Third win in a row for impressive St Finbarr's footballers against Clon

St Finbarr's 1-17 Clonakilty 1-13 

SIX unanswered points in a devastating spell midway through the second-half helped St Finbarr's reach the quarter-finals of the Bon Secours Premier SFC at Coachford.

The prolific Steven Sherlock, substitute Eoghan Finn, along with the influential Brian Hayes and Adam Lyne, propelled the Barrs to 1-15 to 0-9 lead entering the closing 10 minutes.

And their place against Newcestown in a fortnight was well secured before Clonakilty, who were missing the injured Sean White, kept battling to the end, claiming the last four points.

The Barrs finished the first half well to turn a two-point deficit into a 1-7 to 0-7 advantage though they had to face the wind on the resumption.

After Sherlock blasted a 27th minute penalty off the crossbar, one of several missed opportunities, the side's leading scorer made amends with a crucial injury-time goal.

Hayes was the provider with another powerful surge to create the chance for Sherlock to punch home from close range.

It meant the Barrs finished the half by fetching 1-2 without response after Clon had opened up a 0-7 to 0-5 lead following Dara Ó Sé's fifth point after 25 minutes.

Clon gave the Barrs plenty of it in the first-half though their opponents will wonder how they only managed one goal.

Keeper Mark White twice denied Cillian Myers-Murray with important saves, including diverting a shot onto a post in the opening attack, and other chances went astray, too.

Hayes had the Barrs 0-5 to 0-4 in front at the first water break, but Clon, who needed to win by a big margin, claimed three points without response and were playing well.

The city club began the second-half on top with a Sherlock point after 20 seconds and a second Hayes score within a minute.

Typically, though, Clon replied with a couple of their own in quick succession for 1-9 to 0-9 after 35 minutes before the Barrs hit a purple patch.

Credit Clon for keeping going, however, boosted by Joe Grimes's goal even if Sherlock and Myers-Murray responded with points.

It's the end of the road for Clon and another west Cork side for the 'Barr's for a place in the semi-final.

Scorers for St Finbarr's: S Sherlock 1-7 (0-2 f, 0-1 mark, 0-1 45), B Hayes 0-3, C Myers-Murray and E Finn 0-2 each, C Lyons, A Lyne and E McGreevey 0-1 each.

Clonakilty: D Ó Sé 0-6 (0-5 f), J Grimes 1-2, T Clancy, D Lowney, J O'Mahony, D O'Regan, B White 0-1 each.

ST FINBARR'S: P O'Neill; S Ryan, J Burns, A O'Connor; C Lyons, O Murphy, C Scully; I Maguire, captain, C Keane; D O'Brien, S Sherlock, A Lyne; C Myers-Murray, B Hayes, E McGreevey. 

Subs: E Finn for Keane half-time, M Shields for O'Brien 50.

CLONAKILTY: M White; E Deasy, M Shanley, D Peet; J Grimes, C O'Donoghue, D Lowney; M Scally, T Clancy; B Ridgeway, G Barry, J O'Mahony; D O'Regan, D Ó Sé, S McEvoy. 

Subs: R Mannix for Barry half-time, B White for Ridgeway 45, S Nagle for Ó Sé injured 54.

Referee: B Coniry (Crosshaven).