Cloyne eke out a win over Valley Rovers after cracking contest

Cloyne: 1-18 

Valley Rovers: 0-20 

The spirit of Cloyne is alive and well after a nail-biting win over Valley Rovers in the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday night.

The original fixture was just three minutes in before Valley Rovers defender John Cottrell suffered a serious leg injury resulting in the game being called off on Saturday afternoon.

In a game that ebbed and flowed throughout the hour in this one, it looked very likely that extra time would be required to separate the teams. Instead, it was a James O’Brien free a minute into injury time that proved the decisive score.

In saying that, Valley Rovers had three more attacks which yielded no scores. It was heartbreak for them.

The Imokilly side were probably more clinical and showed more composure to eke out the victory.

Cloyne will now meet Ballinhassig in two weeks’ time.

Cloyne made the better start through a pair of Conor Cahill points in what was a lively opening.

Valley Rovers did reply with two Colm Butler frees and a Shane Ryan effort to nudge 0-3 to 0-2 clear after 10 minutes.

An O’Brien effort did draw Cloyne level before the next four points were shared, 0-5 each after the first quarter.

A Brian O’Shea 65 briefly put his team in the lead, but in keeping with the game, the team in green and white hit four of the next five white flags with Eoghan Crowley slotting over two great points in quick succession, 0-9 to 0-7 with five minutes to the short whistle.

A minute later, Cloyne struck for a wonderful goal. Ian Cahill did great work to set up Noel Cahill who nested the ball into the corner of the net.

It was followed by an O’Shea effort, but a Colm Butler free left Valley Rovers firmly in touch at half-time, 1-8 to 0-10.

The teams shared the first four points as the tit-for-tat nature continued. A Mikey Cahill point restored Cloyne’s two-point buffer five minutes into the second half, 1-11 to 0-12.

Crowley and a Butler free did draw their team level until the teams traded points, 1-12 to 0-15.

The game tipped along between two evenly matched sides with Cloyne shading it on the scoreline, 1-14 to 0-16 courtesy of an O'Brien 65 after 50 minutes.

The Imokilly team were gaining a foothold on proceedings with Paudie O’Sullivan on a world of ball at centre-back along with Eoin Motherway.

An O’Brien placed ball was score of the match from an acute angle as Cloyne had a two-point lead going down the home straight.

Efforts from Jack Walsh and the impressive Crowley drew the teams level with five minutes to go, 0-18 to 1-15.

It remained deadlocked going into added time, 0-20 to 1-17.

An O’Brien free proved to be the winning score for Cloyne despite a flurry of late Valley Rovers attacks.

Scorers for Cloyne: M O’Brien 0-7 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), C Cahill 0-5, B O’Shea 0-4 (0-1 65), N Cahill 1-0, E Motherway, M Cahill 0-1 each.

Valley Rovers: C Butler 0-8 f, E Crowley 0-6, J Kenneally, S Ryan 0-2 each, J Walsh, A Kenneally 0-1 each.

CLOYNE: D Cronin; J Sherlock, J Hallahan, A Sherlock; Eoin Motherway, P O’Sullivan, C Mullins; D Byrne, Éanna Motherway; C Cahill, B O’Shea, N Cahill; M Cahill, I Cahill, J O’Brien.

Subs: S Beausang for B O’Shea (h-t, inj), B Walsh for C Mullins (47), K Dennehy for M Cahill (52).

VALLEY ROVERS: C Desmond; J O’Driscoll, E Delaney, T McGrath; C Johnson, E Guinane, B McCarthy; M Woods, S Ryan; J Walsh, A Kenneally, H O’Sullivan; C Butler, J Kenneally, E Crowley.

Subs: J Kiely for J Kenneally (47), K Dart O’Flynn for H O’Sullivan (57).

Referee: Wayne King (Banteer).