Premier 1 MFC: Clonakilty through to semi-finals after good win over Glanmire
Clonakilty's James Costello (left) was stand-in captain and shone at full-back. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Clonakilty progressed to the semi-finals of the Cork ETB Rebel Óg U18 Premier 1 FC with victory at home to Glanmire on Wednesday night.
A third straight win in Section 2 gave Clon top spot in the table but, the while the final reckoning showed a seven-point win, it wasn’t until Nathan O'Sullivan’s injury-time goal that they were finally free of a Glanmire side who would have forced a three-way tie had they triumphed.
Jack Byerley carried on from his hat-trick of goals against Na Piarsaigh with a five-point haul while Tom Whooley finished with 1-3, the goal in the first half giving Clon a lead that would never be lost.
However, it was just as much a victory built on strong defensive foundations – another clean sheet meant Clon conceded just one goal in their three matches and this despite the fact that the absence of goalkeeper Dylan Falvey meant midfielder Ewan Knowles was in goal while centre-back and captain Ben Coffey was injured.
Stand-in skipper James Costello was totemic at full-back for Clon and while they did see a five-point half-time lead reduced in the second period as sub Alex Maher had a huge impact for Glanmire, they never fully ceded it.
Though Tom O’Flynn had the opening score of the game for Glanmire inside a minute, it was the only time they led. Whooley and Matthew Lyons gave notice of Clon’s intentions to put them into the lead and, while Cork minor hurling captain Eoin Considine levelled on six minutes, Whooley’s goal gave Clon a lead that would never be lost.
He had his fellow minor football All-Star Aaron O’Sullivan for company, meaning any ball was hard-earned, but he showed his ability to conjure something from nothing as he collected the ball out on the right wing, sidestepped a couple of challenges and then kept his composure for a smart finish.
While Glanmire did have good possession after that and points from Donagh Healy and Considine, who was a good outlet at full-forward, Clon settled again and Byerley finished the half with a trio of points - one a free after advantage had been given but Lyons' goal effort was superbly saved by Zach Deane.
A 1-6 to 0-4 cushion at half-time took a dent on the restart as Maher made an immediate contribution for Glanmire but solid Clon defending ensured the visitors couldn't find a goal; at the other end, O'Sullivan reacted quickly to reach the ball before Whooley when a Byerley point attempt came back off the crossbar.
Another Clon chance of a goal saw a Whooley shot bravely blocked by Fionn Conway but even so, they remained in control, helped by Bill Bennett coming off the bench to kick a pair of fine points.
With Glanmire in more and more need of a goal, they pressed late on but Knowles denied both Isaac Barrett and Considine and when Clon broke in injury time, O'Sullivan was on hand to cap a fine passing move with a shot to the net to rubber-stamp the win.
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