East Cork GAA

03 March, 2009

Cork County Minor Board Match Reports

Ulster Bank Co Premier 1. Minor Football League

A late goal from the penalty spot by Kevin O’Regan earned St Michaels a share of the spoils in this most entertaining Ulster Bank Co Premier 1 Minor Football League Group 1 game which was played in Pairc Mhichil on Sunday morning last.

Played at a fast pace throughout St Michaels who had fine displays from Mark Ryan, Colman Russell, Elliot Cantwell and Kevin O’Regan went in at the break leading 0-10 to 1-05 after some excellent points from O’Regan Shane Keane and Aaron Giltinan while a goal from Sean Shanahan and points from Muiris Bartley, Mattie Condon and Mark Flynn kept Fermoy in touch.

On the resumption the home side pulled further ahead with points from O’Regan but then Fermoy began to up a gear with Jeff Daly, Kieran Dorgan, Sean Shanahan, Mark Flynn and Jack O’Driscoll leading by example. Goals from Shanahan and sub Sean Conron and points from Mattie Condon and Ronan Gubbins gave them a four points advantage with time ticking away. On seeing the game slipping away from them St Michaels regrouped and in a final flurry gained equality thanks to the accuracy of O’Regan to leave the final scoreline read 1-13 to 3-07.

In Group 2 Castlehaven got their league campaign off to a winning start when they travelled to Bishopstown and came away with a 1-10 to 0-04 victory over the local side. In a closely fought opening half a goal before the break by Niall O’Leary gave the visitors a 1-03 to 0-03 advantage at the break. Driven on by the performances of James Davis, Stephen Collins, Johnny O’Regan, Jack Nolan, Bobby Nolan and Niall O’Leary Castlehaven increased their efforts on the resumption and with some excellent points from Patrick O’Brien, Darragh Leonard, Eoin Dennehy and James Davis they fashioned a well deserved victory despite the best attempts of Noel Murphy, Diarmuid Lester, Roger Ryan, Olan Ryan and Brian Coffey for the home side.

St Finbarrs got their league campaign off to the perfect start when in Togher on Saturday last they had a comfortable victory over Douglas in this Ulster Bank Co Premier 1 Minor Football League Group 3 encounter.

Playing with the aid of the wind in the opening half St Finbarrs took the game to their opponents but some faulty shooting and the tenacity of the Douglas defence kept the scoreline in check. Douglas to their credit availed of their opportunities with James Furlong and Olan Birmingham getting some fine points and with Paul O’Halloran in goal, Michael Lyons and Phillip Shine excelling they went in at the break trailing 0-04 to 0-07 with Joe Fitzpatrick, Cian Madden, Jack O’Mahony, Robert Browner and Pat Wiley accounting for the ‘Barrs scores.

The home side maintained their grip on the game on the resumption and with Dave O’Brien, Cormac Holland, Eoin Kenefick, Pa Wiley and Jamie Burns to the fore their forward division, in which Joe Fitzpatrick, Robert Browner and Cian Madden were always looking dangerous, began to receive some quality ball. Some well executed points from Fitzpatrick, Madden, Burns and Kenefick increased their advantage and when Browner broke through for a goal at the three-quarter stage it virtually ended the game as a contest to see St Finbarrs run out winners on the final scoreline of 1-18 to 0-04.

Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Football League

In the Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Football League St Nicholas travelled to Ovens on Saturday last and came away with a 3-10 to 1-10 success over Eire Og in this Group 1 contest. Urged on by the promptings of Ronan Horgan in goal, John Carmody and Andy Evans St Nicholas took the game to their opponents from the outset and with a brace of goals from Daniel O’Callaghan they went in at the break leading 2-06 to 1-04. Eire Og came more into the game on the resumption with Craig O’Driscoll, Eoin Lyons, Fionn O’Rourke and Kevin Hallissey leading the charge. However the visitors held their nerve and with a goal from John Corcoran and points from Ian O’Regan, Jonathan Calnan, O’Callaghan and Corcoran they secured victory 3-10 to 1-10.

