Iveleary footballers see off battling Midleton in fiesty JAFC clash
Seanaidh Smyth and Cian Crowley, Midleton, close in on Chris Óg Jones, Iveleary, in the JAFC quarter-final. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
A SOLID Iveleary performance was good enough to see off a resilient 14-man Midleton side in a competitive Bon Secours JAFC quarter-final at Ballyanly.
In a game that was niggly at times Midleton’s Seanaidh Smyth received a straight card in the 22nd minute that certainly hampered them for the remainder of the game and sent the Mid Cork outfit into a semi-final clash with Kilmacabea.
It only took 30 seconds for Iveleary to open their account when Brian Cronin nailed a free from 25 yards.
The East Cork side looked dangerous in the opening exchanges and they were level in the fourth minute following a monstrous Cormac Beausang white flag.
The Inchigeela outfit were slick going forward and it only two minutes for them to regain their lead following a Chris Óg Jones' point with Conor O’Leary providing a classy assist.
Midleton were struggling to win possession and consecutive points extended the Iverleary lead to 0-4 to 0-1.
Iveleary looked far superior in winning dirty ball and a poor kick-out from the Midleton goalkeeper Eoghan Collins saw Jones lobbying the ball to the empty net.
A moment of indiscipline cost Midleton in the 22nd minute when Seanaidh Smyth received a straight red with Jones receiving a yellow for his part in what looked a bit of handbags off the ball.
In the closing minutes, the play became sloppy but Iveleary finished with a late point in added time that ensured they went in at the break with a 1-7 to 0-4 lead.
Surprisingly Midleton found another gear on the restart but they missed two scoreable point opportunities.
Credit to Iveleary they weathered the storm and Chris Óg Jones blasted a shot against the crossbar in the 35th minute with a goal at his mercy. The Magpies upped the physicality stakes and consecutive points from Luke Dineen and Beausang reduced the deficit to four points in the 38th minute.
The game was in the melting pot in the 43rd minute when poor Iveleary defending allowed Luke Dineen kick an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net that reduced the deficit to two points 1-8 to 1-6.
Up to the second water break, Midleton had more than their share of the ball but a third Jones point relieved the pressure followed by another white flag from substitute Aaron O’Donovan.
The Iveleary fans welcomed the introduction of former Cork panellist Cathal Vaughan when introduced 12 minutes from time and his class steadied the ship for the Muskerry side.
Midleton ran out of gas coming down but they kept going and despite second Luke Dineen goal in the closing minute, it proved fruitless as Iveleary were firmly in control.
Next up for Iveleary is a mouth-watering semi-final against Kilmacabea.
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