SAFC: Dohenys secure top seed while Ilen Rovers face relegation dogfight

Dohenys 3-13 Ilen Rovers 1-15 

DOHENYS booked their place in the semi-finals of the Bons Secours SAFC after they had four points to spare over Ilen Rovers after a fabulous afternoon of football in Drimoleague. 

It was a deserved win for the Dunmanway men, who topped Group C as a result, while Ilen will have to bury their disappointment before they take on Fermoy in the relegation play-off.

Ilen looked set to get the victory they desperately needed when Dan MacEoin put them 1-12 to 1-11 ahead with 13 minutes to play. However, their chances suffered a major blow when they lost Kevin O’Driscoll to a red card and before they knew it, Rhys Coakley had registered Dohenys' second goal of the game.

MacEoin responded with a free immediately for Ilen, but then Keith White struck for his second and Dohenys third major after good work from Fionn Herlihy. MacEoin and Seán O’Donovan did narrow the gap for Ilen, but late scores from Herlihy and Mark Buckley secured Dohenys the win.

Herlihy and Colm O’Shea put the Dunmanway side into an early lead before Ilen caught fire, kicking 1-2 in three minutes, O’Donovan with the goal and MacEoin with the two points. Dohenys gradually closed the gap and Shane Barry levelled matters for the first time at 1-3 to 0-6.

Ilen then enjoyed another purple patch as points from O’Donovan, Micheál Sheehy and Alan Holland pushed them three ahead. Dohenys’ response was emphatic, as Coakley put White through, and he danced around Damian O’Sullivan in the Ilen goal before finishing to the net to level the game again. Coakley and Holland then exchanged scores before O’Shea and White scored to leave Dohenys leading by 1-8 to 1-6 at the break.

Ilen edged a tense third quarter by 0-5 to 0-3 and when MacEoin put them ahead, survival seemed a distinct possibility. Instead, they’ll have to go to the well again when they play Fermoy while Dohenys are major contenders for the ultimate honour.

Scorers for Dohenys: K White 2-1, R Coakley 1-1, C O’Shea 0-4 (0-3 f), F Herlihy, M Buckley 0-3 each, S Barry 0-1.

Ilen Rovers: D MacEoin 0-8 (0-6 f), S O’Donovan 1-3, M Sheehy, A Holland 0-2 each. 

DOHENYS: S Daly; D Rice, S Daly, J Farrell; C Daly, J Kelly, B O’Donovan; D Collins, R Coakley; A O’Donovan, C O’Shea, S Barry; K White (c), F Herlihy, M Buckley.

Subs: A Mannix for Collins (34), C Barry for O’Shea (inj, 38), B Murphy for Barry (50).

ILEN ROVERS: D O’Sullivan, S Minihane, D Whooley, D Hegarty; Peter O’Driscoll, C O’Driscoll, S O’Shea; Peadar O’Driscoll, D Collins (c), A Holland, C Harrington, M Sheehy; D O’Driscoll, D MacEoin, S O’Donovan.

Subs: K O’Driscoll for Harrington (42), M Adams for D O’Driscoll (45), E Hourihane for D Collins (58).

Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).