SAHC: Fermoy stun favourites Carrigtwohill to avoid relegation playoff

Fermoy 1-18 Carrigtwohill 2-14

HIGH drama in Watergrasshill as Fermoy recorded a superb win over Carrigtwohill in the splitting sunshine on Saturday. 

Heartbreakingly it wasn’t enough to help them qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition as they came up just short on scoring difference. Carrigtwohill still move into the semis, as Cloyne, who beat Mallow by two points, qualified on points difference for the quarter-final. Fermoy avoided a relegation playoff, where Mallow now meet Inniscarra.

There was early drama with two goals in the opening seven minutes. Carrigtwohill were awarded a penalty amidst a goal-mouth scramble. Carrig keeper Shane Devlin stepped up and placed it with aplomb past Shane Coughlan.

Fermoy needed a response and what a response it was. Just over a minute later they had the ball in the back of the net themselves. Darragh Daly put a lovely cross-field pass into the hand of David O’Callaghan in space who neatly slotted it home.

Fermoy’s secret weapon came in the form of full-forward Brian O’Sullivan whose free-taking accuracy kept his side within reach of Carrigtwohill at all times.

O’Sullivan found the gap between the posts just before halftime to level things up at the short whistle,1-8 apiece. 

Fermoy started the half well but just when they thought they were getting their noses in front James Mulcahy buried the ball with ferocity past Shane Coughlan.

Dropping the heads, though, was not an option for Fermoy and they powered on. They never let Carrigtwohill get too far ahead and dominated proceeding in the final ten minutes bringing the victory home with fantastic scores from Shane Aherne, Darragh Daly and main man Brian O’Sullivan.

Carrigtwohill, who find themselves in the semi-finals, will play the winners of Newcestown and Killeagh who meet in the quarters.

Scorers for Fermoy: B O’Sullivan 0-10 (0-8 f), D O’Callaghan 1-1, D Daly 0-3, S Aherne 0-2, P De Roiste, J Carr 0-1 each.

Carrigtwohill: S Walsh 0-5 (0-2 f), J Mulcahy 1-1, S Devlin 1-0 pen, C O’Riordan 0-3, J Oke, D Murnane, J McCarthy, P Hogan, S De Búrca 0-1 each.

FERMOY: S Coughlan; J O’Brien, S Shanahan, P Murphy; D O’Carroll, G Lardner, P De Róiste; M Brennan, T Clancy; D O’Callaghan, J Molloy, S Aherne; D Daly, B O’Sullivan, J Carr.

Subs: A Creed for J Molloy (40), C Fitzpatrick for T Clancy (47), E Clancy for S Shanahan (57), A Aherne for D O’Callaghan (64).

CARRIGTWOHILL: S Devlin; N Coughlan, S De Búrca, P O’Sullivan; D Murnane, J Horgan, A Walsh Barry; J Oke, P Hogan; C O’Riordan, L Gosnell, J McCarthy; S Walsh, L O’Sullivan, J Mulcahy.

Subs: B Twomey for L Gosnell (42), T Hogan for L O’Sullivan (48), C Barry for J Oke (58), O Baverstock for J Mulcahy (63), S Brennan for P Hogan (65).

Referee: Mark Maher.