the last 12 years and they will be striving to collect their eighth crown in that time frame. St Finbarrs and Carbery Rangers still have ambitions to pen a different script, but if Nemo Rangers replicate the excellent form they displayed last night it is difficult to foresee them experiencing an afternoon of anguish.

This last four clash was envisaged to be tight and tense, in keeping with the trends of ties when these teams have collided over the past decade. Clonakilty arrived in Páirc Uí Rinn with striking credentials as a series of notable victories this summer suggested they were determined to scale the heights they reached in last September’s county final triumph. But that book of evidence was declared unsound in the face of a formidable Nemo Rangers onslaught.

In the opening quarter Clonakilty posed an arduous challenge. Colm Calnan was drafted into their attack from the start where he formed a menacing full-forward line with Conor McManus and Padraig Griffin. With centre-back Noel Griffin driving the team on and Donal Lyons busying himself to good effect at wing-forward in claiming possession, the West Cork men looked dangerous. Calnan and Griffin showcased their trickery with a point apiece from play and with goalkeeper James O’Brien doing well to tip away a blistering Paul Kerrigan drive, Clonakilty were good value for their 0-3 to 0-2 lead by the 15th minute.

However Nemo Rangers quickly got to grips with their opponents tactics. They shuffled their defensive cards with the deployment of Colin O’Brien on Lyons and the detailing of Ciaran O’Shea to watch Griffin both paying dividends. Nemo had been bereft of the presences of Dylan Mehigan and James Masters before throw-in due to injuries but their replacements David Niblock and Sean O’Brien more than adequately filled those spots.

Niblock and Peter Morgan registered neat points that demonstrated the momentum of the game was changing before Nemo pounced for their first goal of the night in the 22nd minute. It was a strike that was a product of a super team move with Niblock finding Peter Morgan in space with a perceptive long ball and he transferred to Alan Cronin who surged forward, sidestepped Clonakilty netminder O’Brien and planted the ball in the net. Colin O’Donovan made a good fist of hauling Clonakilty back into contention before the break with precise kicking in front of goal yet with O’Brien and William Morgan slipping over neat points, Nemo were in command with a 1-6 to 0-6 interval lead.

The second-half began bleakly for Clonakilty when Conrad Murphy, who was only introduced just before half-time, limped off with a leg injury and then in a rapid blast of scores, Nemo killed off any remaining notions of a contest. Paul Kerrigan burst to the fore as he attuned his shooting successfully to raise white flags before slotting expertly to the net in 39th minute after neat interplay with Sean O’Brien. The incline facing Clonakilty got steeper as they trailed at that juncture by 2-9 to 0-6 and they were prevented them from hatching a recovery plan by the form Nemo Rangers were exhibiting. The match had been lively and engaging in the first-half but the fare deteriorated after the break as a consequence of Nemo’s complete control.

The core of Nemo’s second-half dominance was at midfield as they monopolised possession to an extraordinary extent. James O’Brien’s kickouts were returned consistently in the direction of the Clonakilty defence as Peter Morgan and David Niblock got their hands to balls falling from the sky. The alertness and energy of Nemo Rangers half-forwards Alan Cronin and William Morgan was also significant, as they feasted on any breaks that came their way. Clonakilty notched points through Denis Murphy and Conor McManus in brief forays forward but they needed a goal to ignite their performance. With the Nemo rearguard looking so resilient and Clonakilty’s chief attackers starved of quality possession, Brian Morgan’s goalmouth was rarely troubled.

Up front Nemo’s shooting was faulty at times as they racked up 15 wides over the hour but a couple of beautifully shots by William Morgan, who showed great poise under defensive pressure, left them 2-12 to 0-8 in front by the 52nd minute. From there the match petered to its inevitable conclusion. Alan Cronin blasted over a point by Nemo, substitute Fionn Coughlan fired over one in reply for Clonakilty but neither score altered the outcome as Nemo sailed through to the final.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: P Kerrigan 1-3 (three frees); A Cronin 1-2; W Morgan 0-3; B O’Driscoll 0-2 (one free, one ‘45); P Morgan, D Niblock, S O’Brien 0-1 each.

Clonakilty: C O’Donovan 0-5 (four frees); C McManus (one free), P Griffin, D Murphy, C Calnan, F Coughlan 0-1 each.

Substitutes for Nemo Rangers: A Morgan for Kearney (51), B Twomey for W Morgan (55), M Dorgan for Niblock (60).

Clonakilty: C Murphy for O’Regan (28), T O’Sullivan for Tony Anglin (33), H Kenny for Murphy (inj) (33), F Coughlan for Nagle (40).

Referee: James Bermingham (Bride Rovers).