Valley Rovers battle back from seven points down to draw with Carrigaline

Carrigaline 3-14 (3-1-12) Valley Rovers 3-14 (3-1-12)

Carrigaline and Valley Rovers shared the spoils as their opener in the Procure.ie Utility Consultants Carrigdhoun Junior A Football Championship at Ballinhassig finished all square.

After a promising start by Valley Rovers, they found themselves seven points in arrears at the break, as they conceded three first-half goals. After the interval, Valley Rovers got themselves back into contention with three goals, while wayward shooting was proving to be costly for Carrigaline.

Valley Rovers had Carrigaline pinned back as Eoin O’Reilly tagged on two points from play. Daniel Muckian also chipped in to give Valley Rovers a three-point advantage.

The tide turned in Carrigaline’s favour as Mossy Vaughan opened their account with a point from play.

Wayward kick-outs were to be Valley Rovers’ undoing as Nathan O’Keeffe set up Olin Barry for the game’s opening goal in the fifth minute. This put Carrigaline ahead for the first time in the contest.

Carrigaline continued to have Valley Rovers on the back foot as Tim Cronin added a point.

Barry set up Cronin for Carrigaline’s second goal in the seventh minute, to stretch the margin to 2-2 to 0-3.

Valley Rovers reduced the deficit as Oisin McCarthy slotted over the game’s first free in the 10th minute.

Carrigaline had Valley Rovers back on the defensive and in the 13th minute, Ben Delaney set up Barry for Carrigaline’s third goal.

Oisin McCarthy converted a 45 for Valley Rovers and Delaney replied with a point from play for Carrigaline.

Both sides added three points each as Carrigaline led by 3-6 to 0-8 at the break.

Neil O’Keeffe scored a point for Carrigaline within two minutes of the resumption. This was followed by a two-pointer from a free by Oisin McCarthy. Delaney responded as he converted a free from outside the Valleys' 40-metre arc, to leave Carrigaline leading by 3-9 to 0-10.

Delaney and O’Reilly traded points, before Valley Rovers seized the initiative.

Entering the final quarter, O’Reilly set up Brian McCarthy for Valley Rovers’ opening goal.

Vaughan and Sam Browne exchanged points, before Danny O’Sullivan set up Oisin McCarthy for Valleys' second goal, to leave two points between the sides.

Carrigaline extended their lead to four, but with time almost up, Oisin McCarthy got a point and Ciaran O’Shea set up Kevin O’Flynn to level the scores and a share of the spoils.

Scorers for Carrigaline: O Barry 2-0, B Delaney 0-6 (1 2pt f), T Cronin 1-1, M Vaughan 0-3, T Foley, N O’Keeffe, E Landers, K Kavanagh 0-1 each.

Valley Rovers: O McCarthy 1-6 (1 2pt f, 0-1 45, 0-1f); K O’Flynn 1-1; B McCarthy 1-0; E O’Reilly 0-3; D Muckian, D O’Sullivan, Sam Browne, B Lordan 0-1 each.

CARRIGALINE: C Laverty; Sean Browne, L Aherne, E Murphy; S Turner, K Kavanagh, J Shanahan; N O’Keeffe, T Foley; E Landers, O Barry, M Vaughan; T Cronin, S Horan, B Delaney.

Subs: N O’Keeffe for Foley (32, inj), S Connolly for Ahern (53), D Fitzgerald for Landers (57), J Connolly for Shanahan (59, inj).

VALLEY ROVERS: L Dineen; D Shields, D Muckian, C O’Riordan; D McCarthy, C O’Shea, B Lordan; O McCarthy, Sam Browne; N Lawton, E O’Sullivan, A Healy; K O’Flynn, E O’Reilly, D O’Sullivan.

Subs: D Brady for Healy, B McCarthy for Lawton (both 44); F Lucey for E O’Sullivan (55).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).