East Cork GAA

Derek KielyMatch Report

East Cork Junior A Football Championships

Cobh  1-09
Aghada 0-03

By Derek Kiely
In Lisgoold

WITH a place in round three against the defending champions Glenbower Rovers in the East Cork junior 'A' football championship at stake this game took on a whole new level of importance.
The very slippery surface didn't help matters in terms of control, but this effected Cobh less in an impressive first half display. Cobh took the lead just 56 seconds in when Lee McDermott pointed from a placed ball.
Aghada responded through Tony Wall from play two minutes later, but from there on in all the scoring came from the 'Islanders'.
Mark Foley pointed from play and added another score on the 22nd minute, in between those scores McDermott pointed another free, then Jack Cronin and Martin O'Connor added scores to give Cobh a five point lead at the short whistle.
On the resumption Cobh were in scoring mode again just two minutes in off the boot of Mark Foley from a free, then on the 41st minute the game was over as a contest when a well worked move ended up in the hands of Alan Wally with just the keeper to beat, Wally moved to the right of the keeper and slotted home the goal.
Connor O'Driscoll pointed for the Rostellan men three minutes later, but almost instantly Cobh recovered the nine point lead with a well taken score off McDermott.
Aghada pressed hard in the closing stages, but the Cobh defence stood tall time after time. Eventually O'Driscoll pointed to give Aghada their third point of the match and they could have doubled their total in the last minute when they were awarded a penealty, but the Cobh keeper Frank MacColl saved the O'Driscoll effort.
The last score came deep into injury time when Alan Wally pointed from play on the 64th minute for Cobh, giving the men from the Island a shot at the holders Glenbower Rovers in the next round.

Scorers for Cobh: A Wally 1-1, L McDermott and M Foley 0-3 each, M O'Connor and J Cronin 0-1 each.

Aghada: C O'Driscoll 0-2, T Wall 0-1.

COBH: F MacColl; D O'Connell, D Tollan, L Curran; C Histon, B Aherne (Cpt) L Grearey; A Wally, D Keating; L McDermott, M Foley, D McCarthy; A Stack, N Kavanagh, J Cronin.
Subs: K Downing for A Stack (21) J Moynihan for A McCarthy (HT) J Flanagan for N Kavanagh (47) R O'Connell for J Cronin (53)

AGHADA: P Kavanagh; A Walsh, S Wall, B Wall; T Hartnett, J Wall (Cpt) D Rice; R Good, B Flaherty; C Power, G Melvin, S O'Keeffe; T Wall, C O'Driscoll, R Kennedy.
Subs: C Rice for A Walsh (21)D Creedon for R Good (44)

Referee: Pa O'Driscoll (Bride Rovers)