SAFC: Anthony O'Connor on song as Knocknagree beat Fermoy
Knocknagree's Anthony O'Connor has his penalty saved by Fermoy's Dale Dawson, during their Senior AFC clash at Newmarket. Picture: David Keane.
ANTHONY O’Connor made sure that Knocknagree stayed in the Bons Secours SAFC by scoring 1-8 and that helped his club beat Fermoy at Newmarket on Saturday evening.
It was all about getting the win for two sides that started their championship campaign with defeats to Kanturk and O’Donovan Rossa. That created a unique sense of tension around the ground, as it was all about minimising mistakes and trying not to lose as opposed to going all out.
What played out was a similar game to Knocknagree’s meeting with Fermoy in the group stage of the 2022 SAFC, but the club from Duhallow still had to work for it as they twice fell behind in the first half.
Fermoy were scoring and creating chances, and David Lardner was putting the ball over the bar.
Knocknagree on the other hand hit seven first-half wides, with the most crucial one coming from the spot when Anthony O’Connor was fouled and the scoreboard read 0-2 apiece. Dale Dawson guessed correctly and stopped the penalty and managed to put the loose ball out for a 45 before someone in a blue and white jersey could force it in.
Another chance to raise a green flag fell to Knocknagree after this through a pass from Eoghan McSweeney that set up Niall O’Connor. The Fermoy goalkeeper jumped off his line and stopped the shot, and Anthony O’Connor missed with the rebound.
The two sides were level twice during the opening 30 minutes of play, which seemed to be more than vindictive of the nerves that surrounded the fixture in the lead-up to throw-in.
At half-time, it was six points apiece with very little on the pitch separating the two clubs. Once the game resumed, it was a different story as Knocknagree’s Eoghan McSweeney curled the ball onto the penalty spot from the right wing and Antony O’Connor hit the back of the net with a soccer-style finish in the 32nd minute.
Eoghan McSweeney followed that up by getting his first and only point of the game, and suddenly it was 1-7 to 0-6 and Knocknagree had a slight cushion.
David O’Connor got the next score and Anthony O’Connor converted another free for his club. By the time this run came to an end, they had scored 1-5 while Fermoy failed to raise a single white flag.
That forced a change from the dug-out with James O’Brien and Ben Twomey coming on with the hope that this would inject a new sense of life into the Avondhu side. James Molloy and Darragh O’Carroll were also introduced, and this sparked a fightback from Fermoy that saw them get three scores in a row.
The first was sent over by Padraig De Roiste and Lardner put over two frees after that. This was too little too late as Knocknagree went up the pitch and Anthony O’Connor kicked his first point from open play, and that was his final contribution to the afternoon in Newmarket.
De Roiste did add one more score to his personal record book in the time that was left, and that simply chipped one point off Knocknagree’s lead.
This was the first time that they were creating chances and using the ball constructively in the final third of the pitch. They still only managed to get five points, and three other opportunities were kicked wide.
Knocknagree have very little time to celebrate their win, as they will face Macroom next weekend in the final of the Tom Creedon Cup.
A O’Connor 1-8 (0-7 f); M Mahoney, T O’Connor, David O’Connor, E McSweeney, Denis O’Connor, M Dilworth 0-1 each.
D Lardner 0-8 (0-6 f); P De Roiste 0-3.
P Doyle; D Mahoney, K Buckley, G O’Connor, D Moynihan, D O’Mahony, M Mahoney, T O’Connor, David O’Connor, M McSweeney, E McSweeney, Denis O’Connor, M Dilworth, N O’Connor, A O’Connor.
K Cronin for M McSweeney (53), J Dennehy for N O’Connor (53), T O’Mahony for T O’Connor (60).
D Dawson; S Shanahan, P Murphy, R Morrisson, T Clancy, G Lardner, M Brennan, J Carr, G O’Callaghan, D Daly, S Aherne, D O’Callaghan, D Lardner, P De Roiste, A Creed.
J O’Brien for O’Callaghan (40), B Twomey for D O’Callaghan (40), J Molloy for Creed (50), D O’Carroll (50), Arlen Aherne for D Daly (58).
Brendan Barry Murphy (Aghabullogue)
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