Premier SFC: Clonakilty finish with a flourish as Carbery Rangers must contest relegation play-off
Clonakilty's Ben Ridgeway holds possession as Ciarán McCarthy of Carbery Rangers closes in during Sunday's McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC game at Ballinacarriga. Picture: Denis Boyle
Carbery Rangers 0-6 (0-0-6)
Another McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC relegation play-off looms for Carbery Rangers after Clonakilty eased clear in the second half of their clash at Ballinacarriga on Sunday.
With the neighbouring clubs after two defeats each, this west Cork demolition derby brought a large attendance but, as the heavy rain fell in the closing stages, the crowd had thinned out, the outcome long since decided.
Leading by 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time after having whatever benefits the diagonal wind brought, Clon might have expected a rearguard action after the interval, but instead it was almost all one-way traffic.
Within two minutes of the restart, they had a goal as Ross Manix and the excellent Darragh Gough worked an opening for Liam O’Donovan, who finished high to the net. While Carbery Rangers responded well as Mark Hodnett forced a turnover leading to a free that John O’Rourke converted, the Rosscarbery side would not score again until the last minute, by which time Clon had added 0-9 to their tally.
Clon led throughout, with an early two-pointer from Conor Daly helping them to forge into a four-point lead before Ross opened their account. In the midst of that run, Clon also might have had a goal, with Daly’s shot drawing a full-length save from Paul Shanahan.
The middle period of the half saw Ross enjoying a purple patch, with Brian Hodnett prominent around the middle, and John O’Rourke’s point had them back to within two, 0-5 to 0-3.
Daly replied to that for Clon, for whom goalkeeper Mark White was pushing up on Ross kickouts – it was a logical ploy most of the time, but on 24 Ross created an overlap as White hared back. Conor Twomey fed Peadar O’Rourke, who in turn found Mark Hodnett, but his low shot, attempting to level the game, went wide of the post.
In the wake of that, Hodnett did well to help Timmy Cullinane score a point but Clon finished the half well, Gough with two points, both involving Ross Mannix.
The goal early in the second period opened up a seven-point lead and that afforded Clon the platform to assert their supremacy. Seán White, nominally playing at wing-back, was the tempo-setter as his usage of the ball was excellent, even in the worsening conditions, while Ben Ridgeway dominated the central sector.
Mark White kicked a 45 and a two-point free, marvellous efforts into the teeth of the gale, and David Lowney also got on the scoresheet as they as they moved out of sight.
Ross Kelan Scannell did have a late goal chance, fisting just wide, but by that stage thoughts had turned to the looming challenge of Valley Rovers in the relegation match.
D Gough (0-1 f), C Daly (1 2pt, 0-1 f) 0-5 each, M White 0-3 (1 2ptf, 0-1 45), L O’Donovan 1-0, D Lowney, B Ridgeway, S McEvoy, R Mannix 0-1 each.
J O’Rourke 0-2 (0-1 f), P Hodnett, B Hodnett, J O’Brien, T Cullinane 0-1 each.
M White; D Lowney, D Darragh, D Peet; J O’Mahony, T Clancy, S White; B Ridgeway, D Ó Sé; L O’Donovan, C Daly, C Kenneally; R Mannix, D Gough, S McEvoy.
D Kenneally for O’Donovan (44, injured), L Griffin for Gough (60), B White for Mannix (60+2).
P Shanahan; C Daly, T O’Rourke, James O’Riordan; J Hodnett, Jerry O’Riordan, S Linehan; J O’Brien, J Kevane; B Hodnett, J O’Rourke, C Twomey; M Hodnett, P O’Rourke, T Cullinane.
C McCarthy for James O’Riordan (13, injured), P Óg Hill for Cullinane (39), K Scannell for O’Brien (41), P Hodnett for J Hodnett (44), B Shanahan for T O’Rourke (53).
J Regan (Lough Rovers).
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