Premier SFC: Clonakilty hit rich vein of scoring form to qualify for quarter-finals
Chris Kenneally of Clonakilty tries to get past St Michael's player Andrew Murphy in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC game in Bandon. Picture: Denis Boyle
Clonakilty had to win to keep their season alive and they did just that, having 15 points to spare on St Michael’s in their McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC Group 2 clash at Bandon on Sunday.
Having opened with a loss to Castlehaven, a draw followed against Carbery Rangers and a fine team performance kept the graph pointing upwards, ensuring second place behind the Haven in a West Cork-heavy group.
It leaves them looking ahead to a quarter-final tie against Nemo Rangers – a repeat of a clash from the same stage in 2023, when the city side won by 0-5 to 0-4 in monsoon-like conditions. On this showing, Clon will relish the chance show they have improved.
Exactly a year ago, Charlie Hurley Park was also the venue as Clon came out on the wrong side of a high-scoring game with Castlehaven but it was enough for them to advance. This time, only a victory would suffice and even that was contingent on Carbery Rangers not getting the better of the already-qualified Castlehaven.
In the event, things were as straightforward as Clon could have wished. With the Haven making it three wins from three in Leap, the terms were simplified here and Clon led from the moment Darragh Gough’s goal made it 1-1 to 0-1 after four minutes.
A second goal in the 24th minute, from Cork star Maurice Shanley, helped them to lead by 2-7 to 0-4 at half-time and they continued to grow that advantage in the second half as a cohesive defensive unit gave up little, with Chris Kenneally excellent.
Gough and Conor Daly were in flying form in the inside line, with the physical presence of Griffin Wharton a perfect foil. Gough took his early goal well, firing home a ground shot after Ross Mannix carried the ball forward with purpose and Shanley and Ben Ridgeway ensured they held the whip-hand at midfield.
The second goal came when wing-back David Lowney did well to claim a Michael’s kickout, allowing Wharton and Ridgeway to combine to find Shanley on the run and he finished well.
A nine-point lead presented a big mountain for Michael’s to try to overcome in the second half and Gough Shanley extended the lead further on the restart.
There were a couple of occasions when a third goal might have materialised – Wharton turned over from a kickout but the move broke down, while sub Niall Barrett, who had earlier pointed a mark, claimed another when Michael’s goalkeeper Mikey O’Connell was racing back towards his line – but they had enough in hand.
Michael’s, who lose Eoin Hickey before the game and Eric Hegarty at half-time, did manage a late consolation goal from sub Eoghan Buckley but they could not half the gallop of a Clon side that didn’t hit a second-half wide until the 57th minute.
They march on, with a bigger task in their sights.
D Gough 1-5 (0-3 f), C Daly 0-7 (0-3 f), M Shanley 1-2, B Ridgeway, S McEvoy, G Wharton, N Barrett (0-1 m) 0-1 each.
E Buckley 1-0, L O’Herlihy 0-2 f, A Murphy, A Hennessy, R O’Shaughnessy, E Hegarty 0-1 each.
M White; M Scally, D Peet, C Kenneally; S Murphy, T Clancy, D Lowney; M Shanley, B Ridgeway; S McEvoy, S White, R Mannix; D Gough, C Daly, G Wharton.
B White for Mannix (49, injured), N Barrett for S White (53, injured), F Murphy for Lowney (59).
M O’Connell; F Leahy, A O’Callaghan, J Golden; E Sheehan, D Meaney, R Kavanagh; A Murphy, E de Búrca; K Hegarty, R O’Shaughnessy, A Hennessy; L O’Herlihy, T Deasy, E Hegarty.
E Buckley for E Hegarty, B Cain for de Búrca (both half-time), S Murphy for Hennessy (40), T Grainger for K Hegarty (49).
P O’Leary (Kilmurry).
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