Premier SFC: St Finbarr's impress as they hammer Valley Rovers to book knockout spot

St Finbarr’s: 4-12 

Valley Rovers: 0-11 

In what was effectively a winner-takes-all encounter, it was St Finbarr’s who held their nerve against Valley Rovers in this McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC clash at sun-splashed Coachford on Sunday evening.

The pressure was on the Barrs who knew only a win would suffice for them and they delivered even if it wasn’t pretty at times in this final Group 3 match. It was a much improved display from Brian Roche's side from their previous game which was the high-profile defeat to Mallow.

St Finbarr’s will face 2014 champions Ballincollig in the quarter-final as the Barrs in the end topped their group by a point. Valley Rovers miss out on the knockout stages on scoring difference to Mallow. The scoreline is probably a bit harsh on the team in green and white who were competitive throughout. 

With the stakes high, St Finbarr’s didn’t show any nerves in the early stages as they hit the first two points inside the opening six minutes. Steven Sherlock and Cillian Myers-Murray with the efforts.

Valley Rovers did get their first score after seven minutes when Ciarán McCarthy converted a mark, but they were under the pump. Sherlock kicked over a free for the winners before the Cork footballer netted a goal after 12 minutes. Great work by Ciarán Doolan set up Sherlock and the latter calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net, 1-3 to 0-1.

The Togher outfit tacked on three unanswered points to put them into a strong lead but Valley Rovers rallied for a short spell. McCarthy landed a point for his side before the Carrigdhoun team nearly scored a goal after 22 minutes but that man McCarthy wasn’t able to finish. Great opportunity.

A pair of Adam Walsh-Murphy frees and a Fiachra Lynch effort brought Valley Rovers to within four points of their opposition, 1-6 to 0-5, but they suffered a sucker punch right on the 30th minute when Brian Hayes raised St Finbarr’s second goal from close range. The sides traded points in added time in the first half as the Barrs led 2-7 to 0-6 at half-time.

Valley Rovers started full of intent on the resumption as the aforementioned McCarthy pointed, but just as they were dominating possession and getting a grip on the contest, they conceded a third goal after 34 minutes. A long ball sent in by Ethan Twomey was expertly palmed home to the net by Sherlock, 3-7 to 0-7.

A long range free by Valley Rovers goalkeeper Eoin O’Sullivan was the score of the match before the Barrs were reduced to 14 players after 39 minutes. Having earlier received a yellow card, Colm Scully picked up a black card resulting in a red.

The teams swapped white flags until the game was most certainly put to bed with 11 minutes remaining when Enda Dennehy got St Finbarr’s fourth goal, 4-8 to 0-9. The winners were in control as they kicked four of the next six points, 4-12 to 0-11 heading into added time. There were no further scores as the Barrs march on to meet Ballincollig at the quarter-final stage in two weeks. 

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: S Sherlock 2-5 (0-3 f), B Hayes, E Dennehy 1-0 each, C Myers-Murray, J Wigginton-Barrett 0-2 each, E McGreevy, W Buckley, B O'Connell 0-1 each.

Valley Rovers: C McCarthy 0-4 (0-1 m), A Walsh-Murphy (0-2 f), F Lynch (0-1 f) 0-2 each, E O’Sullivan (f), J Kiely, W Hurley 0-1 each.

ST FINBARR’S: D Newman; F Crowley, J Burns, B O’Connell; E Dennehy, A O’Connor, C Scully; C Doolan, I Maguire; E Twomey, B Hayes, W Buckley; C Myers-Murray, J Wigginton-Barrett, S Sherlock.

Subs: C Lyons for C Myers-Murray (46), E McGreevy for J Wigginton-Barrett (54), D O’Brien for E Twomey (56), T O’Keeffe for I Maguire, M Shields for S Sherlock (both 58).

VALLEY ROVERS: E O’Sullivan; C O’Keeffe, E Delaney, D Muckian; A Walsh-Murphy, M Woods, G Farrell; J Kiely, D Murphy; R O’Sullivan, A Kenneally, W Hurley; C McCarthy, F Lynch, A Casey.

Subs: E Guinane for M Woods (18, inj), E O’Reilly for A Casey (46), T McGrath for G Farrell (54), A Casey for F Lynch (59).

Referee: Ciarán Murphy (Glanworth).