Naomh Abán finish well to edge out Rockchapel after PIFC thriller

Naomh Abán 2-17 Rockchapel 1-14 

Naomh Abán emerged as six-point winners after a pulsating Premier IFC opener at Dromtariffe.

The scoreboard fails to tell the true story of how close this contest was after Naomh Abán led 1-9 to 0-8 at the break after Danny Ó Ceallaigh scored the all-important goal after a solo effort.

Rockchapel had made a blistering start with Seamus Hickey driving through the middle and he set up John Walsh to open the scoring. But Naomh Abán’s danger man Ed Myers then cut loose and kicked their opening three points with the Rockchapel defence struggling the cope with his pace and movement. 

Rockchapel, with Seamus Hickey the dominant figure at midfield, were soon 0-4 to 0-3 in front thanks to points from Jack Curtin, Hickey and Nicholas Lenihan but the goal appeared to suck the life out of them for a spell.

A two-pointer from a free by Maidhc Ó Duinnín and two Darragh Ó Laoire points had the Muskerry side sitting pretty at half time four points to the good.

Rockchapel resumed a transformed side and dominated the third quarter with Jack Curtin converting four frees and Jimmy McAuliffe making it 0-14 to 1-12 by the 48th minute. With Seamus Hickey and Maurice O’Keeffe dominant around the middle, they struck for a 51st-minute goal. 

David Carroll and Jimmy McAuliffe did the spade work and Nicholas Lenihan finished to the net and suddenly Rockchapel were 1-14 to 1-12 in front. But in the 53rd minute, a controversial call saw momentum shift. 

A Rockchapel attacker appeared to be fouled twice, and inside the square, but referee Justin Murphy waved play on and it swung to the other end, Wayne MacCarthaigh finished to the Rockchapel net to restore his side’s one-point lead.

Naomh Abán then assumed complete control for the final eight minutes, adding a Myers' two-pointer and another from play while Ó Duinnín closed out the game with two frees.

Scorers for Naomh Abán: M Ó Duinnín 0-8 (0-5 f, 2pf), E Myers (1 2pt) 0-7, D Ó Ceallaigh, W MacCarthaigh 1-0 each, D Ó Laoire 0-2.

Rockchapel: J Curtin 0-5 f, N Lenihan 1-1, S Hickey, C Curtin, J Walsh (45), J McAuliffe (0-2 each. 

NAOMH ABÁN: E Ó Luasa; S Ó Mathúna, C Ó Deasúnaigh, C De Roiste; J Ó Donnchú, D Ó Loingsigh, E Ó Criodáin; S Ó Riordáin C Ó Donnchú; E Myers, D Ó Laoire, M Ó Críod; W MacCarthaigh, M Ó Duinnín, D Ó Ceallaigh. 

Sub: C deh’Ide for D Loingsigh (inj 5). 

ROCHAPEL: C Murphy; P Curtin, E O’Callaghan, K Collins; D Carroll, B Carroll, M O’Keeffe; S Hickey, E Murphy; Cormac Curtin, Ciaran Curtin, J Walsh; N Lenihan, J Curtin, J McAuliffe.

Sub: E Collins for J Walsh (58).

Referee: J Murphy (Castletownroche).