Premier SFC: St Finbarr's do enough to open with victory over Douglas
William Buckley of St Finbarr's holding possession as Brian Lynch of Douglas closes in during the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier SFC game at Carrigaline on Friday night. Picture: David Creedon
The ante-post favourites St Finbarr’s never trailed as they opened with a victory in Friday night’s McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier SFC opener against Douglas at Carrigaline.
Group-stage wins are what the Barrs do – since the change in format for 2020, they’ve never known anything else, this their 13th such victory on the trot.
The Togher side, champions in 2018 and 2021, didn’t ever manage to fire on all cylinders but they ensured they did enough. The injury absences of Sam Ryan and Billy Hennessy, as well keeping their Cork hurlers Ethan Twomey and Brian Hayes in reserve, meant that Brian Roche’s side had to demonstrate their depth they were still able to call on a considerable amount of county- and Munster-winning experience.
Having opted to play against the wind after winning the toss, the Barrs had the game’s opening two points. Though Douglas did manage to draw level at 0-4 each following a nice Brian Lynch point in the 19th minute, it proved to be their last score of the first half and the Barrs followed it with an emphatic surge.
First, corner-back Colm Scully, who got forward well throughout, had the Barrs back in front as he took advantage of a lovely Cillian Myers Murray pass. Then, moments later – after an Alan O’Connor turnover that might have warranted a free – Johnny Wigginton Barrett’s goalward delivery was met by Sherlock, who palmed an effort across goalkeeper Andrew Cotter and into the net.
With Douglas affected by a shooting malaise for the remainder of the opening period, the Barrs took that four-point lead in at half-time and knew that the maintenance of a clean sheet after the restart would all but ensure that victory followed.
Douglas started brightly as Conor Kingston had an early point but, though heartening scores followed from Kerry native Pádraig Lucey and goalkeeper Andrew Cotter – his second free of the game – both were after Sherlock frees for the Barrs. It would not be until a flurry at the death that they were able to manage consecutive second-half scores.
By the same token, the Barrs lacked the fluency to put the game fully beyond the reach of their opponents by a nice Cillian Myers Murray score on the three-quarter mark gave them a nice bit of breathing room.
A Douglas goal never looked likely – one Seán Powter drive was well contained by Jamie Burns and, at the other end, the Barrs could have put the outcome to death as Enda Dennehy and Ian Maguire combined to set up Myers Murray but Cotter saved his shot.
It was Dennehy whose point left it 1-10 to 0-8 with two minutes of normal time left before Powter and then Rob Hanley cut the deficit to a goal. It didn’t come, though – at the very end, Douglas felt that Darragh Kelly’s run was illegally halted but instead the whistle brought the end of proceedings.
Hurling commitments take hold next weekend for the clubs – when the football resumes on Friday, August 16, Douglas will look to bounce back against Valley Rovers while the Barrs can all but secure their progress with a win against Mallow the following day.
S Sherlock 1-4 (0-4f), J Wigginton Barrett, I Maguire, W Buckley, C Scully, C Myers Murray, E Denney 0-1 each.
A Cotter (f), P Lucey (0-1f) 0-2 each, A O’Hare (f), S Aherne, B Lynch, C Kingston, S Powter, R Hanley 0-1 each.
D Newman; B O’Connell, F Crowley, C Scully; C Lyons, A O’Connor, C Doolan; I Maguire, J Burns; E Dennehy, E McGreevy, W Buckley; J Wigginton Barrett, C Myers Murray, S Sherlock.
B Hayes for Burns, E Twomey for McGreevy (both 60).
A Cotter; D Murphy, N Walsh, B Lynch; S Powter, D Buckley, K Flahive; N Hartnett, K Shanahan; S Aherne, D Kelly, C Kingston; A O’Hare, P Lucey, A Cantwell.
S O’Leary for Cantwell, D Ward for Walsh (both half-time), R Hanley for O’Hare (50), B Hartnett for K Hartnett (59).
D Murnane (Macroom).
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