Knocknagree kick eight two-pointers in Tom Creedon win over Naomh Abán
Anthony O Connor of Knocknagree shoots past Jack Ó Donnchú of Naomh Abán during the Tom Creedon Cup. Picture: Noel Sweeney
It was the Anthony O’Connor show on Saturday evening, as the Knocknagree forward finished with five two pointers kicked in their Tom Creedon Cup final win against Naomh Abán.
Those who made the trip to a damp Macroom for the competition in honour of Tom’s legacy were not to be disappointed. There was no shortage of quality, even if both teams were without a considerable number of their starting players.
Amazingly, all of Naomh Abán’s scoring came from placed balls. But even more spectacularly, Knocknagree kicked eight two pointers across the hour, six of them from play.
Naomh Abán had been very competitive in the opening stages. They twice led, first in the fifth minute when Dermot Ó Ceallaigh tacked on a brace to leave them 0-2 to 0-1 up, and then again a couple from Wayne Mac Cárthaigh and one from Maidhcí Ó Liatháin had them 0-5 to 0-4 ahead with 15 minutes played.
There were six flags raised in the second quarter. All six were raised by Knocknagree. All but one were of the orange variant. That sole white flag arrived in the 18th minute when James Dennehy kicked a free.
Just over 10 minutes later, John Fintan Daly's men were 10 clear. Five unanswered two-pointers, each one cleaner than the last, and all of Macroom trying to process what was unfolding.
Denis R O’Connor kicked two brilliant long distance strikes. Anthony nailed two, one from a free, and Dave Twomey got the other. In fact, Anthony O’Connor actually struck three in that run – referee Robert Whelan had stopped play for David O’Connor to receive treatment, and Anthony slotted over with elegance.
At the change of ends Knocknagree were 0-15 to 0-5 in front. Their Ballyvourney opposition hadn’t necessarily been bad, O’Connors Anthony and Denis had just been untouchable.
They showed that with a strong restart – two points in the first six minutes – but Anthony O’Connor knocked over a two-point free to undo their hard work and give Knocknagree a seventh consecutive orange flag.
Dermot Ó Ceallaigh would be unfortunate not to get the game’s first goal – he was denied by a brilliant double save from Damien Browne – and a few minutes later Tadc O’Mahony was denied a goal by a foot block, which resulted in a penalty that Anthony O’Connor dispatched to leave it 1-17 to 0-7.
Anthony O’Connor made sure that wasn’t the last of his two-point exhibition – he would land one more in the 59th minute after Naomh Abán had lost substitute Niall Ó Ceallaigh to a red card.
The season is only just beginning and Knocknagree will have top tier football in league and championship to test them yet, but that’s a promising start, if anything.
A O’Connor 1-12 (2 tpf, 3 tp, 1-0 pen, 0-2 f), Denis R O’Connor 0-4 (2 tp), D Twomey 0-2 (1 tp), David O’Connor, J Dennehy (f) 0-1 each.
W Mac Cárthaigh 0-3, D Ó Ceallaigh, S Ó Horgáin Loingsigh, M Ó Liatháin 0-2 each.
D Browne; N O’Connor, K Buckley, G O’Connor; G Looney, D Mahoney, K Cronin, T O’Mahony, David O’Connor; D Twomey, F O’Connor, M Dilworth; D R O’Connor, J Dennehy, A O’Connor.
D Bacalso for David O’Connor (34), D Moynihan for Dilworth (48), R O’Connor for F O’Connor (51), C O’Connor for O’Connor (57), Denis D O’Connor for N O’Connor (60).
G Ó Luasa; S Tinsley, C Ó Déasúnaigh, C de Róiste; Dara Ó Lingsigh, C Ó Luasa, É Ó Criodáin; S Ó Riordáin, J Ó Donnchú; S Ó Horgáin Loingsigh, M Ó Liatháin, D Ó Ceocháin; W Mac Cárthaigh, D Ó Ceallaigh, F Ó Briain.
T Ó Ceallaigh for Ó Luasa (44), F Walker for Ó Criodáin (46), N Ó Ceallaigh for Ó Ceocháin (50).
R Whelan (Gleann na Laoi)
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