Premier SHC: 14-man Charleville see off Douglas to top group

Charleville 2-18

Douglas 0-21

A Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier SHC quarter-final awaits Charleville after a strong show of character earned them victory over Douglas at Mourneabbey on Sunday.

With two draws under their belts against Fr O’Neills and Erin’s Own, Charleville knew that a win would guarantee them progression and with it the bonus of top spot by virtue of the head-to-head advantage over the already-qualified Douglas.

That was easier said than done without their injured talisman and, while they led by two points, 2-8 to 0-12, at half-time, that was after three goal chances going begging along with a tally of nine wides compared to none for Douglas. Add to that the fact that they would be playing into the breeze a man down after Oran O’Connell’s injury-time red card and the task grew larger.

If there was a pivotal moment, it was when Douglas were awarded a 36th-minute penalty when Brian Hartnett was fouled. At that stage, Charleville still led by two after the sides had each scored a second-half point and if Douglas had moved in front, they might have pulled away.

However, Cian Collins saved brilliantly from Shane Kingston and Charleville almost took further advantage as a great move cut Douglas open but Conor Buckley was denied by goalkeeper Donal Maher.

While Cillian O’Donovan did make it a one-point game on 41, Charleville repeated the mid-half scoring burst of the first period they reeled off four on the trot – two by Jack Doyle and each from Jack O’Callaghan and Danny O’Flynn – to push five clear.

After a point from Douglas’s Shane Bourke, twice Charleville defended well from the front to force frees, with Doyle on hand on each occasion to leave it 2-15 to 0-15 with seven minutes left.

Douglas did have three of the next four points but if ever there was a score to show that it would be Charleville’s day it came on 57 as Doyle looked like he was about to forced over the left-hand sideline only to flick the ball over a pair of defenders’ heads and collect it before firing over from a tight angle.

Three late Shane Kingston frees had Douglas within a goal but there was no time for further action and Conor Lane’s final whistle brought joy from the large red and white contingent on the bank.

A big task awaits against county champions St Finbarr’s in the quarter-finals – a game that may come too soon for Fitzgibbon – but the key thing is that they are there.

Playing with the wind, Charleville had a great start as Conor Buckley netted an early goal. Following good work from Jack Meade, Jack O’Callaghan and Tim Hawe, Buckley saw his first shot saved by Donal Maher but he converted the rebound for a 1-0 to 0-0 advantage.

Douglas weathered that storm as points from Shane Kingston, Cillian O’Donovan and Eoin Dolan moved them 0-5 to 1-0 in front but in the midst of that burst they had to be thankful to Maher for a save to deny Danny O’Flynn.

By the time of another Charleville goal chance on 17, when Jack O’Callaghan was crowded out by a combination of Mark Harrington and Donnchadh Murphy, Douglas were 0-9 to 1-3 to the good, Charleville having reached five wides

A purple patch for Charleville between the 20th and 23rd minutes turned things around, though. Jack Doyle’s pair of points sandwiched one by Gavin Kelleher to level the game. Then, following the puckout after Doyle’s equaliser, Kelleher was the provider for Andrew Cagney to drill a low shot to the net.

Kingston’s sixth point provided an immediate Douglas response, cancelled out by Kelleher, but Charleville continued to waste further opportunities. Then they lost O’Connell as he received a second booking for a mistimed challenge on Mark Harrington as the game moved into injury time.

A Kingston free had Douglas back to two again, 2-8 to 0-12, but Charleville might have had a third goal just before the whistle. It fell to Tim Hawe, who did well to intercept a defensive pass, but his shot was straight at Maher.

Andrew Cagney’s point 12 seconds after the restart was exactly what Charleville needed, answered by Conor Kingston, before the penalty. Thankfully for Charleville, Collins did the needful and they pushed on.

Scorers for Charleville: J Doyle 0-10 (0-7f), A Cagney 1-2, G Kelleher 0-3, C Buckley 1-0, J O’Callaghan 0-2, D O’Flynn 0-1,

Douglas: S Kingston 0-12 (0-8f), C O’Donovan, C Kingston 0-2 each, E Dolan, S Moylan, A Cadogan, S Bourke, E Cadogan 0-1 each.

DOUGLAS: D Maher; D Murphy, B O’Neill, M Howell; K McSweeney, M Harrington, S Donegan; C O’Donovan, C Baldwin; E Dolan, C Kingston, S Moylan; A Cadogan, B Hartnett, S Kingston.

Subs: E Cadogan for Harrington (5-7, blood), B Turnbull for McSweeney (23, injured), E Cadogan for Harrington (30-half-time, blood), S Bourke for Dolan (half-time), E Cadogan for Baldwin (47), C Lucas for E Cadogan (48-50, blood), Lucas for Hartnett (54).

CHARLEVILLE: C Collins; D Butler, J Meade, F Cagney; A Dennehy, J Buckley, M O’Flynn; J O’Callaghan, D O’Flynn; G Kelleher, C Buckley, J Doyle; T Hawe, A Cagney, O O’Connell.

Subs: J Madigan for Cagney (10-12, blood), D Forde for Kelleher (52), Madigan for Cagney (54), R Carroll for M O’Flynn, J O’Brien for Buckley (both 60).

Referee: C Lane (Banteer).