Premier SFC: St Finbarr's recover from a slow start to defeat St Michael's
Steven Sherlock, St Finbarr's, Simon Falvey, St Michaels. Picture: Jim Coughlan
ST FINBARR’S claimed the bragging rights against St Michael’s in the Bon Secours Hospital Premier SFC at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday evening. Paul O’Keeffe’s side recovered from a slow start to win comfortably in the end.
The Barrs are top going into the last group-stage games with Mallow’s one-point win over Douglas on Saturday afternoon really opening up Group C.
Disappointment for last year’s SAFC winners St Michael’s, who have now lost two local derby games against Douglas and now St Finbarr’s. All is not lost for Dave Egan's side though, victory in the last game will avoid a relegation play-off with the second spot also up for grabs.
It was a cagey start to the game with St Michael’s well-structured. The sparse crowd had to wait eight minutes for the first score and it was certainly worth the wait as Robbie Cotter clipped over a free from an acute angle. The Barrs were lethargic in the early stages and St Michael’s took full advantage with three points in three minutes. One of the scorers coming from the boot of Andrew Murphy, as he opened up the Barrs defence following a driving run 0-4 to 0-0 after 12 minutes.
The team in royal blue and gold were unable to break down St Michael’s defence with their work rate very impressive in the first quarter. Simon Falvey registered St Michael’s fifth point before Steven Sherlock got the Togher outfit up and running with a close-range free. That kickstarted the Barrs as they rattled off 1-2 without reply. Colm Scully the unlikely goal scorer as he finished off a neat move involving William Buckley, Brian Hayes and Ethan Twomey, 1-3 to 0-5 after 20 minutes.
The sides traded white flags as the Barrs held a 1-4 to 0-6 advantage at the interval.
On the resumption, after two early wides, it was third time lucky for St Michael’s when Cotter levelled up matters. The Togher club went straight down the other end of the pitch to score a goal, Ian Maguire setting up John Wigginton Barrett for an easy finish. The sides exchanged point as the Barrs led 2-5 to 0-8 after 38 minutes.
Paul O’Keeffe’s side were slowly getting into their stride and four Sherlock points, one from a free, pushed the Barrs seven points clear with 13 minutes remaining. The Blackrock club were struggling to create any chances and the winners pushed eight points clear when Sherlock landed a free after 50 minutes.
The game petered out in the final ten minutes, with Alan O’Callaghan raising a white flag for the beaten team in injury time, their first score in 26 minutes.
St Finbarr’s face Douglas on the final day of the group stages on Sunday, September 10 in Páirc Uí Rinn at 4pm. At the same time in Blarney, St Michael’s go up against Mallow.
S Sherlock 0-7 (0-4 f), C Scully, J Wigginton Barrett 1-0 each, B Hayes 0-2, W Buckley 0-1.
R Cotter (f), S Falvey (f), A Murphy 0-2 each, K Hegarty, A O’Callaghan, R O’Shaughnessy 0-1 each.
D Newman; S Ryan, J Burns, C Scully; C Lyons, B Hennessy, A O’Connor; I Maguire, B Hayes; M Donovan, S Sherlock, W Buckley; E Dennehy, E Twomey, J Wigginton Barrett.
C Barrett for E Dennehy, B O’Connell for C Lyons (both 45), C McCarthy for E Twomey (56).
M Burke; L Carroll, J Golden, S Keating; E Sheehan, R Kavanagh, A O’Callaghan; A Murphy, E Hickey; S Falvey, K Hegarty, R Cotter; A Hennessy, L O’Sullivan, R O’Shaughnessy.
E Hegarty for L O’Sullivan (9, inj), E O’Sullivan for E Hegarty (46), F Leahy for S Falvey (54), L O’Herlihy for A Hennessy (56), E O’Donovan for R Cotter (62).
David Murnane (Macroom).
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