Premier SFC: Nemo Rangers always on top as they reach another final

Nemo Rangers 3-10

Duhallow 1-8

Nemo Rangers are a game away from winning a 24th Cork county football title following a comfortable win over Duhallow at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

The reigning champions did not produce a complete performance but they didn’t need to. Never trailing, they were able to respond to Duhallow’s attempts to get back in the game and a period early in the second half was decisive.

Leading by 0-6 to 0-3 at half-time, Nemo conceded the first point of the second half but an unanswered 1-3 put them in a position of real control. The goal came in the way of points from Mark Cronin and Jack Horgan to put them 0-9 to 0-4 in front, with Luke Connolly firing home from a narrow angle after Jack Horgan had been denied by a Fachtna O’Connor save. Duhallow did make inroads after that, but a full-blown fightback was never likely.

While it took eight minutes for the game’s opening score, with Luke Connolly setting up Conor Horgan before doubling the advantage from a free, once Nemo had the advantage it was not something that looked to be in danger of erosion.

They might have added an early goal as Conor Horgan threaded a lovely ball through to his wing-forward namesake Jack but he opted to go for a point only for the effort to come back off the post, with Mark Cronin fisting a follow-up attempt wide.

Donncha O’Connor got Duhallow off the mark after that but Nemo continued to have the better of the play. A good move ended with Connolly palming home from a pass by the ever-industrious Conor Horgan but it was ruled out for a square-ball.

Even so, points from captain Alan O’Donovan and Stephen Cronin – from the 45, kicking over the massed ranks of Duhallow bodies – put them three in front. In the 24th minute, Duhallow centre-back Conor O’Callaghan landed a good point from distance, their first from play, and another Donncha O’Connor free had it 0-4 to 0-3 but Nemo finished with points from Connolly and Cronin to hold a three-point advantage. It might have been more following a good Oran McElligott turnover in injury time, with his pass giving a Luke Horgan a clear route to goal, but play was called back for a Duhallow free out.

Séamus Hickey’s point for Duhallow two minutes after the restart did reduce their arrears back down to two points but it was the last two that such a slender margin pertained.

After another Cronin free, a good Kevin O’Donovan interception ensured a Duhallow goal chance didn’t materialise. After that, Nemo moved up a gear and Connolly’s goal had them eight points in front with 20 minutes left.

Duhallow’s capacity to keep plugging away, even in what seemed like a forlorn cause, was not in question and they had a glimmer of hope as three points were necklaced together from Donncha O’Connor, Gerry O’Sullivan and sub David O’Connor.

Unfortunately for them, the effort in clawing back some of the deficit looked to have been wiped out as Nemo launched a searing counter-attack. Stephen Cronin’s long pass found Connolly, who exchanged passes with Paul Kerrigan – unable to start by just on as a sub – before drilling another shot to the net (through it, in fact).

Again, Duhallow turned an eight-point deficit into, quicker this time as Donncha O’Connor set up Luke Murphy for a goal. The difference was four points when Duhallow sub Jack Curtin kicked over but panic has never been a Nemo characteristic.

Another Connolly free inched them clear and any remaining doubts about the outcome were extinguished as Conor Horgan got the goal his overall performance deserved – though perhaps not in the fashion he would have liked as a low effort deceived goalkeeper O’Connor.

Nevertheless, an eight-point gap at the end was not less than Nemo deserved.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: L Connolly 2-3 (0-3f), C Horgan 1-1, M Cronin 0-3 (0-2f), S Cronin, A O’Donovan, J Horgan 0-1 each.

Duhallow: Donncha O’Connor 0-3f, L Murphy 1-0, C O’Callaghan, Séamus Hickey, G O’Sullivan, J Curtin, David O’Connor 0-1 each.

NEMO RANGERS: M A Martin; K Fulganati, B Murphy, K Histon; C Molloy, K O’Donovan, S Cronin; B Cripps, A O’Donovan (c); C Horgan, M Cronin, L Horgan; L Connolly, O McElligott, J Horgan.

Subs: P Kerrigan for McElligott (42), G Sayers for J Horgan (47), C Dalton for C Horgan, C Kiely for L Horgan (both 59), J Coogan for Connolly (60).

DUHALLOW: F O’Connor (Cullen); K Cremin (Boherbue), D Buckley (Boherbue), K Crowley (Millstreet); Shane Hickey (Millstreet), C O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe), J Murphy (Dromtarriffe); Séamus Hickey (Rockchapel), D Cashman (Millstreet); A O’Connor (Boherbue), M McAuliffe (Rockchapel), B O’Keeffe (Dromtarriffe); Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond), L Murphy (Cullen), G O’Sullivan (Boherbue).

Subs: J Curtin (Rockchapel) for A O’Connor (27), David O’Connor (Boherbue) for A O’Connor

(40), D Linehan (Castlemagner) for O’Keeffe (42), S Curtin (Rockchapel) for J Murphy (58).

Referee: J Ryan (Macroom).