Champions St Finbarr's too good for Éire Óg despite Steven Sherlock's absence

St Finbarr’s 1-12 Éire Óg 0-9 

ST FINBARR’S coped well without Cork star Steven Sherlock as they made a successful opening defence of their Bon Secours county PSFC title at Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday evening.

The champions handed debuts to Cork underage hurlers Ethan Twomey and Ben O’Connor and the youngsters more than acquitted themselves in attack.

Éire Óg fielded under-strength and struggled for scores against a tight-marking defence in which Colm Scully stood out though Colm O’Callaghan and captain Daniel Goulding always looked threatening.

The Barrs led by 1-7 to 0-5 at half-time, producing a purple patch following a stunning Ian Maguire goal after 19 minutes.

They trailed by 0-4 to 0-3 at the time, but the captain lifted his side with a rasping left-footed drive after a typical driving run through the heart of the Éire Óg defence.

It triggered a run of four unanswered points in seven minutes, started by Alan O’Connor’s neat effort and finished by a couple of fine efforts from debutant Twomey with Cillian Myers-Murray landing a free, also.

Suddenly, the holders had moved 1-7 to 0-4 clear, Éire Óg going 12 minutes without a score before Daniel Goulding converted a free.

The Ovens club actually started well and could have had goaled after five minutes, but Jerome Kelleher just overcooked a pass to the unmarked Goulding and the ball trickled out wide.

The sides were level three times with Colm O’Callaghan impressing with a couple of impressive points from play and Goulding’s accuracy from frees helped nudge his side 0-4 to 0-3 ahead until Maguire’s goal altered the complexion.

The sides exchanged points on the resumption with Ronan O’Toole firing just over the crossbar in the 40th minute, but in a low-scoring second half, the Barrs always looked in control.

Brian Hayes was denied by the legs of a defender moments later, but his presence in front of the posts was another plus for the champions as he used his height and power to good effect under the high ball.

His fisted score kick-started three on the spin as Myers-Murray landed a couple in quick succession for 1-11 to 0-6 after 51 minutes before Goulding did likewise.

Éire Óg’s cause wasn’t helped by an injury to Cork defender John Cooper in the closing stages though his departure didn’t impact the outcome, which concluded with a third score for Hayes.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: C Myers-Murray 0-5 (0-4 f), B Hayes, E Twomey 0-3 each, I Maguire 1-0, A O’Connor 0-1.

Éire Óg: D Goulding 0-5 (0-4 f), C O’Callaghan 0-2, R O’Toole, J Kelleher 0-1 each.

ST FINBARR’S: J Kerins; C Scully, J Burns, S Ryan; C Lyons, B Hennessy, A O’Connor; I Maguire (c), E Comyns; E Twomey, E Dennehy, B O’Connor; C Myers-Murray, B Hayes, E McGreevey.

Sub: C Dennehy for Twomey 58.

ÉIRE ÓG: C Kelly; J Mullins, M Griffin, M Corkery; D O’Herlihy, John Cooper, D Dineen; D McCarthy, R O’Toole; Joe Cooper, C O’Callaghan, K Hallissey; D Foley, D Goulding (c), J Kelleher.

Subs: D Kelly for Dineen 41, B Hurley for John Cooper injured 53, D Kirwan for Foley 57.

Referee: A Long (Argideen Rangers).