PIFC: Ruthless Cill na Martra blast past Aghada into semi-finals

Cill na Martra 3-14 Aghada 1-7 
CILL na Martra showed that they had fully recovered from their shock defeat to Nemo Rangers in the opening group game of the Bons Secours Cork PIFC as they easily defeated Aghada in Ballincollig to book themselves a date with Kanturk in the semi-final in a fortnight.

They were never in danger of slipping up here as, ultimately, they had more class in attack than their opponents from Imokilly. The Gaeltacht side’s movement and interplay up front was always menacing as the trio of Micheál Ó Deasúna, Damien Ó hUrdail and Dan Ó Duinnín profited the most, kicking 3-10 between them, 3-9 of which came from play.

Aghada needed a quick start if they were to cause an upset, and although they enjoyed plenty of possession, they couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard as they left 1-5 behind them in the opening 20 minutes. Those misses sucked the confidence from them, as Cill na Martra continuously made them pay. 

The sides were level at 0-1 apiece before the Muskerry men took control of the game, kicking 1-6 without reply, Ó hUrdail kicking 1-3 while Ó Deasúna (2) and Ó Duinnín were also on target.

Tim Hartnett did stop the rot with Aghada’s second score but further points from Ó Deasúna and Danny Ó Conaill made it 1-9 to 0-2 at the break and.

The opening eight minutes of the second half saw three goals, but unfortunately for Aghada, Jamie O’Hanlon’s goal was beaten by two from Ó Deasúna to leave the result beyond doubt.

The game flatlined from there to the finish, as further points from Ó Deasúna and Ó Conaill pushed Cill na Martra further clear and as they emptied the bench, Aghada managed four in a row from Hartnett, Creedon (2) and Charlie Terry. 

Cill na Martra were still to have the last word though, as substitutes Shane Ó Duinnín and Antaine Ó Loingsigh found their range to put the gloss on a 3-14 to 1-7 win that puts them in good stead going into the final four.

Scorers for Cill na Martra: M Ó Deasúna 2-4 (0-1 f), D Ó hUrdail 1-3, D Ó Duinnín 0-3, D Ó Conaill 0-2, S Ó Duinnín, A Ó Loingsigh (mark) 0-1 each.

Aghada: D Creedon 0-3 (0-1 mark, 0-2 f), J O’Hanlon 1-0, T Hartrnett 0-2, F Cody, C Terry (mark) 0-1 each.

CILL NA MARTRA: P Ó Críodáin; T Ó Corcora, G Ó Mocháin, F Ó Faoláin; D Ó Conaill, S Ó Fóirréidh, C Ó Fóirréidh; A Ó Cuana, G Ó Goillidhe (c); F Ó hÉalaithe, C Ó Duinnín , D Ó Duinnín; M Ó Duinnín, M Ó Deasúna, D Ó hUrdail. 

Subs: S Ó Duinnín for M Ó Duinnín (43), C Mac Lochlainn for Ó hÉalaithe (47), A Ó hUidhir for Ó Mocháin (51), E Ó Conaill for D Ó Duinnín (53), A Ó Loingsigh for Ó Cuana (55).

AGHADA: C O’Shea; K O’Shea, R Power, J Colbert; J Tynan, J O’Donoghue, E Leahy; M Russell, P O’Neill; T Hartnett, D Creedon (c), A O’Connell; A Berry, F Cody, S Bennett. 

Subs: J O’Hanlon for Tynan and D Collins for Colbert (both h-t), C Fleming for Power (inj, 35), C Terry for Bennett (41), D Leahy for Cody (55).

Referee: Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).