Nemo Rangers set up Castlehaven clash but Valley Rovers out on scoring difference
Ronan Dalton grabbed Nemo's goal against Valley Rovers. Picture: Noel Sweeney
When you have won the Cork Senior football championship on 23 occasions a game of this magnitude is bound to test your mettle.
Nemo arrived at Ballyanly on Sunday knowing a defeat against the unbeaten Valley Rovers would finish their season in the Co Op Superstores Cork SFC.
When the going got tough the tough got going and- in the end the Trabeg outfit showed there is no replacement for class as they steamrolled their opponents with controlled football.
Nemo were quickest into the attack but despite Luke Horgan getting a clear look at the posts his shot was off target.
One could sense the tension in the opening exchanges with Valley Rovers blanket defence ensuring few scoring opportunities for their city opponents.
Nemo had two consecutive wides as they found it hard to get clear looks and neither team had a score registered in the opening nine minutes.
A minute later Ross Corkery broke the deadlock with a classy point that brought a huge cheer from the Nemo supporters.
Missing top players like Mark Cronin, Brian Hayes, Barry Cripps and Conor Horgan Nemo were certainly weakened in their forward line but Corkery looked dangerous as he produced a stunning two pointer in the 14th minute that increased the Nemo lead to three points.
A minute later the same player brought his tally to four, but Valley Rovers responded with their opening score courtesy of a Eoin Guinane white flag.
To be fair Nemo played some good football in the second quarter as they continued to control the game and with Dara O’Sullivan looking more energetic as the game progressed it was no surprise that Nemo went in at the break commanding an eight point lead 0-9 to 0-1.
Looking at Valley Rovers in the opening 30 minutes they looked a side not interested in testing Nemo’s defence and they needed a total revamp in their tactics to get back in this game.
Valley Rovers did come out of the blocks quickly on the restart and although Aidan Walsh-Murphy got them up and running two minutes into the half that’s as good as it got for them.
At no stage did Valley Rovers threaten Nemo’s rearguard and in the closing minute the hardworking Ronan Dalton was rewarded with an opportunist goal.
Next up for Nemo is a mouth-watering quarter final against Castlehaven but the message is loud and clear they haven’t gone away and will still have a major say in the destination of the title.
R Corkery 0-5 (1 2pt, 0-2 f), R Dalton 1-1, D O’Sullivan 0-3, K O’Donovan 0-2, C Shalloe, L Horgan, M Hill 0-1 each.
E Guinane 0-3, A Walsh-Murphy, F Lynch 0-1 each.
M A Martin; K Histon, M Hill, N O’Shea; K O’Donovan, S Cronin, C Molloy; A O’Donovan, B Murphy; C Shalloe, L Horgan, J Horgan; R Corkery, R Dalton, D O’Sullivan.
C Moore for C Shalloe (40), T O’Brien for J Horgan (50).
B Curtain; C O’Keeffe, T McGrath, N Daly; T O’Brien, C Johnson, L Casey; J O’Driscoll, W Hurley; J Walsh, E Guinane, A Walsh-Murphy; F Lynch, C O’Leary, S Ryan.
M Woods for L Casey (45), O McCarthy for C Johnson (50), E Delaney for A Walsh-Murphy (50).
John Ryan (Macroom).
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