Éire Óg have six points to spare over Carbery Rangers in Premier debut

Éire Óg 1-15 Carbery Rangers 1-9 

A HISTORIC win for Éire Óg, the Ovens club securing victory in their first-ever top-flight Cork football championship outing.

Crowned 2020 Senior A champions two and a half months ago, Éire Óg, led by their outstanding centre-back John Cooper, enjoyed a seamless transition to the top table of Cork club football when overcoming Carbery Rangers in this Premier Senior Group B clash.

Playing into the wind in the opening half, Éire Óg trailed 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval. The crucial score of the opening half an hour was John Hodnett’s well-taken goal for the Rosscarbery side on 27 minutes, at a time when they trailed by 0-5 to 0-4.

Carbery Rangers, who were minus the injured Brian and Mark Hodnett, James Fitzpatrick, and the suspended John Hayes, had opened the brighter, forging a 0-3 to 0-1 lead inside eight minutes. 

But Éire Óg settled thereafter, with three-in-a-row from Daniel Goulding (0-2) and the excellent Ronan O’Toole edging the premier senior newcomers into a one-point lead at the water break.

Éire Óg found themselves three in arrears when Peadar O’Rourke pointed for Carbery Rangers six minutes into the second half. The seasoned West Cork outfit, however, would fail to add to their tally for another 14 minutes and only managed two further white flags across the remaining 24 minutes of action.

A pair of points from Goulding narrowed the gap to the minimum, 1-7 to 0-9, with Éire Óg regaining the lead on 43 minutes thanks to a Colm O’Callaghan point attempt punched to the net by Dylan Foley.

Goulding’s third free left the scoreboard reading 1-10 to 1-7 at the second water break and even though Carbery Rangers succeeded in reducing the margin to the deficit with six to play, a fitter Éire Óg held their nerve and the lead with five white flags on the bounce from O’Callaghan (0-2), lively sub Jack Murphy, fellow replacement Jerome Kelleher, and Goulding.

Scorers for Éire Óg: D Goulding 0-6 (0-3 f), D Foley 1-0, C O’Callaghan 0-2, R O’Toole, K Hallissey, John Cooper, Joe Cooper, B Hurley (f), J Murphy, J Kelleher 0-1 each.

Carbery Rangers: S Hayes 0-5 (0-2 f), J Hodnett 1-0, P O’Rourke, J O’Regan, J O’Rourke, Jerry O’Riordan 0-1 each.

ÉIRE ÓG: C Kelly; M Corkery, J Mullins, C McGoldrick; D O’Herlihy, John Cooper, D Dineen; D McCarthy, R O’Toole; Joe Cooper, C O’Callaghan, K Hallissey; D Foley, D Goulding, B Hurley.

Subs: J Murphy for Corkery (37); J Kelleher for Joe Cooper (61).

CARBERY RANGERS: P Shanahan; James O’Riordan, T O’Rourke, R Hegarty; B Shanahan, C Daly, Jerry O’Riordan; A Jennings, K Scannell; J O’Regan, J O’Rourke, J Hodnett; P O’Rourke, S Hayes, JP Eady.

Subs: D Hayes for Eady (h-t, inj); P Hodnett for S Hayes (52); C O’Donovan for J Hodnett (53); C Hennessy for Jennings (56); P Hodnett for Daly (57).

Referee: J Regan.