Premier SFC: Éanna Desmond leads the way as Carrigaline hold off Mallow comeback

Carrigaline: 0-16 (0-3-10) 

Mallow: 0-14 (0-3-8) 

Carrigaline are in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC after hanging on to get the better of Mallow at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday afternoon.

Michael Meaney’s charges have now won two from two in Group 1, crucially backing up the eye-catching victory over St Finbarr’s last month.

This victory was made more impressive given Cork footballer Brian O’Driscoll and Callum Barrett didn’t feature due to injuries.

A positive result against Douglas in the last game would book a quarter-final spot for the second-year running.

The Carrigdhoun men weren’t outstanding, but they dug deep and got the win, with Éanna Desmond’s 0-5 — including two orange flags — proving important.

A youthful Mallow side, without their Cork footballer Matty Taylor due to injury, trailed by six points in the second half, but they fought back and had two two-point efforts late on when there were just two between the sides.

Mallow did get a score almost immediately from the throw-in when Mark Tobin pointed.

Carrigaline then hit their straps, with David Griffin slotting over before Brian Coakley sent over a two-point free, followed by his brother Niall Coakley landing a free, 0-4 to 0-1 after eight minutes.

Mallow kicked two of the next three points, with Tobin getting another effort, but an exquisite Desmond orange flag opened up a 0-7 to 0-3 lead after a quarter of the game played.

Cork footballer Seán McDonnell showed his quality with a cracking point following a marauding run to keep Mallow in touch, but they weren’t doing enough.

Carrigaline are the two-point kings, as they have shown since the new rules came in. Desmond sent over his second two-pointer to keep the opposition at arm’s length.

Mallow were hanging in there, with Gearóid Daly and Shane Merritt effective, as McDonnell and Tobin pointed with Jack Dillon playing a key role, 0-9 to 0-6 after 27 minutes.

In a fairly low-key championship affair, Carrigaline deservedly held a healthy cushion when Jack McCarthy bisected the posts, 0-10 to 0-6 at half-time.

Carrigaline maintained a nice grip on proceedings on the resumption.

A Niall Coakley free and a superb Desmond effort gave their side a 0-12 to 0-6 cushion after 40 minutes.

A McDonnell free kept Mallow just about in touch, but they were struggling to make any headway into the deficit at this juncture.

It was a slow-burner of a half, with both teams guilty of sloppy play. Jack McCarthy kicked his second to open up a six-point cushion, but a McDonnell two-point free gave Mallow renewed hope with ten minutes to go.

It sparked the game into life. Dillon pointed to leave it 0-13 to 0-10 before a Merritt orange flag left the bare minimum between the teams.

A Jack McCarthy effort was a settling score for Carrigaline — their first in 15 minutes.

They tacked on two unanswered points to lead 0-16 to 0-12 heading into added time.

McDonnell converted a two-point free for Mallow, and then Kevin Sheehan missed a two-point effort from play twice in the dying embers as their brave fight fell short.

Carrigaline hung on.

Scorers for Carrigaline: E Desmond 0-5 (2 2pt), J McCarthy 0-3, B Coakley (1 2pt f), K O’Reilly, N Coakley (0-2 f) 0-2 each, S Andrews, D Griffin 0-1 each.

Mallow: S McDonnell 0-7 (2 2pt f, 0-2 f), S Merritt (1 2pt, 0-1 45), M Tobin 0-3 each, J Dillon 0-1.

CARRIGALINE: R Delaney; B Murphy, C O’Herlihy, Kieran Kavanagh; D Griffin, C Barry, K McCarthy; P Mellett, J McCarthy; N Coakley, D Greene, C Kearney; K O’Reilly, B Coakley, E Desmond.

Subs: S Andrews for C Kearney (h-t), Kevin Kavanagh for D Greene (47), F O’Connell for C Barry (56).

MALLOW: K Doyle; B Myers, E Barry, P Lyons; R Sheehan, G Daly, P Britton; S Merritt, D Moynihan; J Dillon, S McDonnell, S Copps; K Sheehan, C Mullins, M Tobin.

Subs: M O’Rourke for C Mullins (38), T Kiely for R Sheehan (41), L Walsh for S Copps (59).

Referee: Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).