Nemo have too much firepower for league champions Carrigaline
Nemo Rangers' Barry Cripps is challenged by Carrigaline's Niall Coakley during the SFL match in Nemo Rangers. Picture: Howard Crowdy
A clinical performance by Nemo Rangers saw the club defeat Carrigaline in Division 1 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Football League at Trabeg on Sunday morning.
The clubs were level twice but the home side never once looked like they were under pressure.
Robbie O’Dwyer’s players were clinical and two-pointers helped build daylight, with goalkeeper Donagh O’Leary getting two from frees during the second half. Gary Sayers also raised an orange flag during a game that saw six different players put the ball over the bar for Nemo.
As for Carrigaline, it was another frustrating defeat for the defending league champions as they get ready for life in the Premier Senior Football Championship.
They went into this game on the back of defeats to St Michael’s, Newcestown, Cill na Martra, and St Finbarr’s. Nemo on the other hand have enjoyed an excellent season that has seen three wins and just one defeat, to their cross city rivals wearing blue.
This form showed on Sunday, especially with Conor Horgan shooting the home side into an early three-point lead. An Eanna Desmond orange flag did cut the deficit, and that was followed by Oisin Whyte splitting the posts. Gary Sayers also got in on the action and so did Oisin Whyte, and that gave Nemo a commanding 0-6 to 0-2 lead inside 10 minutes.
Carrigaline hit back with Niall Coakley kicking a brace and that was followed by Kevin O’Reilly and Desmond getting in and ensuring parity.
Nemo shrugged off this incursion and regained the lead before the break with Sayers adding a second to his collection and Conor Yelland splitting the posts. O’Reilly knocked one off for Carrigaline just seconds before the referee blew for half-time and the home side went into the dressing room leading 0-8 to 0-7.
Carrigaline immediately pushed up on the restart and O’Leary had to run in and to punch the ball away after Coakley dropped it onto the square.
That was followed by a free for the visitors and Desmond made it 0-8 apiece in the 37th minute.
Nemo immediately went back in front, with Sayers drawing a free and converting it from close range.
The home side then won a free from beyond the arc and O’Leary came forward to take this. The goalkeeper kicked it perfectly and the orange flag made the scoreboard read 0-11 to 0-9 in the 38th minute.
From there, Nemo went up a gear and took complete control of the proceedings. Carrigaline would only score three times during the time left to play, despite going through long periods in possession.
Nemo’s back line consisting of Neville O’Shea, Daniel Quinn, and Charlie Coughlan were excellent at closing down and forcing their opponents back.
O’Leary complemented this by converting another two-pointer and Sayers also raised an orange flag.
This built a gulf between the two clubs, and Carrigaline were able to respond as the clock ticked towards full-time.
C Horgan 0-5 (0-2 f), D O’Leary 0-5 (0-3 f, 1 2pt f) G Sayers 0-4 (1 2pt, 1f), O Whyte 0-2 (0-1 f), C Yelland, C Shalloe 0-1 each.
E Desmond 0-5 (1 2pt, 1 f), N Coakley 0-4 (0-2 f), K O’Reilly 0-2, J McGrath 0-1.
D O’Leary; N O’Shea, D Quinn, C Coughlan; C Shalloe, K Fulignati, T O’Brien; A O’Donovan, B O’Neill; B Cripps, A Cronin, O Whyte; C Yelland, G Sayers, C Horgan.
E Kelly for O’Neill (40); C O’Neill for O’Brien (44), S Burke for Cronin (53).
C Dungan; D King, I Sheerin, C O’Herlihy; W McNulty, K Kavanagh, E Murphy; P Mellett, N O’Keeffe; C Barrett, B Coakley, E Landers; K O’Reilly, N Coakley, E Desmond.
S Andrews for Murphy (HT); S Horan for Landers (HT), R Delaney for B Coakley (41), J McGrath for McNulty (56).
James Regan (Lough Rovers)
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