Nemo Rangers secure crucial win over Clonakilty in bid to avoid Division 1 relegation
Alan O'Donovan is tackled by Clonakilty's Chris Kenneally and Ben Ridgeway. Picture: Martin Walsh.
Ronan Dalton and Alan O’Donovan's goals helped Nemo Rangers defeat Clonakilty in the penultimate round of the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 1 Football League.
Both clubs required victory but for vastly different reasons.
The hosts began level on points with Castlehaven, Carbery Rangers and Knocknagree at the summit of Division 1. Nemo were desperate for victory and an opportunity to move off the bottom of the table.
In the end, Ronan Dalton and Alan O’Donovan’s goals proved the difference. Nemo built a merited six-point interval lead but were forced to dig deep to hold off their opponent’s late surge.
A forgettable first quarter ended with the sides level at two points apiece. Ultra-patient build-ups saw Darragh Gough and Des Kenneally score for Clon, Ronan Dalton and Jack O’Brien for Nemo.
Both teams also kicked three wides before a turning point after 21 minutes.
Clonakilty were punished for a loose defensive pass and Ronan Dalton pounced by rounding goalkeeper Jonathon Leahy and forcing the ball over the line. That green flag prompted a dominant Nemo spell in which Ross Corkery made it 1-3 to 0-2.
Then, a long Corkery delivery towards the Clonakilty square was punched to the net by Alan O’Donovan. The Nemo midfielder added a point shortly after and Corkery punished a Clon three-up infringement to make to 2-5 to 0-2.
Clonakilty, without a score since the 14th minute, roused themselves coming up to half-time. Ross Mannix’s white flag and Jack O’Mahony’s two-pointer saw the hosts trail by six at the break.
Mannix and Dalton swapped points prior to Ben Ridgeway and Conor Horgan scoring at either end. Dan Darragh’s first point off the bench made it 2-7 to 0-8 after 40 minutes.
Ross Corkery restored Nemo’s six-point lead before their opponents hit back in an exciting closing period. Consecutive Darragh Gough (two, one free), Seán White and Ridgeway white flags left two in it with 5 minutes to go.
Goalkeeper Donagh O’Leary steadied Nemo nerves from a free before a hotly debated three-up infringement ruling saw Ross Corkery (free) edge his side four clear.
Deep into injury-time, Conor Horgan added another free and Ross Mannix replied with a two-pointer but Nemo held on for an important win.
Rangers’ victory draws them level with Cill na Martra and Douglas at the bottom of the standings. So, it is still all to play for both Clonakilty and Nemo Rangers heading into the final round of league fixtures on June 21.
R Mannix 0-4 (1 2pt), D Gough 0-3 (0-1 f), J O’Mahony (1 2pt), B Ridgeway 0-2 each, D Kenneally, D Darragh, S White 0-1 each.
R Dalton 1-2, R Corkery 0-4 (0-2 f), A O’Donovan 1-1, C Horgan 0-2 f, J O’Brien, D O’Leary (0-1 f) 0-1 each.
J Leahy; D Lowney, D Peet, N Barrett; J O’Mahony, T Clancy (c), C Kenneally; B Ridgeway, B White; D Kenneally, D Ó Sé, C Ryan; D Gough, R Mannix, S McEvoy.
D Darragh for B White (ht), S White for N Barrett (43), A Cullinane for C Ryan (45).
D O’Leary; N O’Shea, M Hill, C Moore; L Horgan, S Cronin (captain), E Nation; A O’Donovan, B Murphy; O Whyte, R Dalton, B Cripps; R Corkery, C Horgan, J O’Brien.
C Shalloe for R Dalton (50), K Fulignati for E Nation (52).
Liam O’Shea (Carbery Rangers).
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