Premier SFC: Conor Russell the hero as Douglas edge out St Michael's to set up a quarter-final with Duhallow
Alan O'Callaghan and Keith Hegarty St Michael's, chase Conor Russell, Douglas. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
DOUGLAS will face Duhallow in the quarter-finals of the Bon Secours Hospital Premier SFC following victory over fellow city rivals St Michael’s at Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday night.
Both of these teams ended level on all metrics after three group-stage games so a play-off was required to see who would advance to the knockout stages of the championship.
When the teams met in the first group game back in July, Douglas won by a single point and this particular contest followed very similar lines with Douglas coming out on the right side by the narrowest of margins.
There was a minute's silence before the game in memory of Blackrock president Jimmy Brohan who passed away last Tuesday. Brohan played with Blackrock, St Michael’s and Cork.
It was a tentative start, with the teams taking time to settle. Douglas hit the front after four minutes through a Shane Kingston point following good work by Seán Powter.
The Blackrock side saw plenty of the ball in the early stages but wasteful shooting was their downfall. St Michael’s made up for it with a crucial score after nine minutes when Robbie Cotter billowed the back of the net after a pass from Andrew Murphy.
Douglas’ pace was causing St Michael’s problems and David Collins’ side responded well to the concession of the green flag with two points, a Conor Russell free and a Shane Kingston 45, a beauty of a free, 0-3 to 1-0 after 13 minutes.
Douglas nearly bagged a goal a minute later but Russell sliced his effort wide from close-range when a goal looked likely. Russell, who caused umpteen problems for the St Michael’s defence throughout, pointed another free before the Blackrock side kicked their first point after 18 minutes through Murphy, 1-1 to 0-4.
Powter bisected the posts for his side following his trademark jinking run. Murphy was an inspirational figure for St Michael’s and he landed his second point after 23 minutes to level up proceedings. Powter was on song for Douglas, and he split the posts after being set up by Kingston to nudge his side in front, 0-6 to 1-2 after 25 minutes.
Daniel Meaney went off injured for St Michael’s, which was a blow for them, before the sides traded points. The teams went into dressing rooms level at the break after Cotter kicked a free, 1-4 to 0-7 at the short whistle.
Douglas started the second-half positively with a point a minute in, courtesy of a Dylan Ward white flag with Powter playing a major part in the score. That deadly duo linked up again, Kingston setting up Powter, but the latter’s effort was well saved by St Michael’s goalkeeper Martin Burke, who spread himself brilliantly.
Douglas’ pushed three points clear after Brian Hartnett and Kevin Shanahan scores, 0-10 to 1-4 after 37 minutes. The score of the game arrived three minutes later when Russell kicked a massive long-range point as Douglas had a small bit of breathing space.
St Michael’s first score of the half arrived 12 minutes in, a gorgeous Cotter white flag. That was followed by a Rory O’Shaughnessy point to leave just two points between the teams. All of a sudden the momentum was with the Blackrock side and a Keith Hegarty point reduced the margin down to a single point, 0-10 to 1-6.
The St Michael’s netminder Burke was to the rescue again this time denying Kingston, a point-blank save. The teams were level after 58 minutes when Cotter pointed a free.
Douglas nudged ahead in the third minute of injury time from a Russell free and despite late St Michael’s pressure, Douglas held on as they will face Duhallow in the quarter-final Sunday week in Páirc Uí Rinn at 7.30pm.
C Russell 0-5 (0-3 f), S Kingston (45), S Powter 0-2 each, K Shanahan, B Hartnett, D Ward 0-1 each.
R Cotter 1-3 (0-2 f), A Murphy, K Hegarty 0-2 each, R O’Shaughnessy 0-1.
C O’Leary; N Lynch, C Kenny, D Ward; D Kelly (c), K Flahive, S Wilson; C Kingston, E Nash; A Cantwell, B Hartnett, K Shanahan; S Kingston, C Russell, S Powter.
N Hartnett for D Ward (38), A O’Hare for A Cantwell (48), J Cunningham for K Shanahan (52), B Boyle for C O’Leary (54 inj), B Powter for N Lynch (59).
M Burke; S Keating, A O’Callaghan, L Carroll; E Sheehan, D Meaney, R Kavanagh; A Murphy (c), E Hickey; K Hegarty, R O’Shaughnessy, S Falvey; A Hennessy, R Cotter, E Hegarty.
J Golden for D Meaney (27, inj), M O’Keeffe for S Falvey (32), T Deasy for E Hegarty (41), O O’Sullivan for R Kavanagh (46), L O’Herlihy for A Hennessy (53).
Alan Long (Argideen Rangers).
App?
