Premier SFC: Ross Corkery fires Nemo past Clonakilty after penalty drama 

Nemo Rangers: 0-19 

Clonakilty: 2-13 

(Nemo win 5-4 penalties) 

After a wonderful contest, Nemo Rangers overcame Clonakilty in a penalty shootout after a cracker in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC quarter-final at Charlie Hurley Park in Bandon on Sunday evening.

This was an absorbing encounter, free-flowing with a lot of good scores. The sides couldn’t be separated after normal time and then extra time before Nemo won 5-4 on penalties, as they converted all of their penalties with Conor Horgan, Mark Cronin, Paul Kerrigan, Briain Murphy and Ross Corkery all dispatching their kicks. Corkery only came on having had a slight knock and it was his penalty that finally won the game after Brian White's shot was saved by Micheál Aodh Martin.

Robbie O’Dwyer’s side will now meet Mallow in the semi-final next Sunday and this will certainly take a lot out of them.

They showed character once again here as they have done so many times in the past. Hit for two goals in two minutes around the third quarter mark, Nemo refused to be beaten.

Clonakilty though, similar to last year, will feel the match was there to be won against Nemo, but didn’t grasp the opportunity before it got to the lottery of the penalties. The West Cork side bow out at the quarter-final stage for the second year on the bounce. 

Clon elected to be aided by a strong wind in the first 30 minutes and despite kicking the first score through a sweet point from Ross Mannix, they were pegged back when Mark Cronin converted a free. The Brewery Town did go back in front through a long range effort by Conor Daly before Jack Horgan drew parity following good work by Stephen Cronin in the build-up, 0-2 each after eight minutes.

A Daly mark was slotted over for Clon, but despite being helped by the strong wind, they didn’t take advantage as Nemo hit two of the next three points to draw level after an entertaining opening 13 minutes.

The impressive Daly kicked over a 45 for his side, but Nemo were using all their experience to stay in touch and a beauty of an effort from Conor Horgan drew the Trabeg-based outfit level at 0-5 apiece with 10 minutes to the break.

Nemo had their noses in front for the first time after 23 minutes, despite playing against the wind, when Conor Horgan landed a point from a mark. Robbie O’Dwyer’s troops were starting to gain a foothold and three unanswered points gave them a 0-9 to 0-5 advantage with four minutes of the first half remaining. Clon had chances to reduce the deficit but wrong decision making and poor shooting was their downfall in the second quarter. A Ronan Dalton white flag gave Nemo a 0-10 to 0-5 lead at the interval.

On the resumption, with Nemo now having a strong wind advantage, it was Clonakilty that made a more positive start when Mannix pointed even if they made hard work of getting the score. A great point from a free from Kerrigan was a settler for his side, before they were reduced to 14 players for 10 minutes when Alan O’Donovan picked up a harsh black card for a foul on Maurice Shanley after 37 minutes.

The sides traded points as Nemo remained in control, 0-12 to 0-7. But, it was game on when a Darragh Gough free was followed by a goal for Clon, Mannix the goal scorer after 45 minutes following a clever pass by Daly. 

The latter then remarkably gave his side a two-point lead when the forward superbly slotted the ball into the top corner of the net with 13 minutes remaining, 2-8 to 0-12. Nemo quickly responded with two points to draw level.

The teams swapped white flags before Nemo sub Ross Corkery nudged his side in front after 56 minutes but Mannix levelled the contest two minutes later, 2-10 to 0-16. The teams once again swapped points as the game went into extra time.

Clonakilty had wind advantage for the first period of extra time, in a half that produced just the one score, which came from a Daly mark for the West Cork team, 2-12 to 0-17.

A 45 from Cronin drew parity with six minutes remaining before the evergreen Kerrigan pointed as everyone was on tenterhooks. Clon sub Brian White held his nerve right at the death to convert a free to send the game to penalties.

It was tense with Nemo prevailing. 

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: P Kerrigan 0-6 (0-4 f), M Cronin 0-4 (0-2 f, 0-1 45), C Horgan 0-3 (0-1 m), J Horgan 0-2, B Cripps, R Dalton, R Corkery, B Hayes 0-1 each.

Clonakilty: C Daly 1-7 (0-2 f, 0-2 m, 0-1 45), R Mannix 1-3, B White 0-2 (0-1 f), D Gough 0-1 f.

NEMO RANGERS: M Aodh Martin; E Nation, C Molloy, B Murphy; K O’Donovan, K Fulignati, S Cronin; A O’Donovan (c), B Cripps; J Horgan, R Dalton, O Whyte; C Horgan, M Cronin, P Kerrigan.

Subs: C McCartan for O Whyte (38), R Corkery for J Horgan, B Hayes for R Dalton (both 52), L Horgan for K O’Donovan (75), A Cronin for K Fulignati (76).

CLONAKILTY: M White (c); 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.

Subs: F Murphy for S McEvoy, B White for D Gough (both 59), C O’Donovan for T Clancy (inj), J Leahy for F Murphy (both 70).

Referee: James Bermingham (Bride Rovers).