Double delight for Éire Óg after hurling epic against Aghabullogue
Joy for Éire Óg after their IHC success against rivals Aghabullogue. Picture: Larry Cummins
Éire Óg 2-16 Aghabullogue 1-17
ÉIRE Óg are 2020 Co-op Superstores champions after a thrilling Cork IAHC Final victory over neighbours and Mid Cork rivals Aghbullogue.
This went all the way down the home straight but crucial goals from man-of-the-match Daniel Goulding and substitute Brian Corcoran proved the difference in the end of a pulsating contest. It completed a unique double for Éire Óg who also won the Senior A Football Championship a number of weeks ago.
The parishes of Ovens and Farran have enjoyed a fairytale season, even if it was delayed by Covid.
Aghabullogue’s Ian Barry-Murphy put in a heroic shift and got the opening score as his side played with a strong wind for the opening period. Joe Cooper equalised with an excellent score from out on the sideline. Aghabullogue’s Shane Tarrant edged his side in front with a placed ball before Daniel Goulding levelled for the Ovens outfit. Aghabullogue seized the initiative with three points in a row from Daniel Dineen, Ian Barry-Murphy and Mathew Bradley.
John Cooper is a superb dual player and he landed a monster effort from play but the lively Daniel Dineen replied with a beauty of his own. Former Cork footballer Ciaran Sheehan, who had his knee heavily strapped, landed a brilliant score to reduce the margin to two, 0-6 0-4 after 10 minutes.
But Aghabullogue powered forward with points from Shane Tarrant (free), Dineen and the impressive Bradley to ensure Aghabullogue led by 0-9 to 0-6 at the water break. After a helter-skelter opening quarter, the pace slowed down before Goulding was hauled down for a penalty.
Kevin Hallissey’s well-struck effort was brilliantly stopped by the evergreen Finbarr Foley who made a few excellent saves during the game. This brilliant save inspired the Aghabullogue men and they tacked on points through Paudie Twomey and Mathew Bradley to ensure they led by 0-12 to 0-7 at the break.
Slowly but surely Éire Óg took control and rattled off points from Cork senior footballer Colm Callaghan and Hallissey (free) which reduced the gap to three points. Aghbullogue were defending heroically but an inspirational score from Sheehan was followed by a Hallissey free which reduced the gap to a single point, 0-13 to 0-12 after 44 minutes.
The Ovens side went ahead with a brilliantly finished goal from Goulding after great work from Hallissey. A superb free from Tarrant levelled the game 1-13 to 0-16 after 50 minutes.
Hallissey bisected the posted with a 65 before Aghabullogue’s Barry-Murphy rattled the net with a superb individual goal. Dylan Desmond bombed down the puck-out and it found its way to Brian Corcoran who blasted to the net in a frantic finale.
Hallissey landed his seventh of the evening to give his side a three-point cushion.
Aghabullogue kept on battling to the end and Tarrant landed a monster free which reduced the gap to two points as the game entered injury time. But in the end, the Ovens side lasted home and completed an extraordinary double in the most challenging of seasons.
The team captains dedicated the victory to long-serving official Kevin Murray who has been a club stalwart for decades.
This was a complete team performance from Éire Óg and honourable mention goes to the Cooper brothers John and Joe, while Sheehan chipped in with three crucial scores in a classic encounter.
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