Fermoy send Ilen Rovers down to Premier Intermediate
Fermoy's Darragh Daly is tackled by Ilen Rovers' Michael Sheehy during the Bon Secours SAFC relegation playoff at Ahiohill. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
FERMOY will still be playing senior football next season.
They may have lost their three previous group games to Knocknagree, Kanturk and O’Donovan Rossa, but they atoned somewhat in the drenching rain at Ahiohill yesterday with a deserved relegation battle victory over Ilen Rovers.
Two of those defeats, to Kanturk and O’Donovan Rossa, were a bitter pill to swallow for Fermoy but they were in no mood for regrets yesterday and in near-impossible conditions of gusting winds and driving rain always held the upper hand against Ilen, who have also been disappointing this season and are now condemned to Premier Intermediate.
The Baltimore outfit also lost all their group games to Bishopstown, Newcestown and Dohenys and from an early stage yesterday were battling against a clued-in and determined Fermoy outfit in the impossible conditions, the game being played in Oliver Plunkett's second ground and with no pitch markings.
Scores were always going to be at a premium but it was Fermoy who settled quicker as two frees from full-forward David Lardner gave them great impetus. But despite all their possession they soon found out Ilen were up for the challenge as points from Micheal Sheehy and Simon O’Shea had the sides level at 0-2 apiece after the opening quarter.
Fermoy always looked more clued in and with Peter Murphy, Gary O’Callaghan and David O’Callaghan on top of their games always looked a stronger and more dangerous challenge. Four points in the second quarter proved pivotal as it gave the Avondhu men a lead Ilen were never going to claw back in the impossible conditions.
First goalkeeper Dale Dawson fired over a free, Gary O’Callaghan followed with two nice efforts from play and David Lardner another and Ilen were in trouble.
Ilen did respond with a Peter O’Driscoll point in the 25th minute but it was Fermoy who had the last say as Martin Brennan and O’Callaghan’s third point earned their side a 0-8 to 0-3 lead at the break.
It was all Fermoy in the early stages of the second half but wide after wide kept Ilen in the picture and it was the West Cork side who were first to strike when Micheal Sheehy kicked a superb 40th minute point. But in a half where scores were at a premium, it was never going to be enough.
Just three points were scored in the second half, the last two to Fermoy per Brian O’Sullivan and O’Callaghan, his fourth. Fermoy were safe, and deservedly so, but in the conditions that prevailed was there really an urgency to play the match on the day at all?
To say the conditions were testing would be an understatement.
G. O’Callaghan 0-4, D. Lardner 0-3 (0-2 f), D. Dawson (f), M. Brennan, B. O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
M. Sheehan 0-2, S. O’Shea, P. O’Driscoll (f) 0-1 each.
D. Dawson; R. Morrison, A. Creed, J. Molloy; M. Brennan, D. O’Carroll, P. Murphy; P. de Ròiste, J. O’Brien; D. Daly, T. Clancy, D. O’Callaghan; G. O'Callaghan, D. Lardner, G. Lardner.
B. Twomey for D. O’Callaghan (44), D. O’Flynn for Daly (56).
D. O’Sullivan; J. Collins, S. Minihane, D. Whooley; Peter O’Driscoll, C. O’Driscoll, D. Hegarty; D. Collins, Peader 0’Driscoll; S. O’Shea, C. Harrington, M. Sheehan; S. O’Donovan, D. MacEoin, A. Holland.
K. O’Sullivan for Harrington (25), M. Adams for Collins (25), B. Collins for Holland (47).
Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).
App?
