Robert Downey grabs a goal as St Nicks knock out Kilmacabea
Kieran Kelleher, St Nicks, comes under pressure in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier JFC clash with Kilmacabea at Macroom. Picture: Larry Cummins
St Nicks booked their place in the knockout stages of the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier JFC following a well-earned victory over Kilmacabea in a lively affair in Macroom.
Knowing that only victory would do, the city side showed stern character to pass a stern examination. Kilmacabea, who came into this contest knowing that a draw would have been enough to qualify, commenced brightly with points by Eamon Shanahan and Ian Jennings seeing them lead 0-5 to 0-2 after 15 mins.
He has been a pillar of the defence for the Cork hurlers but Robert Downey showed he also has plenty of footballing talent. Downey blasted the ball home to the net in impressive fashion with a rocket of a strike to give St Nicks a much-needed boost on 18 minutes.
Growing in momentum, things got even better for St Nick’s on 27 minutes, when Conor McCarthy clinically converted from close range.
A fine individual goal from Jennings ensured that the sides were level at half time, St Nicks 2-3 Kilmacabea 1-6.
After the break, the sides continued to exchange scores. Shanahan was the man Kilmacabea could rely on time and again. Nicks kept the scoreboard ticking over through O’Sullivan and McCarthy scores.
With plenty on the line for both sides in terms of knockout stage qualification, there was nothing to separate the sides, tied at 2-6 to 1-9 midway through the second half.
With this titanic tussle heading into the closing stages, it was St Nicks who stood tallest. A lovely two-pointer from O’Sullivan put them into the lead.
The same man added with another score a few minutes later, with a fisted point from Dave Dunlea putting the city men four points ahead.
Kilmacabea, who introduced former Cork footballer Damien Gore into the action in the closing stages, ensured there was a grandstand finale, with Shanahan slotting another score over. But St Nicks were not going to be denied with a quarter-final contest against Kinsale next on the agenda.
J O’Sullivan 0-7 (1 2ptf, 0-1 f), C McCarthy 1-1, R Downey 1-0, D Dunlea, D Morris 0-1 each.
E Shanahan 0-8 (0-5f), I Jennings 1-1, L McCarthy 0-1.
R Cronin; D Dunlea, O O’Connell, C Horgan; F O’Driscoll, E Varian, Z Lynch; R Downey, S Horgan; R Long, J Morrissey, D Morris; J O’Sullivan, K Kelleher, C McCarthy.
R Dunne for Long (37), S Kennefick for Kelleher (49), B Heffernan for Horgan (52)
C McCarthy; D Whooley, L Tobin, D Tobin; S O’Driscoll, M Collins, D O’Callaghan; K Whelton, I Jennings; O Tobin, R Shanahan, D McCarthy; E Shanahan, J Collins, L McCarthy.
J Keating for Collins (39), D Gore for McCarthy (52).
Alan Hourihan (Aghinagh).
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