PIFC: Cill na Martra squeeze past Aghada 

Cill na Martra 0-11 Aghada 0-8 

CILL NA MARTRA edged out Aghada in what was a great battle in the Bon Secours Hospital Premier IFC at Cloughduv on Saturday afternoon.

This opening Group C encounter was in the balance right to the very end with the championship favourites unable to shake off a stubborn Aghada side.

Cork All-Ireland football winner in 2010 Pearse O’Neill was in the forward line for Aghada and the 43-year-old was a real handful for the Cill na Martra defence.

In a match where both defences were on top, Cill na Martra made the better start with two points from influential forward Micheál Ó Deasúna, one coming from a placed ball. 

Despite a torrid Division 2 league campaign where Aghada lost all nine games, they gave a very good account of themselves in this one. The Imokilly side drew level courtesy of two Danny Creedon white flags, one of which was a free.

The teams traded points before Ó Deasúna converted a close-range free, 0-4 to 0-3 after 14 minutes. The large crowd had to wait 11 minutes for the next score and it was worth the wait. Ó Deasúna with the score of the game. A fantastic free from a very acute angle near the sideline, 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time.

On the resumption, the teams exchanged points before Diarmuid Byrne pointed from a free for Aghada. Daniel Ó Duinnín came off the bench for the winners following an injury layoff and he played a huge part in the next two scores as the Muskerry side led 0-8 to 0-5 after 47 minutes.

The teams once more swapped white flags before a Byrne free left just two points in it heading into injury time. Wayward shooting left Aghada down as Cill na Martra kicked two injury-time points. Creedon did score a free for the beaten team to leave a goal in it but they were unable to create a goal chance in the closing stages. Far from impressive but job done for Cill na Martra.

Scorers for Cill na Martra: M Ó Deasúna 0-6 (0-5 f), M Ó Duinnín 0-3, F Ó hÉalaithe, C Ó Duinnín 0-1 each.

Aghada: D Byrne (f), D Creedon (0-2 f) 0-3 each, T Hartnett, J Norris 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; F Ó hÉalaithe, G Ó Goillidhe (c); C Mac Lochlainn, C Ó Duinnín, C Ó Meachair; S Ó Duinnín, M Ó Deasúna, M Ó Duinnín.

Subs: D Ó Duinnín for C Ó Meachair (41), E Ó Conaill for F Ó hÉalaithe (50), A Ó Loingsigh for S Ó Duinnín (62).

AGHADA: C O’Shea; J Norris, E Leahy (c), D Collins; A O’Connell, J O’Donoghue, K O’Shea; D Phelan, D Byrne; T Hartnett, D Creedon, A Berry; C Hegarty, J Tynan, P O’Neill.

Subs: J Colbert for J O’Donoghue (h-t, inj), J O’Hanlon for A O’Connell (40), S Whyte for C Hegarty (53), D Leahy for D Phelan (58).

Referee: Shane Scanlon (Newcestown).