Premier 1 MFC: Nemo pip Carrigaline in tense finish to force play-off

Carrigaline: 1-15 (1-2-11) 

Nemo Rangers: 2-13 (2-2-9) 

Nemo Rangers recovered from a slow start to defeat Carrigaline in the Cork ETB Rebel Óg Premier 1 MFC Section 1 Round 3 tie at Carrigaline on Wednesday evening.

It meant a draw was required, with Nemo Rangers, Carrigaline and holders Ballincollig all finishing on four points.

Ballincollig received the bye, leaving Nemo and Carrigaline to meet again in the coming weeks.

Nemo Rangers showed true grit against a Carrigaline side who only needed a positive result to guarantee progression. The city outfit deserved their win, even if Carrigaline felt aggrieved with some of the referee’s decisions.

Oisín Jordan and Morgan Corkery were key figures for Nemo, while Denis Kelleher and Cormac Sheehan’s influence around the middle helped steady and grow their challenge.

It was level at half-time, but the Trabeg-based side largely controlled the second half, keeping their opposition at arm’s length.

The eventual winners finished with 14 players after a Michael McCarthy black card, but resilient defending led by Josh McGorry ensured Nemo got the win they needed to force a play-off.

Carrigaline did all the early running. Luke Jordan landed a cracking two-pointer, followed by a Ben Corkery-Delaney point.

Nemo Rangers got their first score after nine minutes through a Michael Scott effort.

Carrigaline were in control, even if there was plenty of tension given the stakes. Cillian Murphy set up Eoghan Ahern for a tidy white flag, but 14 minutes in — and arguably against the run of play — Nemo goaled when Oisín Jordan showed composure to finish to the net, 1-1 to 0-4.

Luke Jordan nudged Carrigaline ahead, but Nemo hit two of the next three scores, two of those being orange flags from Corkery and Cian Power, leaving it 1-5 to 0-6 with ten minutes to the break.

An Oisín Jordan free and a Larry Butler effort opened up a four-point gap, but Carrigaline finished the half strongly. A 1-2 burst without reply gave them the advantage, with Luke Jordan landing the goal and a point, while Jack O’Grady handed his team the lead, 1-8 to 1-7 after 29 minutes.

It was deadlocked at the break when Corkery pointed from an acute angle, 1-8 apiece.

Ahern bisected the posts for Carrigaline on the restart, but Nemo regained the lead when Oisín Jordan billowed the net after Butler did well in the build-up, 2-8 to 1-9 after 34 minutes.

Nemo kicked two of the next three points, with Power’s effort the pick of them, until a Ben Corkery-Delaney free kept Carrigaline in touch, just two behind.

Nemo sub Seán O’Flaherty steadied his team with a point, but Carrigaline needed a spark, and a cracking Ahern two-pointer left them a point behind, 2-11 to 1-13 after 54 minutes.

But two quick-fire Nemo points gave them a slight cushion heading into added time.

Nemo then lost McCarthy to a black card for a pull back, as a Corkery-Delaney free left it 2-13 to 1-14.

Corkery-Delaney pointed again, this time from play, but Carrigaline didn’t have enough time to create one final scoring chance. They miss out on a direct route to the semi-finals.

Scorers for Carrigaline: L Jordan 1-4 (1 2pt), B Corkery-Delaney 0-5 (0-3 f), E Ahern 0-4 (1 2pt), Cillian Murphy, J O’Grady 0-1 each.

Nemo Rangers: O Jordan 2-2 (0-2 f), C Power (1 2pt), M Corkery (1 2pt) 0-3 each, S O’Flaherty 0-2, C Sheehan, M Scott, L Butler 0-1 each.

CARRIGALINE: D McSorley; C Moloney, G O’Brien, J Bryan; D Ó Beoláin, M Kiernan, O Lynch; S Collins, C Hanratty; E Ahern, B Corkery-Delaney, Conor Murphy; L Jordan, J O’Grady, Cillian Murphy.

Subs: D Scannell-Murphy for J O’Grady, E Bowens for Conor Murphy (both 39), J Scannell for O Lynch (48).

NEMO RANGERS: C McCarthy-O’Donovan; D Geary, J McGorry, A Quinlivan; M McCarthy, D Kelleher, J Randles; C Sheehan, C Power; C Randles, M Scott, L Butler; O Jordan, M O’Keeffe, M Corkery.

Subs: S O’Flaherty for D Geary (39), L Murphy for D Kelleher (50, inj), C Herlihy for M Scott (57).

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Valley Rovers).