Premier SFC: Cormac Collins the hero as Douglas edge Valley Rovers
Douglas' Sean Powter wins the ball from Valley Rover's William Hurley during the Bon Secours Cork SFC at Carrigaline. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Douglas 0-13 Valley Rovers 1-9
Cormac Collins struck at the death to give 14-man Douglas a second straight win in Group A of the Bons Secours Hospital Cork Premier SFC at Carrigaline on Saturday afternoon.
Having led by four points on four different occasions, the city side looked to have been denied victory when Valley Rovers sub Ciarán McCarthy palmed home a 63rd-minute goal, but Douglas kept their composure. Despite the numerical disadvantage, they worked the ball up the field and it was worked through Seán Wilson, Niall Hartnett and Kevin Flahive to give an opportunity to late sub Collins, who fired a ground shot over the bars.
With both sides having won their opening games – Douglas against Carrigaline and Valleys against Nemo Rangers – this was a battle for top spot ahead of the final round of matches and Douglas found their momentum quicker in the first half. With Seán Powter instrumental, they had the game’s first four points while Powter was denied a goal by a Cormac Desmond save.
Just before the water break, with Douglas 0-5 to 0-1 ahead, Flahive went close to a goal too, denied by a combination of Desmond and Chris O’Leary. In the wake of that, Eoin Delaney reduced Valleys’ arrears before the break and then John Cottrell left it 0-5 to 0-3 on the resumption, but Dylan Ward had yet another Douglas goal opportunity, Desmond pushing his shot on to the post.
While Douglas weren’t as fluent in attack in the third quarter, they continued to frustrate Valleys with their solid defence, where Nathan Walsh excelled, and two good Conor Russell points ensured a 0-7 to 0-3 half-time lead.
The opening ten minutes of the second half had four points evenly shared but Valleys were better than they had been and Billy Crowley (free) and Delaney brough them within two points, by the 47th minute, with William Hurley on hand to make it a one-point game.
Though Douglas sub Brian Lynch gave them breathing space again, they lost Daniel Harte to a red card and Johnny Kiely’s point left the Innishannon side one behind, 0-10 to 0-9.
They couldn’t take advantage of the manpower though and two more good scores from Russell put Douglas three in front before the late Valleys goal. From a free, Billy Crowley’s driven effort was helped on by Kevin Canty and McCarthy diverted it to the net, the goal standing after a consultation between referee David Murnane and his umpires.
However, Douglas were not deflated and they had time for one more attack, with Collins having the final say.
C Russell 0-6 (0-2 f), S Powter 0-2, B Hartnett, C Collins, A O’Hare, N Hartnett, B Lynch 0-1 each.
B Crowley 0-3 f, C McCarthy 1-0, J Cottrell (0-1 f, 0-1 m), E Delaney 0-2 each, J Kiely, W Hurley 0-1 each.
B Boyle; N Walsh, S Wilson, L McGrath; S Powter, D Ward, D Harte; K Flahive, B Hartnett; L Dineen, A O’Hare, S Aherne; C Russell, E Nash, D Kelly.
N Hartnett for Nash (4, injured), D McCarthy for Kelly (43), B Lynch for Aherne (48), J Harte for O’Hare (51), C Collins for Dineen (60).
C Desmond; J Kiely, D Lynch, T O’Brien; A Walsh Murphy, D Murphy, G Farrell; K Canty, C O’Leary; R O’Sullivan, E Delaney, W Hurley; J Cottrell, B Crowley, F Lynch.
C McCarthy for Cottrell (half-time), I Crowley for Farrell (48), E O’Reilly for Hurley, J O’Driscoll for Delaney (both 55).
D Murnane (Macroom).
App?
