PIFC: Cian Fleming strikes late as Aghada hold off Castletownbere

Aghada 1-11 Castletownbere 0-12  

THREE late Cian Fleming points helped Aghada overcome Castletownbere in Group C of the Bon Secours PIFC in Dunmanway on Saturday afternoon.

Aghada came out on top of a game they were close to throwing away. The winners racked up 1-2 inside the opening five minutes but failed to register another score until after 41 minutes.

In between, Castletownbere played their way into contention only to lose Joseph O’Neill to a red card early in the second half. Aghada took full advantage and dominated the closing quarter to win by two.

The outcome of PIFC Group C remains delicately poised heading into the final round of games with Aghada building momentum ahead of facing Na Piarsaigh and Castletownbere looking to rebound against Newmarket.

Aghada’s Danny Creedon opened the scoring with a free inside the first minute. Shane Bennett to palmed the ball into the net shortly after and another Creedon point made it 1-2 to 0-0 after 5 minutes.

Yet, that would be Aghada’s last score for 36 minutes. Castletownbere fought back and reduced the deficit to 2 points courtesy of Tomás Murphy, Gary Murphy (free) and Andrew O’Sullivan.

Two Tomás Murphy frees and another O’Sullivan effort made it 0-7 to 1-2 at the end of a half in which Timmy Hartnett wasted a glorious goal-scoring opportunity.

Fintan Finner added another score at the start of the second half, but teammate Joseph O’Neill's red card proved a huge turning point a minute later.

Danny Creedon (free) finally got Aghada back on the scoreboard before an Aghada scoring sprees made it 1-8 to 0-9.

14-man Castletownbere refused to back down with Gary Murphy, Tomás Murphy (free) and Trevor Collins scores keeping them within touching distance.

It took late Danny Creedon and Cian Fleming efforts to finally end Castletownbere’s challenge and set up a grandstand finale to the group.

Scorers for Aghada: D Creedon (0-6, 0-4f); C Fleming (0-3); S Bennett (1-0); A Berry and D Phelan (0-1 each).

Castletownbere: T Murphy (0-4, 0-3f); G Murphy (0-3, 0-1f); A O’Sullivan (0-3, 0-1m); F Finner and T Collins (0-1 each).

AGHADA: C O’Shea; D Collins, J McDonnell (captain), K O’Shea; J O’Donoghue, M Russell, J Tynan; P O’Neill, D Rice; D Phelan, T Hartnett, D Creedon; K O’Hanlon, S Bennett, D Byrne.

Subs: A Berry for J O’Donoghue (28); C Fleming for D Rice (ht); D Leahy for M Russell (37, inj); N Cunningham for K O’Hanlon (43); R Power for D Byrne (51).

CASTLETOWNBERE: C O’Donoghue; O Byrne, L Harrington, J Harrington-Royales; J O’Neill, S McCarthy, D Hanley; A O’Sullivan, F Fenner; C Murphy, J Walsh, B Murphy; G Murphy, T Murphy, D Dunne.

Subs: T Collins for B Murphy (39); L Kelly for C Murphy 43, inj).

Referee: A Whelton (Clonakilty).