Nemo Rangers hold off Douglas comeback to retain Eilís MacCurtain Cup

Nemo Rangers 2-12 Douglas 3-6

Nemo Rangers won the Cork City Council Eilís MacCurtain Cup for the second successive year at Ballinlough. 

This was also a repeat pairing of last year’s inaugural final, though the first half was one-sided as the Trabeg side restricted Douglas to two scores. 

The second half was more evenly contested, as Douglas out-goaled Nemo Rangers. The Trabeg side’s second goal from a penalty proved to be decisive.

Wayward shooting was proving to be costly for both sides in the opening exchanges and both goalkeepers pulled off some spectacular saves

Nemo Rangers broke the deadlock in the seventh minute, courtesy of a pointed free by Caoimhe Geraghty. This was followed by points from play by Geraghty and Orla O’Donovan, which gave the Trabeg side a three-point lead.

Approaching the second quarter, Douglas equalised when Abbie O’Sullivan set up Caoimhe Russell for the game’s opening goal.

Natasha Bowdren and Cassandra Fitzgerald each got points from play for Nemo Rangers, followed by a pointed free by Geraghty, to restore the Trabeg side’s three-point lead.

Nemo Rangers net-minder Áine Barry denied Douglas a goal as she pulled off a point-blank save from Aoife Russell in the 18th minute.

Aoibhe Sheehan was credited with a point for Douglas. This was cancelled out as Geraghty converted her third free for Nemo Rangers. Bowdren set up Eve O’Sullivan for the Trabeg side’s first goal, four minutes before the interval.

This gave Nemo Rangers a half-time lead of 1-7 to 1-1.

Fitzgerald and Eve O’Sullivan each got points from play for the Trabeg side, while Caoimhe Russell replied with two points, including a free for Douglas.

Aisling Kelleher set up Abbie O’Sullivan for a second Douglas goal in the 37th minute, to reduce the deficit to three points. This was cancelled out as Geraghty converted her fourth free for Nemo Rangers.

Midway through the opening half, Hannah Landers set up Emma Whelan for a third goal for Douglas, to leave the minimum between the sides. Douglas continued to have the Trabeg side pinned back as Sophie O’Shea tied the scores at 3-4 to 1-10.

Nemo Rangers were awarded a penalty, which Geraghty converted, in the 48th minute.

In the closing stages, Geraghty tagged on two points from play for the Trabeg side, while Douglas responded with a point from play by Sheehan and a Russell free.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: C Geraghty 1-7 (1-0 pen, 0-4 f), E O’Sullivan 1-1, C Fitzgerald 0-2, N Bowdren, O O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Douglas: C Russell 1-3 (0-2 f), A O’Sullivan, E Whelan 1-0 each, A Sheehan 0-2, S O’Shea 0-1.

NEMO RANGERS: A Barry; S Collins, L Smyth, R Duggan; A Collins, C McTaggart, G Thompson; A McTaggart, C Geraghty; E O’Sullivan, R Compagno, N Bowdren; O O’Donovan, C Fitzgerald, L Whelan.

Subs: B Lynch for Fitzgerald (41), C Power for O’Donovan, E O’Callaghan for Thompson (both 48).

DOUGLAS: M Smith; E Cantillon, A Kelleher, D Healy; E Smith, K Hourihan, C Cadogan; A O’Sullivan, A Sheehan; A Murphy, C Russell, A Russell; E Whelan, H Landers, S O’Shea.

Subs: O Greaney for M Smith, R O’Mahony for Cadogan (both h/t), L Conway for E Smith (33), J O’Reilly for A Russell (52).

Referee: Peter O’Leary (Inch Rovers).