Premier SHC: Imokilly blitz Avondhu as they make a statement of intent
Imokilly's Shane Hegarty is tackled by Avondhu's Liam Cronin at Fermoy. Picture: David Keane
Imokilly powered past Avondhu in the Co-Op SuperStores Premier SHC Divisions/Colleges semi-final section at Fermoy on Sunday evening.
Denis Ring’s side reached the last four of the championship proper last season and on this showing, they will be a hard team to stop. They will now face Muskerry in the decider after they took care of UCC in the other semi-final.
Imokilly made short work of their opposition and it was done so without Seámus Harnedy, Ciarán Joyce and Diarmuid Healy who were named to start but withdrew due to injuries. It was an excellent performance from the East-Cork side with Dungourney’s Jack Leahy the pick of the bunch. He finished up with 0-10, five coming from play.
In fairness to Avondhu, they were down some key players most notably Eoin Carey due to injury, but they came up against a team who have aspirations of going all the way.
Avondhu were aided by a stiff wind in the first 30 minutes but found themselves 0-5 to 0-1 down after 10 minutes. Avondhu did have their chances as they hit five wides in that time.
The direction of traffic was going in one way and Imokilly put on the afterburners in a devastating half. They led 3-8 to 0-3 after just 20 minutes with Darragh O’Brien, Seán Desmond and the excellent Adam Murphy raising green flags for the East-Cork outfit. The goals coming in the 11th, 14th and 19th minutes respectively.
Mark Lenahan, who performed admirably for Avondhu, pointed but Imokilly were clinical as they rattled off 1-1. Leahy with the point and Mike Kelly with a close range finish to the net after 27 minutes.
Stephen Condon slotted over a pair of points for his side, with one coming from a free, but Leahy got the last score of the half as Imokilly led 4-10 to 0-6 at the break. Avondhu registered 17 wides in the first half.
Imokilly had the wind advantage for the second half but it merely mattered as they outscored their opposition 0-6 to 0-2 in the first 10 minutes of the new half. Condon converted a free for Avondhu before the sides traded points, 4-17 to 0-10 after 46 minutes.
It was domination from Imokilly as they landed six of the next eight points with Liam O’Shea’s effort the pick of those scores. Mike Kelly got the last couple of scores as he hit 1-1, with the goal - his second - coming after 59 minutes. A powerful finish into the roof of the net.
Imokilly will face Muskerry in the final of this particular section on the last weekend of this month.
J Leahy 0-10 (0-5 f), M Kelly 2-2, A Murphy 1-3, S Desmond 1-1, D O’Brien 1-0, D O’Leary, W Leahy, S Hegarty 0-2 each, K O’Neill, L O’Shea 0-1 each.
S Condon 0-5 (0-3 f), M Lenahan 0-3, C O’Brien 0-2 (0-1 f), S Killeen, D Flynn 0-1 each.
E Davis (St Catherine’s); T Wilk (Cobh), M Russell (Aghada), C O’Brien (St Ita’s); J McCarthy (Dungourney), D O’Leary (Watergrasshill), J Cronin (Lisgoold); B Cooper (Youghal), S Hegarty (Dungourney); D O’Brien (St Ita’s), M Kelly (Castlemartyr), A Murphy (Watergrasshill); L O’Shea (Lisgoold), S Desmond (Watergrasshill), J Leahy (Dungourney).
K O’Neill (Watergrasshill) for B Cooper (37), W Leahy (Aghada) for D O’Brien (41), S O’Donoghue (St Catherine’s) for A Murphy (42), C Geary (Youghal) for J McCarthy, P Cummins (Russell Rovers) for J Cronin (both 52).
D O’Sullivan (Harbour Rovers); F Hickey (Araglen), B Cotter (Killavullen), B Carey (Araglen); D O’Reilly (Ballyhooly), L Cronin (Killavullen), J Fogarty (Harbour Rovers); J O’Sullivan (Ballygiblin), S Killeen (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels); C O’Brien (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels), D Flynn (Ballygiblin), D Sheehan (Mallow); J Magner (Killavullen), M Lenahan (Buttevant), S Condon (Harbour Rovers).
M Tobin (Mallow) for D Sheehan, E Cotter (Killavullen) for J Magner (both h-t), C Buckley (Clyda Rovers) for F Hickey (42), E Buckley (Ballyhooly) for J O’Sullivan (52), B Lombard (Ballyhooly) for S Condon (54).
Mark Maher (St Finbarr’s).
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