Premier SFC: UCC footballers battle back to defeat Muskerry

UCC 2-13  Muskerry 2-11 

UCC were made battle to the wire before overcoming Muskerry in a competitive Bon Secours Premier Senior Football Championship tie at Páirc Uí Rinn on Wednesday night.

Muskerry got off to a perfect start when the former Cork senior Fintan Goold got in behind to fist the ball over from an acute angle. The UCC rearguard looked shaky in the opening exchanges and they were further punished when a ball was picked up inside the square that saw Chris Óg Jones blast the penalty to the corner of the net.

UCC gradually began looking dangerous and Ian Jennings slotted over a brace of points and then Conor Geaney showed a terrific burst of speed to billow the back of the net.

The Mid-Cork division looked dangerous in attack with the College defence looking in disarray with Chris Óg Jones left unattended for a second Muskerry goal in the 10th minute.

Up to the first water break, Muskerry led 2-2 to 1-4 as the Students needed to pick up their game big time losing many key battles in the opening quarter.

The standard dropped on the restart but Chris Óg Jones continued his good evening with opportunistic points in the 19th and 24th minutes that surged Muskerry into a 2-4 to 1-4 lead.

Suddenly UCC realised this game was running away from them and a Conor Geaney point was followed by one moment of artistry from Kerry senior football panelist Diarmuid O’Connor.

After gathering the ball at centre-field he drove through the Muskerry backline before unleashing a terrific shot past the hapless Muskerry keeper.

Following a late point from Darren Dineen, the sides were level at the interval at 2-5 each but UCC should have raised a green flag three minutes into the restart when Conor Geaney somehow pulled his shot wide of the posts.

As the game matured UCC showed their class and despite a brave Muskerry performance they just fell short when the game hung in the balance.

Scorers for UCC: C Geaney 1-4 (0-2 f), D O’Connor 1-0, S Quilter 0-3, I Jennings 0-2, C Hayes 0-2, S O’Sullivan, D Geaney 0-1 each.

Muskerry: C Óg Jones 2-2, M Healy 0-4 f, D Dineen 0-2, F Goold, M Healy, J Kelleher 0-1 each.

UCC: G Creedon (Kilshannig); C Gammell (Legion), B Curtin (Kilshannig ), E Fitzgerald (Gneevegulla); E Dodd (Canovee), D Phelan (Aghada), D Casey (Austin Stacks); D O’Connor (Na Gaeil), C Nyhan (Ballinascarthy); I Jennings (Kilmacabea), S Quilter (Austin Stacks), M O’Gara (do); S O’Sullivan (Adrigole), C Geaney (Dingle), D Geaney (do).

Subs: D O’Leary (Laune Rangers) for S O’Sullivan (35), C Hayes (Kieran O’Rahilly’s) for D Geaney (48) D Holland (Arigideen Rangers) for I Jennings (49), D Burke (Na Gaeil) for S Quilter (59).

MUSKERERY: D Kelleher (Inniscarra); D O’Connell (Cill na Martra), W Ronan (Kilmurry), A Murphy (Aghabullogue); P Ring (do), A Murphy (Canovee), S O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); D Horgan (Macroom), E O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); C Óg Jones (Iveleary), M Bradley (Aghabullogue), C Dineen (Cill Na Martra); D Dineen (Clondrohid), F Goold (Macroom), M Healy (Canovee).

Subs: L Casey (Aghabullogue) for D Dineen (h-t), J Kelleher (Canovee) for D Horgan, B Cronin (iveleary) for C Dineen, D Ambrose (Aghinagh) for E O’Sullivan (58), F Warren (Kilmurry) for S O’Sullivan (59).

Referee: Robert Whelan (Aghada).