Jack Byerley grabs a hat-trick as Clonakilty minor footballers outgun Na Piarsaigh

Na Piarsaigh 1-10 (1-2-8) Clonakilty 4-8 (4-1-6) 

Clonakilty got their second win in the Cork ETB Premier 1 MFC championship at Na Piarsaigh on Wednesday night.

It should be enough to see the winners through to the semi-finals, but that won’t be 100% confirmed until the final round of games. However, they top the group on four points, with one round to go, with Douglas and Glanmire both on two points. Na Piarsaigh could still force a three-way tie for second if Clon beat Glanmire and they get the better of Douglas.

Clon’s ability to get goals was the difference with Jack Byerley scoring three of them to see the West Cork side travel home with the points secured.

Jamie Coughlan opened the scoring for Na Piarsaigh with Tom Whooley replying for the visitors. Jack Byerley put Clonakilty in front as they led by 0-2 to 0-1 after seven minutes.

Luke Hurley levelled the game, before Na Piarsaigh’s Coughlan got a two-pointer for his side. With 19 minutes gone the home side got the first goal of the tie.

Darragh Casey picked up the ball and played Coughlan in, and he gave Dylan Foley no chance of saving, to make it 1-4 to 0-2 after 19 minutes. 

With 23 minutes gone Piarsaigh had their keeper, Cian Quinn to thank as he saved superbly from Jack Byerley. However, the rebound fell to Whooley and he made no mistake at the second attempt, to make it 1-4 to 1-2.

Clon got their second goal, when Matthew Lyons was on target. Whooley then scored outside the arc to stretch their lead further, to make it 2-4 to 1-4.

Hurley got the last score of the half, to make it 2-4 to 1-5 at half-time.

Jack Burke got the first score of the second half, before Clon enjoyed their best spell of the tie. Byerley got their third goal and he added a point, to make it 3-5 to 1-6 after 36 minutes.

Two minutes later and he got their fourth goal as they were on top at this stage. He added two more points to put them well in front, 4-7 to 1-7 with 41 minutes gone.

Credit to Na Piarsaigh they kept battling, with Coughlan reducing the deficit. Nathan Coffey added another for the home side, as they also went close with several missed goal chances.

A free from Hurley made it 1-9 to 4-7 with two minutes left. Whooley pointed for Clon, with Hurley rounding off the scoring to see the visitors run out winners on the night.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: J Coughlan 1-4 (1 2pt), L Hurley (0-1 f) 0-4, N Coffey, J Burke 0-1 each.

Clonakilty: J Byerley 3-3, T Whooley 1-4 (1 2pt), M Lyons 0-1.

NA PIARSAIGH: C Quinn; D O’Leary, R Quinlan, J O’Connor; R Cronin, N Coffey, D Casey; C O’Sullivan, J Burke; J Cahalane, J Coughlan, C O’Sullivan; R Manley, L Hurley, A Crowley.

Subs: J Constant for A Crowley (38), S O’Neill for J Cahalane (57), J Cregan for J O’Connor (59).

CLONAKILTY: D Falvey; L Kelleher, J Costello, E Minihan; S O’Donovan, B Coffey, F O’Donovan; E Deiseach, E Knowles; M F Collins, D Donovan, C O’Gorman; J Byerley, T Whooley, M Lyons.

Subs: E Nolan for D Donovan (21), F O’Mahony for MF Collins (48), L Rohan for C O’Gorman (56), E Murphy for T Whooley (59), G Doyle for J Byerley (60).

Referee: Peter Finnegan, Douglas.