Rebel Óg Minor Football: Mallow survive penalty scare in St Michael's win
Mallow's Cathal Sheehan and Daniel Lucey (St Michael's) contest the ball during the Rebel Óg Premier 1 Football Championship at Mallow. Picture: John Tarrant
Mallow 1-14 St Michael’s 1-10
MALLOW got off to the right start in their first Rebel Óg P1 Minor Football Championship round-robin clash at Carrigoon on Wednesday night.
They were good value, after bouncing back from a late first-half goal that looked to hamper their progress after showing well for the opening 25 minutes.
This was a game with plenty quality on show as no fewer than six Cork minor stars were showing their wares in the sunshine.
For Mallow, the Copps brothers, Declan and Sam, as well as centre-forward Ronan O’Sullivan all showed their class, was did Bill Kingston (centre-field), number 14 Fionn Heffernan and wing-forward David Dunne.
For the vanquished side, young Cork stars Mikey O’Connell (keeper), midfielder Rory O’Shaughnessy and Ryan Sweeney (corner-forward) shone along with Darragh Brown on the other side, and Sam Murphy.
Despite playing against a freshening breeze Mallow were first out of the traps with a nice point from full-forward Fionn Heffernan. St Michael’s were quick to respond thanks to a tasty score from Sweeney but a brace of points from Diarmuid Murphy and Mark Kelleher gave the home side the game’s first multi-score advantage.
Darragh Browne bagged a nice score for himself moments later however O’Sullivan scored his first of two points in the opening 30 to keep the boys in red and yellow ahead.
The visitors may have been trailing but continued to threaten and scores from Luke Herlihy and Sweeney had the scoreboard showing parity as the sides took the first water break.
Mallow again scored first on the resumption but a point from Lee O’Sullivan and a goal from Sam Murphy put Michael’s up by two as the game approached the half-time interval.
Simon Leneghan brought the game back to just one bringing an end to a very competitive and enjoyable first half. 1-6 to 0-8.
The second half burst into life right from the off when Mallow’s Mark Kelleher surged through the St Michael’s rear-guard to finish to the top corner – game on in the north Cork sunshine.
St Michael’s stood up to the challenge but just couldn’t get the gap below two.
The boys in green had a chance late on when awarded a penalty however the effort was saved brilliantly by Mallow keeper Joshua Harkin – Mallow held on for the deserved win.
C Maher (Buttevant).
