Uibh Laoire into PIFC semi-final as they send Macroom into relegation playoff

Uibh Laoire 2-17 (2-2-13) Macroom 1-17 (1-5-7)

Two Seán O’Riordan goals fired Uibh Laoire into the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier IFC semi-finals in Cill na Martra on Saturday evening.

Uibh Laoire concluded the group stage of their Premier IFC campaign with a third consecutive victory over a dogged Macroom.

Yet, the winners needed two second-half Seán O’Riordan goals to reach the last four.

Uibh Laoire lost to Bantry Blues in the 2022 semi-finals, Cill na Martra in the 2023 quarter-finals and Kilshannig in last year’s penultimate round. Now, Barry Oldham’s side has the requisite momentum and squad depth to kick on in the knockout stages. As for Macroom, a third Premier IFC relegation play-off in three years beckons, this time against Bandon.

The Muskerry club began with a much-changed starting line-up, fielding six listed substitutes.

A nervy opening half saw the score level on five occasions. Early Eolan O’Leary and Pa Lucey (free) scores were answered by Chris Óg Jones (two) before Kevin Manning handed Uibh Laoire their first lead.

A superb Alan Quinn two-pointer ignited Macroom’s challenge and the crowd after 14 minutes. Pa Lucey made it 0-5 to 0-3 shortly after.

That was Iveleary’s cue to up an otherwise slow tempo as Óg Jones (free), Manning and Daniel O’Riordan split the posts.

Eolan O’Leary and a Pa Lucey two-point free edged Macroom two ahead prior to Timmy Robert’s and another Óg Jones free sending the teams in level, 0-8 apiece, at the short whistle.

Seán O’Riordan took advantage of a defensive lapse to find the net 4 minutes after the restart. Ian Jones added a point to make it 1-9 to 0-8 in Iveleary’s favour.

Substitute Seán Kiely responded with a wonderful two-pointer and Macroom kicked on with another Alan Quinn point before Pa Lucey galloped through for a superb goal.

Barry O’Leary’s two-pointer made 1-11 apiece prior to Chris Óg Jones and Cathal Vaughan scores sandwiching an Oisín O’Sullivan effort.

10 minutes from the end, Seán O’Riordan pounced for a second goal. The forward took advantage of more slack defending to stretch his team’s lead to four.

Macroom fought valiantly and got within a goal of their opponents but ran out of time as Uibh Laoire deservedly marched on to the semi-finals.

Scorers for Uibh Laoire: S O’Riordan 2-0, C Óg Jones 0-6 (0-2 f), T Roberts 0-3 (1 2-pt f), K Manning, B O’Leary (1 2pt), C Vaughan (1 45’) 0-2 each, D O’Riordan, I Jones 0-1 each.

Macroom: P Lucey 1-8 (1 2pt, 2 2-pt f), A Quinn (1 2pt), S Kiely (1 2pt) 0-3 each, E O’Leary 0-2, O O’Sullivan 0-1.

UIBH LAOIRE: J Creedon; B Murphy, D O’Donovan, D O’Riordan; K Manning, C O’Riordan, C Galvin; T Roberts, C O’Leary; S O’Riordan, C Vaughan, B O’Leary; S O’Leary (c), C Óg Jones, I Jones.

Subs: S Pickering for B O’Leary (51), A O’Donovan for S O’Riordan (57).

MACROOM: D Kiely; C Buckley, M Corrigan, J Murphy; T Dineen (c), R Buckley, S Meaney; C Dineen, C Donovan; M Condon, E O’Leary, M Hunt; A Quinn, P Lucey, O O’Sullivan.

Subs: D Creedon for C Buckley (25, inj), S Kiely for S Meaney (33), F Goold for M Hunt (48), D Twomey for O O’Sullivan (54).

Referee: Conor Lane (Lyre/Banteer)