Premier SHC: Imokilly far too strong for Muskerry as they ease into quarter-finals

Imokilly 6-31 

Muskerry 0-17

The Denis O’Riordan Cup has been in Imokilly’s possession since it came into being two years ago and their grip on it was never loosened as they cruised past Muskerry at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday night.

The East Cork divisional side were strong favourites in the final of the divisions and colleges section of the Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC. Their superiority was clear from the off against a Muskerry side that had enjoyed a good year in coming this far.

Imokilly scored early and often – parity from the throw-in lasted a mere seven seconds before Brian Lawton notched their first point and their supremacy was never in danger of being shaken.

Diarmuid Healy and Mike Kelly impressed as they moved into a 0-7 to 0-1 lead inside eight minutes and Seán Desmond might have added a goal following a nice pass from Ciarán Joyce but James Linehan saved well.

While Matthew Bradley did point two frees for a Muskerry side that were without James Dwyer, Séamus Harnedy’s second point had Imokilly 0-10 to 0-3 ahead when the first goal did arrive and it was a great team move. The ball was worked through the hands of Kelly, Adam Murphy, Healy, Lawton and Kevin O’Neill – while the latter looked to have been bottled up, he did well to get a pass away to Healy, who in turn set up Desmond for a well-taken finish.

Lawton also went close to a green flag, his shot coming back off the inside of the post after he claimed the break from a puckout. The closest Muskerry came to a goal was an Aidan Murphy half-chance that Michael Russell did well to block, though Imokilly might have had another before half-time, Linehan denying Desmond after Dáire O’Leary had found him with a superb diagonal ball.

Even so, the East Cork side retired with a 1-18 to 0-7 half-time lead and two more goals were added within five minutes of the restart. First, Leahy made it 2-20 to 0-8 when he found himself unmarked on the end of a long ball and then O’Leary, having driven forward and exchanged passes with Lawton, drilled a shot to the net.

Conor O’Leary did get on the scoresheet for Muskerry and Bradley continued to punish the few indiscretions made by the Imokilly defence, but there was no let-up at the other end.

A fourth goal arrived in the 43rd minute as sub Brendan Lehane netted with his first possession and Leahy added his second and his team’s fifth soon after that.

Such was the quality in depth available that the raft of subs introduced by Denis Ring didn’t make life any easier for Muskerry and another sub, William Leahy, added a sixth goal near the end.

Bradley, who finished with ten for Muskerry, did go close to a late goal but Eoin Davis ensured that the Imokilly sheet remained clean. They move on to tougher tests.

Scorers for Imokilly: J Leahy 2-7 (0-5 f), S Desmond 1-4, M Kelly 0-4, B Lehane, W Leahy (0-1 sl), D O’Leary 1-1 each, S Harnedy, D Healy 0-3, C Joyce 0-2, L O’Shea, A Murphy, B Lawton, J Cronin, T Wilk 0-1 each.

Muskerry: M Bradley 0-10 (0-7 f, 0-2 65), O O’Driscoll, S O’Neill 0-2 each, D O’Sullivan, C O’Leary, B Corcoran 0-1 each.

IMOKILLY: E Davis (St Catherine’s); T Wilk (Cobh), M Russell (Aghada), C O’Brien (St Ita’s); C Joyce (Castlemartyr), D O’Leary (Watergrasshill), J Cronin (Lisgoold); K O’Neill (Watergrasshill), M Kelly (Castlemartyr); S Harnedy (St Ita’s), D Healy (Lisgoold), B Lawton (Castlemartyr); A Murphy (Watergrasshill), S Desmond (Watergrasshill), J Leahy (Dungourney).

Subs: D O’Brien for Healy (36), L O’Shea (Lisgoold) for Lawton, B Lehane (Watergrasshill) for Harnedy (both 41), J McCarthy (Dungourney) for Joyce (44), W Leahy (Aghada) for Desmond (45).

MUSKERRY: J Linehan (Ballincollig); B Corcoran (Éire Óg), M Brady (Éire Óg), C McGoldrick (Éire Óg); C O’Leary (Ballincollig), F Denny (Ballincollig), D O’Sullivan (Ballincollig); O O’Driscoll (Cloughduv), D Kirwan (Éire Óg); S O’Neill (Ballincollig), A Murphy (Cloughduv), S Joyce (Grenagh); M Brady (Aghabullogue), P Ring (Aghabullogue), M Lucey (Donoughmore).

Subs: O O’Shea (Éire Óg) for Lucey, A Dinan (Donoughore) for Joyce (both 44), T Twomey (Grenagh) for O’Sullivan (51), P Kelly (Ballincollig) for O’Driscoll (58).

Referee: N Fahy (Brian Dillons).