Cork GAA: St Finbarr's grab narrow league win over Douglas

Douglas 0-7 St Finbarr’s 0-8 

ST FINBARR’S claimed their first win in the Cork Credit Unions Division 1 Football League following an away victory against city rivals Douglas. 

The hosts were coming into this on the back of a gritty away win at Kiskeam on the opening day, while the Barrs drew in Togher with Valley Rovers. 

It was a keenly contested game, with the driving rain and wind having a bearing on the contest. St Finbarr’s in the end just about deserved the win, the subs made a difference, with Jack O’Kelly, in particular, playing an integral part when introduced, landing two points, one from a free, while also playing a key role when the Barrs were attacking.

Douglas just lacked that cutting edge, they got into some promising positions, but wayward shooting let them down. Adam Cantwell was the pick of the bunch for the hosts, kicking three great points in challenging conditions.

The sides traded points early on, before Niall Hartnett found the target for the beaten team, before the lively Eoin McGreevy levelled the game, 0-2 each after the first quarter. Cillian Myers-Murray pointed from an acute angle for the winners, but the large crowd had to wait 16 minutes for the next score, as Andrew Cotter drew the teams level once again courtesy of a placed ball on the stroke of half-time. 0-3 each at the break.

Conor Kingston kicked a beauty from long-range for Douglas at the start of the new half, until Adam Lyne and Reece McInerney nudged the winners ahead. The teams exchanged white flags as the Barrs led 0-6 to 0-5 with 15 minutes remaining.

Cantwell levelled the game, until two unanswered points from the winners through O’Kelly and McInerney, opened up a two-point advantage. Cantwell reduced the deficit down to a point in injury time, but the Barrs held on for two valuable league points.

Scorers for Douglas: A Cantwell 0-3, A Cotter (f), N Hartnett, C Kingston, C Kenny 0-1 each.

St Finbarr’s: R McInerney 0-2, C Myers-Murray, J O’Kelly 0-2 (0-1 f) each, A Lyne, E McGreevy 0-1 each.

DOUGLAS: E O’Brien; N Lynch, C Kenny, D Kelly; B Lynch, D Ward, J Harte; C Kingston, N Hartnett; A Cantwell, F Sheehan, S Ahern; K Shanahan, A Cotter, J Cunningham.

Subs: Cillian O’Donovan for J Cunningham (29, inj), S Tobin for F Sheehan (h-t), Conor O’Donovan for A Cotter, D O’Callaghan for D Kelly (both 47).

ST FINBARR’S: J Kerins; C McCarthy, S Ryan, D Byrne; B Hennessy, A O’Connor, A Lyne; J Burns, C Crowley; D O’Brien, E Dennehy, C Barrett; R McInerney, E McGreevy, C Myers-Murray.

Subs: J O’Kelly for C Myers-Murray (h-t), J Murphy for A O’Connor (39), L Hannigan for C Crowley (43), P Kerins for D O’Brien (47), C O’Sullivan for C Barrett (58).

Referee: Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).