Blarney land first county football title in Junior B cracker with Fr O'Neill's at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Blarney 4-6 Fr O’Neill’s 2-11 

BLARNEY edged out Fr O’Neill’s in the Bons Secours Hospital Cork County Junior B Inter-Divisional Football final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon. 

This decider was between two first teams and it was a very enjoyable game throughout the hour, played in the right way by two passionate teams. History was going to be made today regardless of who won. It’s Blarney’s first county football success and in the process derailed Fr O’Neill’s double ambition, after they won the SAHC success last month.

Fr O’Neill’s came out of the blocks quicker with two points inside three minutes through a Shane McAuley free and a Tomás Millerick effort. Blarney came roaring into the contest with 1-1 inside a minute. Marksman Alan McEvoy with a super effort and Vince O’Mahony registered the green flag, the latter finished low into the corner of the net from close range, following good work by Olan Hegarty.

The modest crowd had to wait five minutes for the next score, McAuley converting a placed ball, quickly followed by his colleague Kevin O’Sullivan landing an effort with the outside of his boot. Billy Dunne nudged the Ballymacoda/Ladysbridge side ahead before Blarney scored 1-1 in 85 seconds, McEvoy with a sublime goal from an acute angle, 2-2 to 0-5 after the first quarter.

Blarney kicked two of the next three points to open up a four-point gap until Dunne rattled the back of the Blarney net. O’Neill’s went into the dressing room on level terms, McAuley pointing from a free on the stroke of the half-time whistle.

On the resumption, the teams traded points, two excellent white flags, before Olan Hegarty bisected the posts for the Muskerry outfit. In a very open game of football, with no sweepers in sight, Fr O’Neill’s kicked 1-2 without reply in three minutes, Dunne with his second goal of the game, 2-10 to 2-6 after 46 minutes. 

Blarney scored two goals in three minutes in between an O’Sullivan effort for the losers, as the winners led by a point, Denis McSweeney and Seán Crowley with the goals in the 52nd minute and 55th minute. That’s the way it stayed, as Blarney hung on for a historic win.

Scorers for Blarney: A McEvoy 1-1, V O’Mahony, D McSweeney, S Crowley 1-0 each, C Barrett, C Hegarty (f), K Costello, C Foley, O Hegarty 0-1 each.

Fr O’Neill’s: B Dunne 2-2, S McAuley 0-4 f, K O’Sullivan 0-2, D Harrington 0-2 f, T Millerick 0-1.

BLARNEY: B O’Sullivan; D Lordan, S Mullane, B Hallihan; S O’Grady, P O’Connor, V O’Mahony; C Foley, O Hegarty; S Barrett, K Costello (c), D McSweeney; C Barrett, A McEvoy, C Hegarty.

Subs: S Crowley for C Foley (43), R O’Donovan for C Hegarty (47), M O’Leary for V O’Mahony (51).

Fr O’NEILL’S: D O’Reilly; R Kenneally, N Griffin, M Millerick; T Millerick, D Harrington, J Barry; S O’Connor, P Hassett; J Millerick, J Hankard, E Motherway (c); S McAuley, K O’Sullivan, B Dunne.

Subs: P McMahon for J Barry (19, inj), P Butler for S O’Connor (52), L O’Driscoll for S McAuley (55), D O’Neill for J Millerick (58).

Referee: Ciarán Murphy (Glanworth).