PIFC: Cill na Martra push past St Vincent's into the semi-final

Cill na Martra 1-12 St Vincent’s 1-6 

CILL na Martra duly wrapped up their group with a 100 percent record and condemned St Vincent’s to the relegation play-off in the Bon Secours PIFC at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.

Vincent’s actually started the game promisingly, sweeping 0-3 to 0-1 in front approaching the end of the opening quarter.

They took the lead after eight minutes with a David O’Connor ‘mark’ and scored the second as well with a superb individual effort from wing-back Anthony Harte with the outside of his right boot under severe pressure.

Damien O hUrdail opened Cill na Martra’s account after 11 minutes, but Blake Murphy made it a two-point game again with a fine point before the game turned the way of the Gaeltacht club.

A speculative lob into the danger zone by Maidhci O Duinnin was met with a timely run by Dean MacCarthaigh, who fisted the ball over the head of advancing keeper Thomas Martin for the only goal just before the water break.

Cill na Martra dominated the resumption, scoring three points without response as corner-back Danny O Conaill started the sequence with an impressive score.

He shot for goal in the next attack, but Martin turned his shot away for a ’5 though further points by O hUrdail, which might have been a goal, and midfielder Fionnbarra O hEalaithe made it 1-4 to 0-3 after 26 minutes.

Cill na Martra should have been further in front as nine wides testified to their dominance though a Murphy free cut the deficit to a goal 1-4 to 0-4 at half-time.

They stretched that to seven points within 10 minutes of the second half as Cork’s Tadhg Corkery showed his class with the opening points of the period.

In between, he had to leave the pitch for the mandatory gum shield, but his return coincided with a super individual point.

And when Maidhci O Duinnin added another Cill na Martra’s advantage stretched to 1-7 to 0-4 before Pat O’Sullivan kicked Vincent’s fifth point almost immediately.

It was 1-9 to 0-5 at the second water break with the destination of the spoils seemingly well decided at this juncture.

Vincent’s, though, kept battling and were rewarded with a goal, seven minutes from the end, Murphy bravely setting up O’Connor, who punched home.

Murphy, then, landed a well-struck 45 for 1-9 to 1-6 to offer his side hope, but that was as good as it got.

Scorers for Cill na Marta: D O hUrdail 0-4 (0-3 f), D MacCarthaigh 1-0, T Corkery 0-2, M O Deasuna 0-2 f, D O Conaill, F O hEarlaithe, M O Duinnin, S O Forreigh 0-1 each.

St Vincent’s: D O’Connor 1-1, B Murphy 0-3 (0-1 f, 0-1 45), A Harte, P O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

CILL NA MARTRA: A O Conaill; F O Faolain, G O Mochain, D O Conail; T O Corcora, N O Laoire, C Mac Lochlainn; G O Goillidhe, F O hEalaithe; C O Meachair, S O Duinnin, M O Deasuna; D O hUrdail, M O Duinnin, D MacCarthaigh. 

Subs: S O Foirreigh for O Meachair and C O Duinnin for M O Duinnin 40, O Meachair for O Foirreigh injured 54, M O Duinnin for O Deasuna injured 60.

ST VINCENT’S: T Martin; A Good, A O’Callaghan, K Caulfield; S Duggan, K Sorensen, A Harte; G McCarthy, W Long; M O’Leary, P O’Sullivan, B Hornibrook; A O’Callaghan, D O’Connor, B Murphy.

Subs: R Fielding for O’Sullivan and K O’Connor for O’Leary 41, for Hornibrook.

Referee: B Coniry (Crosshaven).