Cork GAA season in review: Duhallow duo dug deep to reach PIFC final

Lorcán McLoughlin, Kanturk, kicks into the forward line against Aghada. Picture: Larry Cummins.
In Group 2, Knocknagree — junior champions in 2017 and winners of the intermediate in 2019 — experienced mixed fortunes. Starting off against St Vincent’s, they conceded an early goal to Anthony O’Callaghan, but regrouped to lead by 0-8 to 1-2 at half-time, with scores from John Fintan Daly and Denis O’Connor.

There was still room for one more twist though and Ó Ceallaigh sent over a levelling free to leave it 0-14 each at the end.

By the time quarter-finals came around, Kanturk had already booked their place in the senior A hurling semis with a win over Bandon and, while all but three of their footballers played hurling — with quite a few on the Duhallow panel too — there were no ill-effects as they proved superior to Aghada, winning by 0-17 to 0-8 in Ovens. Cian Clernon and Paul Walsh impressed as Kanturk led by 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time and they were nine clear by the second-half water-break, with Kyrle Holland’s dead-ball accuracy of the highest order. The same gap pertained at the end, setting them up for a semi-final clash with Cill na Martra.

While Nemo responded with points from Colm Kiely and Adrian Greaney to cut the gap to one, they couldn’t find an equaliser and Knocknagree advanced with a 1-10 to 0-12 victory.

A week later, Kanturk — by this stage knocked out of the SAHC semi-final by Charleville — sought to bounce back as they took on Cill na Martra, who were playing their first game in four weeks.
