PSFC: Carbery Rangers overcome Éire Óg to secure qualification

Carbery Rangers 2-11

Éire Óg 1-12

Goals from Alan Jennings and Darragh Hayes were crucial as Carbery Rangers secured a Bons Secours Hospital Cork Premier SFC knockout spot with a victory over Éire Óg in Bandon on Sunday.

Leading by five points deep in injury time, the Rosscarbery side conceded a late Colm O’Callaghan goal that gave Éire Óg hope but the West Cork men hung on for a second consecutive victory.

With St Finbarr’s beating Carrigaline, it means that Ross will face the county champions in three weeks’ time with both assured of qualification from Group A, while Éire Óg will take on Carrigaline in a bid to avoid fourth place and a potential relegation play-off.

Jerome Kelleher’s attacking mark from Dermot O’Herlihy’s pass was the catalyst for Kevin Hallissey putting Éire Óg ahead in the sixth minute and they had the lead and the better of the play for the majority of the half as Carbery Rangers failed to take advantage of shooting opportunities.

Joe Cooper might have had an Éire Óg goal on six minutes but, after he shot wide, play was brought back for a free that Daniel Goulding converted and then, after Ross midfielder Jack Kevane had opened their account, the Ovens side had another chance of a goal. Wing-back Daire McCarthy did well to claim possession from a midfield scramble, allowing Joe Cooper to run at the defence before off-loading to Colm O’Callaghan but the Cork player couldn’t find the target.

Even so, points from O’Callaghan and Goulding (two) allowed Éire Óg to build their lead, with Jerry O’Riordan conjuring the only Ross reply as their wides tally mounted. And yet, in the 21st minute, they wiped out the three-point deficit as O’Riordan found John O’Rourke, who in turn laid off to wing-forward Alan Jennings and his low shot squeezed inside the post and beyond Chris Kelly.

Moments later, they could have raised a green flag again as John O’Rourke’s perfect handpass set Kevane clear of the Éire Óg defence but his shot across Kelly hit the outside of the post and went wide.

O’Callaghan replied with his second point to put Éire Óg back in front and they almost had a goal before half-time as O’Callaghan set up Dylan Foley, who was only denied by a superb Paul Shanahan save. On the call of the interval, there was time for one more goal attempt, Ross’s Peadar O’Rourke shooting wide to leave them with eight off-target efforts in the first period and trailing by 0-6 to 1-2.

Within two minutes of the restart, they had moved in front for the first time with points from John O’Rourke and then Peadar O’Rourke, but Goulding levelled with a good free and then, after Ronan O’Toole stole the kickout and was fouled, the former Cork start put his side back in front.

After Darragh Hayes had levelled with a free, Goulding responded again, stroking over a wonderful effort from the left, set up by Diarmuid Dineen. That made it 0-9 to 1-5, with Ross moving back in front through Jack O’Regan and Brian Shanahan before Joe Cooper levelled on 44 – for the final time.

Shanahan’s booming kickout in the wake of that point cleared the Éire Óg half-back line, allowing John Hodnett to sear clear before handpassing to Darragh Hayes, who fired beyond Kelly. As with the first goal, another might have immediately accrued after a good run and shot from the industrious O’Riordan but Kelly saved brilliantly. Shanahan came forward to send over the resultant 45 for a four-point advantage.

Sub Brian Hurley and Goulding gave Éire Óg hope as the gap was reduced down to two points, but O’Riordan set up Jack O’Regan for his second for Ross and then veteran sub John Hayes converted a free for a 2-10 to 0-12 advantage with four minutes left.

Peadar O’Rourke increased that gap and, while O’Callaghan did have that late goal, Ross had done enough.

Scorers for Carbery Rangers: D Hayes 1-1 (0-1f), A Jennings 1-0. P O’Rourke, J O’Regan 0-2 each, J O’Riordan, J Kevane, B Shanahan, J O’Rourke, P Shanahan (0-1 45), J Hayes (0-1f) 0-1 each.

Éire Óg: D Goulding 0-7 (0-4f), C O’Callaghan 1-2, J Cooper, K Hallissey, B Hurley 0-1 each.

CARBERY RANGERS: P Shanahan; C Daly, T O’Rourke, K Scanenell; J O’Riordan, B Hodnett, P Hurley; J Kevane, J Fitzpatrick; B Shanahan, J Hodnett, A Jennings; D Hayes, J O’Rourke, P O’Rourke.

Subs: S Linehan for Daly (35), J O’Regan for Fitzpatrick (35), J Hayes for D Hayes (50), B Kerr for Shanahan (59).

ÉIRE ÓG: C Kelly; M Corkery, M Griffin, J Mullins; D McCarthy, D O’Herlihy, D Dineen; C O’Callagahn, R O’Toole; K Hallissey, J Cooper, D Kelly; D Foley, D Goulding, J Kelleher.

Subs: B Hurley for McCarthy (48), D Kirwan for Dineen (51), R O’Flynn for Kelly (53), B Thompson for Corkery (50).

Referee: J Bermingham (Bride Rovers).