In the same group there were victories for O’Donovan Rossa and Mayfield over Aghada and Carbery Rngs respectively.

In Skibbereen on Saturday last O’Donovan Rossa with a strong final quarter saw off the challenge of Aghada 4-11 to 3-08. Aghada who had solid performances from Raymond Savage, Eoin Savage, Michael Russell and Seamus O’Gorman went in at the break leading 2-04 to 1-05 and on the resumption increased their advantage to five points.. However the home side were alive to the danger and with Denis O’Regan, Daniel Hazel and Mark Collins increasing their displays they began to mount their challenge. Two goals from Thomas Hegarty aided their cause and with a third from Ger Minihane and some fine points from Jonathan Davis, Donal Og Hodnett and Neville Mahon they emerged victorious despite the best attempts of the opponents to rescue the situation.

Mayfield’s goal scoring abilities proved vital in their 6-02 to 3-07 victory over Carbery Rngs in Rosscarbery on Sunday last. The home side had the better of the exchanges in the first half and went in at the break leading 1-07 to 1-00 despite the loss of one of their top players, Padraig Hicks, through injury after 10 minutes. In the second half Mayfield who big contributions from William Holland, Darran Crowley, Gary Lehane, Ian Monaher, Derry O’Gorman and Eamon O’Brien gradually began to click into gear. Well worked goals from Darran Wise, Eamon O’Brien, David Nolan and Kelvin O’Sullivan and points from Nolan and Colm O’Donovan propelled them into a nine points advantage and although Carberry Rngs hit back with a brace of goals from the penalty spot the visitors had enough on hand to secure victory.

In Group 2 Brian Dillons travelled to Sallybrook on Saturday afternoon and came away with a 3-06 to 2-06 victory over Glanmire. The visitors who had strong displays from James Murphy, Tom Harrington, Darragh Brosnan, Darragh Rodgers, Ken McCarthy, Dave Cremin and Tomas Laurence went in at the break leading 1-03 to 0-04 thanks to a goal from Alan Delaney. On the resumption Glanmire with the help of Graham Murray, Fintan Burke, Alan Barry, James Berkely and Ronan Kearney increased their efforts and with an early goal from Kearney they took the lead. This gave them confidence and with the game entering its final quarter they increase their advantage to five points following a superb goal from Burke. Brian Dillons were now in trouble but true to form they upped a gear and in an exciting finale their efforts were rewarded with goals from Dave Cremin and Darragh Rodgers and with further points from the same players and Tomas Laurence they sealed victory to give the ideal start to the new season.

Clonakilty got their league campaign off to the perfect start when they had a solid 3-12 to 1-06 home victory over Kinsale. Leading at the break 1-07 to 1-03, with their goal coming from Jonathan Leahy, the home side who had solid performances from Stephen Fitzpatrick, Garret Boohig and Kevin Cormican upped the tempo in the second half and with further goals from Ian McDermott and Barry O’Mahony and some well executed points from Fiachra O’Connell, Brian Downey, Graham Murray and Stephen Sheedy they ran out worthy winners.

Youghal proved too strong for Midleton in their game which was played in Youghal on Friday night. Playing a fine brand of free-flowing football the home side with the aid of a goal from James O’Mahony led at the break 1-07 to 0-02. In the second they maintained their momentum and with further goals from James O’Mahony, who ended up with a personal tally of 2-06, Victor Cahill and Tiernan Browne and some fine points from Aaron O’Connor, Paul Quill and David Scanlon they ran out 4-11 to 0-03 winners.

Please Note: The next meeting of the Cork Co Minor Board will be held on Thursday night next (5^th March) in the Glen Rvs GAA Pavilion at 8.30 pm. At this meeting the draws will be made for this season’s Ulster Bank Co Premier Minor Championships also League Fixtures for March in both hurling and football.