Premier JFC: Urhan respond well to beat St Nicholas and top group

Urhan 0-12 St Nicholas 0-10

URHAN secured top placing in Group A of the Bon Secours Hospital Cork Premier JFC with victory over St Nicholas at Sam Maguire Park on Friday night, albeit not without a fright.

Going into this clash in Dunmanway, the Beara side topped the group on three points but knew that defeat, coupled with a Ballydesmond win over Cullen, would leave them eliminated.

A strong second quarter looked to have put Urhan in a position of unassailable supremacy as they retired with an 0-8 to 0-3 half-time advantage. However, after a triple half-time substitution, Nick’s reeled off five points on the trot to draw level by the 46th minute.

Unfortunately for the city side, they were never able to forge ahead, though. Superb midfielder Alan Elphick, set up by captain Philip O’Shea, landed his fourth point of the evening to put Urhan back in front.

Though Donagh Coughlan again tied the match for Nick’s, the outstanding Joseph O’Shea strode forward from centre-back to make it 0-10 to 0-9 for the men from the peninsula. While they rode their luck as Nick’s created, but failed to take, further equalising chances, Ciarán O’Sullivan set up sub Seán O’Sullivan to give Urhan a two-point cushion and Joseph O’Shea had them a goal in front as the game moved into injury time.

Three was the magic number as a draw would still have sufficed for them and, though Nick’s sub Danny Barry left two in it after a 45 broke, there was no chance for a game-winning goal for the northsiders.

As they advance, Urhan will reflect on the resilience shown while knowing that they cannot allow themselves to be overrun like they were after half-time. They will also take heart from the showing in the opening half, when they really put their stamp on proceedings.

After an even opening when both sides showed nerves with wayward shooting, good points from Ephick and Philip O’Shea helped Urhan to establish an advantage while Conor O’Sullivan was strong in the full-back line.

While Danny Morris did end 13 scoreless minutes for Nick’s to bring them back to within three, Steven O’Shea – after a lovely move featuring Conchubhar Harrington and Ben O’Sullivan – and Philip O’Shea were on target to send Urhan in with the five-point lead.

The introductions of Fiachra O’Driscoll, Dean Brosnan and Nathan Goulding helped Nick’s to claw their way back, with the latter two among the scores before Donagh Coughlan rounded off a great move to tie the game.

Urhan might have wavered, but they regained their composure to get back on top.

Scorers for Urhan: A Elphick 0-4, P O’Shea 0-3, J O’Shea 0-2, S O’Shea, C Harrington (f), S O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

St Nicholas: N Goulding (f), D Brosnan, D Morris, D Coughlan 0-2 each, D Barry, S O’Callaghan (f) 0-1 each.

URHAN: R Crowley; E O’Shea, C O’Sullivan, D Harrington; J O’Shea, M Shea, D Elpick; A Elphick, A O’Sullivan; A O’Neill, P O’Shea, S O’Shea; C Harrington, C O’Sullivan, B O’Sullivan.

Subs: M McCarthy for E O’Shea (40), D Crowley for O’Neill (45), S O’Sullivan for B O’Sullivan (54), C Crowley for C Harrington (59).

ST NICHOLAS: E Fuller; S Cronin, E Varian; D Dunlea, E Downey, S Horgan; L Forde, K McCarthy; S O’Callaghan, L Quilligan, L Coughlan; G Marshall, D Morris, D Coughlan.

Subs: F O’Driscoll for S Horgan, D Brosnan for O’Callaghan, N Goulding for Forde (all half-time).

Referee: L O’Shea (Rosscarbery).