Impressive Uibh Laoire power past Aghada into PIFC final

Uíbh Laoire 1-19 (1-1-17) Aghada 1-8 (1-1-6) 

After three years of knocking on the door, Uíbh Laoire finally made it to the final of the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC with a comprehensive win over Aghada in Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday afternoon. 

In an excellent team display, their Cork star Chris Óg Jones kicked 1-8 while Timmy Roberts excelled at midfield. It brought the curtain down on a year of progress for Aghada, but while winter awaits for them, Uíbh Laoire have a county final against Aghabullogue to look forward to in a fortnight.

From the off, Uíbh Laoire seemed to have their heart set on green flags. Cathal Vaughan turned down an early point only for the move to break down. Still, points from Sean O’Leary and Timmy Roberts put them ahead before Pearse O’Neill made his presence felt at the edge of the Uíbh Laoire square.

Diarmuid Phelan pumped the ball in long, O’Neill caught it, dropped and then swung a hand at it to force it over the line. Advantage Aghada. Chris Óg Jones levelled matters with a free before he popped over his first point from play after Conor O’Leary cracked a ball off the post. O’Neill then levelled the game for the second time after again claiming possession from a high delivery. Ian Jones saw an effort for goal blocked, but a free from his brother, Chris Óg, made it 0-5 to 1-1 at the end of the opening quarter.

Only a point in it, but the Muskerry men seemed to be in control everywhere bar the scoreboard. They put that right in the second quarter. Chris Óg Jones threatened a goal before delivering a point, Cathal Vaughan clipped over two lovely scores from play, and then the long-threatened major arrived. Vaughan fed Jones, who in turn played a one-two with Barry O’Leary before finishing to the net brilliantly off his left foot. Advantage Uíbh Laoire.

A point from each of the Jones brothers pushed them further ahead before Cian Hegarty landed Aghada’s first score in 16 minutes to leave the Imokilly men trailing by 1-10 to 1-2 at the interval.

From there, there was never any real suggestion that Uíbh Laoire would be reeled in. Jones, Vaughan and Ciarán O’Riordan clipped the first scores of the second half before points from O’Hanlon and O’Neill sandwiched another Jones point to leave it 1-14 to 1-4 going into the final quarter.

Both sides then accepted what was to come, emptying the bench which made the game ragged. Jones landed one more free and somehow left another goal behind him, Conor O’Leary raised the game’s opening orange flag while Roberts and Barry O’Leary also pointed for Uíbh Laoire. Joe McKenna had a two-pointer for Aghada, O’Hanlon clipped a tidy score from play before O’Neill had the final score of the game.

All in all, a very comfortable day for the Uíbh Laoire men. They know, however, that a much bigger day lies ahead.

Scorers for Uíbh Laoire: C Óg Jones 1-8 (0-3 f), C Vaughan 0-3, T Roberts, C O’Leary (2pt) 0-2 each, C O’Riordan, B O’Leary, I Jones, S O’Leary 0-1 each.

Aghada: P O’Neill 1-3, J O’Hanlon (0-1 f), J McKenna (2pt) 0-2 each, C Hegarty 0-1.

UÍBH LAOIRE: J Creedon; B Murphy, D O’Donovan, C O’Riordan; K Manning, D 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: B Cronin for C O’Riordan (50), S Pickering for B O’Leary (50), F McSweeney for Manning (53), A O’Dea for Murphy (57), B O’Riordan for S O’Riordan (59).

AGHADA: C O’Shea; J O’Donoghue, K O’Shea (jc), E Leahy; J Tynan, J Colbert, R Murphy; D Phelan, C Hegarty; D Byrne, T Hartnett (jc), D Wallace; J O’Hanlon, P O’Neill, S Morrissey.

Subs: S Whyte for Byrne (h-t), C O’Driscoll for Tynan (39), J Norris for Hegarty (44), J McKenna for Wallace (48), M Aherne for Morrissey (55).

Referee: Andrew Whelton (Clonakilty).