Premier JFC quarter-finals: Canovee too strong for Cullen while Cobh squeeze past Inniscarra

Last year’s beaten finalists Canovee are into the last four of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier JFC after a comfortable win on Saturday afternoon.

The Muskerry men proved too strong for Cullen at the quarter-final stage in Donoughmore on a scoreline of 3-16 to 2-8. Kieran Cronin’s charges did the spade work in the opening half having played with a strong wind. They led 1-12 to 1-4 at half-time.

The excellent Conor Dodd netted a beauty of a goal for the black and amber three minutes before the short whistle.

Sharpshooter Jack Kelleher was his usual self, scoring 0-8. Aidan Moynihan, back fully with Canovee after a number of years playing rugby, landed 1-3. Daire McMahon was the third goal scorer.

Despite the best efforts of Cork senior footballer Luke Murphy, scoring 1-5, Cullen fell well short.

Canovee will now meet Buttevant in what is a mouthwatering semi-final encounter.

In the other quarter-final game on Saturday afternoon, last year’s County JAFC winners Inniscarra got knocked out at the death after a 1-12 to 0-14 loss against Cobh.

A large crowd were in Grenagh in what was an entertaining finish. Extra time looked a real probability with the teams level two minutes into added time.

Seán Cummins then kicked the winning score for the Imokilly team with a nice point as they will now face St Nick’s in the last four in a fortnight.

BEST

Cork senior hurler Seán O'Donoghue was arguably the best player on the pitch with the Inniscarra man ending up with 0-9.

Cobh were marginally the better team. Eoin Hastings’ green flag just nine minutes in always looked to be a crucial score in a tight game where both defences were on top.

The eventual winners led by a point at half-time, but in what was a tit-for-tat second 30 minutes, it required Cummins to be the hero for Cobh.

Darragh Heelan ended up as top scorer for Cobh, landing 0-5. Diarmuid Kearney also contributed, hitting over 0-3.

NERVY

Finally, Millstreet avoided going through the trapdoor after a nervy but deserved victory over Duhallow rivals Ballydesmond.

In front of a huge crowd in Boherbue for the relegation play-off, Millstreet prevailed on a scoreline of 1-14 to 0-13. Cork senior footballer Darragh Cashman played his part in keeping his club up, slotting over 0-4.

It was level at 0-6 apiece at half-time and it remained deadlocked after 58 minutes until Hugh Linehan rattled the back of the Ballydesmond net.

A point in added time was the insurance score for Donagh Hickey's outfit, as Millstreet remain at this level having come up from Junior A in October 2014.

Former Cork footballer Donncha O’Connor scored 0-8 on Saturday afternoon, but it wasn't enough. 

Ballydesmond drop back down to Junior A for the first time since 2007.