Eoghan Martin goal ensures Castlemartyr beat Mallow in PIHC relegation playoff

Castlemartyr 1-19 Mallow 0-19 

Mallow fell to a second successive relegation in three years as Castlemartyr saved their bacon in a nervy Premier Intermediate play-off.

The North Cork town were left to rue 17 wides as their final-quarter charge from seven points behind came up just short.

Derek Bowens’ flying save from Pa Herlihy proved the crucial moment, while a couple of other openings should’ve given the keeper more work.

Mallow’s frustration with Niall Fahy’s refereeing decisions boiled over after full-time, with red cards for Gearóid Daly and Kevin Sheehan.

In attack, Castlemartyr’s chief saviours were Joe Stack, Brian Lawton, and Mike Kelly, who each recorded four points from play.

After Paul Lyons pointed from the throw-in, Castlemartyr reeled off six unanswered points across the next seven minutes.

Ciarán Joyce helped to overwhelm Mallow’s long puck-outs, playing a role in points for Kelly (free) and Stack. Kelly tagged on two more from play and another free, while Lawton arched over the remaining score.

Seán Hayes looked a major threat at full-forward for Mallow. He carved out a goal chance, only for Joyce to flick away the final pass. The centre-back soon cannoned over a point of his own.

Hayes kept on trucking to open his account from play before doing it all – winning a turnover, drawing a free, and slotting it over – for his next. Pa Healy brought them back within striking distance.

Castlemartyr then struck for 1-1. After Kelly’s third point, Joyce won a hard-earned free. His brother, Darragh, belted it long, and Jack McGann broke it for his brother, Billy, to shoot. Padge Buckley dived to his left to save, but Martin was on hand to tuck in the rebound. Seven between them, 1-8 to 0-4.

Mallow hit five of the final seven points before half-time. Dan Sheehan, Mark Tobin, and Luke Buckley cancelled out the goal. When Lawton and the high-fielding Stack responded, their scores were also nullified by Tobin and Healy. 1-10 to 0-9 at half-time.

Mallow swapped Seán Hayes out to the 40, while moving Denis Hayes onto the edge of the square. They connected early to create a goal chance for Sheehan, who couldn’t get his shot off under pressure from Ciarán Joyce.

Mallow had the first three wides of the second half, taking them into double figures, before Seán Hayes pointed a 65.

A terrific Billy McGann point was followed by Lawton’s third, but Hayes hit a pair in response.

Castlemartyr reached a higher gear to clip five of the next six points, through Jack McGann, Kelly (0-2), Lawton, and Stack. They led 1-17 to 0-13 with 14 minutes remaining.

Mallow showed their fitness with a powerful late surge. Both midfielders, Healy and Lyons, plus Hayes (0-2), found the target. Even when the free-taker threw in a mishit, it fell perfectly for Herlihy’s goal chance, saved by Bowens. Hayes slotted the 65 to leave it 1-18 to 0-18.

However, the wides continued to accumulate in the closing stretch. Simon Leneghan was blocked by Darragh Joyce, while Herlihy fumbled the next goal opportunity.

Stack scooped over the insurance score, cancelled out by a Hayes free, but time had run out on Mallow’s chase.

Scorers for Castlemartyr: M Kelly 0-8 (0-4 f), B Lawton, J Stack 0-4 each, E Martin 1-0, C Joyce, B McGann, J McGann 0-1 each.

Mallow: S Hayes 0-10 (0-5 f, 0-2 65s), P Healy 0-3, P Lyons, M Tobin 0-2 each, L Buckley, D Sheehan 0-1 each.

CASTLEMARTYR: D Bowens; C Whyte, D Joyce, D Leahy; C O’Neill, C Joyce (jc), J Lawton; B Ó Tuama, M O'Dwyer; Brian Lawton, M Kelly (jc), J Stack; E Martin, B McGann, J McGann.

Subs: L Martin for E Martin (36), C Sice for O’Dwyer (57), A Kelly for Stack (59).

MALLOW: Padge Buckley; B Kingston, G Daly, E Kelleher; G Linehan, R Sheehan (c), E Walsh; P Healy, P Lyons; K Sheehan, D Hayes, L Buckley; M Tobin, S Hayes, Dan Sheehan.

Subs: P Herlihy for L Buckley (h-t), B Murphy for Walsh (48), M Kelleher for Linehan (51), S Leneghan for D Sheehan (55).

Referee: N Fahy (Brian Dillons).