Cork PSFC: Valley Rovers dig deep to draw with Mallow after being six points down
Fiachra Lynch scored four against Mallow as the veteran impressed in the second half. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Valley Rovers had to dig deep in the second half after being down by six points at one stage – but they were superb in the final quarter.
Rovers fought back and managed to snatch a draw at the death against Mallow in the first round of the Cork Premier Senior Football Championship in Glenville on Friday night.
Mallow had a four point lead at the break and defended well early in the second period, but a couple of scores from midfielder Darragh Murphy were sandwiched by a mark from Mallow’s Hayes.
Fiachra Lynch’s free brought the deficit down to four, but two goal chances from Johnny Kiely and Ciarán McCarthy were too high, and while they were two valuable points had either one found the back of the net they would have won.
They battled on, and a couple of frees from Lynch and wing-back Adam Walsh Murphy preceded an excellent point from full-back Eoghan Delaney, leaving just a score between them after 59 minutes.
Corner-back David Muckian one-upped Delaney with his superb point in added time to level it in style, but they couldn’t find the winner and it ended all square.
Valleys had opted to control possession early on, and Mallow happily obliged – aiming to counter-attack as soon as Valleys ceded possession.
Early mistakes from the Innishannon outfit allowed Mallow four great opportunities in the first six minutes, and while they wasted the first – were it not for a superb block from corner back Shane Lynch on Sean McDonnell and Lynch’s subsequent recovery of the ball, Mallow could easily have raised a green flag.
Their third and fourth chances were converted though, as Darragh Moynihan and Mark Tobin raised white flags in the fifth and sixth minutes.
Rovers continued to fall into their opponent’s trap, forfeiting possession too easily and getting ripped apart on the counter.
McDonnell forced Eoin O’Sullivan into a strong save, before popping the rebound over the bar to put Mallow three ahead after seven.
It was foreshadowing though – and less than a minute later Sean Hayes got the first goal of the game with a thunderous strike.
Rovers’ possession heavy approach finally paid off in the 14th minute, as Darragh Murphy combined with Ciarán McCarthy, before setting up Adam Kenneally for the close range finish, 1-1 to 1-3.
The four point chunk taken out of Mallow’s lead was a boost for Valley’s but Mallow were unphased, and the north Cork side continued to impress going forward as Stephan O’Callaghan and Jack Dillon kicked a pair of quality points.
O’Callaghan and Cork’s Matty Taylor were defensively strong throughout, while the latter was a huge asset surging forward on the counter-attack.
Valleys were cautious in the second period after being punished so many times on the break, but Mallow defended well and forced them into two early wides.
On his return from injury, Shane Merritt assisted Tobin, while a well-earned free from Taylor gave McDonnell an easy score as Mallow moved six points clear after 38 minutes, but Valleys sprung a surprise and managed to find a way to get a point out of the game.
F Lynch 0-4 (0-3 f), A Kenneally 1-0, D Murphy 0-2, C McCarthy, A Walsh Murphy (f), E O’Sullivan (f), J Kiely, E Delaney, D Muckian 0-1 each.
S Hayes 1-2 (0-2 m), M Tobin 0-4, S McDonnell 0-3 (0-1f), D Moynihan, S O’Callaghan, J Dillon 0-1 each.
E O’Sullivan; S Lynch, E Delaney, D Muckian; A Walsh Murphy, G Farrell, M Woods; J Kiely, D Murphy (Cpt); R O’Sullivan, A Kenneally, W Hurley; C McCarthy, F Lynch, A Casey.
J Kenneally for Farrell (50), E O’Reilly for Casey (57).
K Doyle; B Myers, P Lyons, E Barry; J Glynn, S Merritt, M Taylor (Cpt); D Moynihan, S O’Callaghan; J Dillon, R Harkin, S McDonnell; M Tobin, S Hayes, J O’Keeffe.
S Copps for Glynn, E Stanton for O’Keeffe (both 44), D O’Sullivan for O’Callaghan (52), E Kelleher for Harkin (53), K Sheehan for Hayes (57).
Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers)
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