Corn Ui Mhuiri Football – IS Killorglin 1-12 DLS Macroom 2-8 – Match Report

Ian McGillycuddy wreaks havoc on Macroom

Report by Denis Hurley for the Irish Examiner newspaper

IS Killorglin 1-12 DLS Macroom 2-8

Ian McGillycuddy’s 54th-minute goal proved to be the crucial score as IS Killorglin qualified from Group C of the Corn Uí Mhuirí at Páirc Iosagáin in Baile Bhúirne.

Both sides went into this final game level on two points, effectively making it a knockout game, but Macroom had the advantage of a better scoring difference, meaning that a draw would suffice. When Ethan O’Gorman struck for a fine goal on 51 minutes, they were 1-7 to 0-9 in front, though Killorglin’s creative hub Daire Cleary almost replied in kind immediately.

His shot was saved by Tiernan Quinn but the attacker was deemed to have been fouled and Patrick Daly levelled from the free. Liam Twohig put Macroom back in front and even though Mike Breen levelled again, the Cork school still had the upper hand and might have had another goal, only for sub Jack Kelleher’s effort to be kept out by Cian O’Sullivan.

With the next play, Killorglin worked the ball well and midfielder Ciarán Kennedy and centre-back Pa Carey managed to cut through the Macroom cover, allowing McGillycuddy to palm home for a 1-11 to 1-8 lead.

Macroom’s attempts to erode that advantage were repelled and then, as injury time dawned, Cleary might have made the game safe but Quinn saved well from him. Even so, Breen’s second point put four between the teams and meant Twohig’s late goal, a lovely finish from Chris Óg Jones’s pass, came too late .

The one-point final margin was in keeping with a game which was close throughout. Cleary had the best goal chance of a tight first half, shooting into the side-netting with his side leading by 0-3 to 0-2 after 18 minutes.

That lead stretched thanks to Caolim Teahan’s brilliant point but two good Liam Wall frees, just before and just after half-time, levelled at 0-4 each and then his midfield partner Liam O’Sullivan responded to Daly’s free.

Jones nearly had a Macroom goal on 37 but his low shot was just wide and two excellent Cian O’Shea points for Killorglin seemed to suggest that Killorglin would push on. Once more, Macroom caught them, though Twohig and an excellent James O’Mullane point, only for O’Shea and Daly from a free to make it 0-9 to 0-7.

Macroom had lost full-back Kevin Kelleher to a black card in the wake of the latter point, but hit the front for the first time as O’Gorman did well to win Wall’s delivery before turning and shooting to the net. It put them in a strong position, but Killorglin weren’t finished at all.

Scorers for IS Killorglin: P Daly (0-4, frees), C O’Shea (0-3), I McGillycuddy (1-0), M Breen (0-2), P Carey, C Teahan, C Kennedy (45) (0-1 each).

Scorers for DLS Macroom; L Twohig (1-2), E O’Gorman (1-0), L Wall (0-2, frees), John O’Mullane, L O’Sullivan, James Mullane, C Óg Jones (0-1 each).

IS KILLORGLIN: C O’Sullivan (Beaufort); O O’Connor (Glenbeigh-Glencar), C Murphy (Laune Rangers), D O’Mahony (Firies); D Mangan (Laune Rangers), P Carey (Laune Rangers), K Fitzpatrick (Laune Rangers); M Breen (Beaufort), C Kennedy (Beaufort); P Daly (Laune Rangers), C Teahan (Glenbeigh-Glencar), D Cleary (Laune Rangers); C O’Shea (Laune Rangers), D Casey (Glenbeigh-Glencar), D O’Connor (Laune Rangers).
Subs: I McGillycuddy (Beaufort) for Fitzpatrick (44), R Moriarty (Laune Rangers) for Casey (49), D O’Sullivan (Beaufort) for O’Connor (51).

DLS MACROOM: T Quinn (Clondrohid); C Twomey (Macroom), K Kelleher (Kilmichael) R Creed (Macroom); S Desmond (Clondrohid), John O’Mullane (Kilmurry), B Henchion (Kilmurry); L Wall (Kilmurry), L O’Sullivan (Kilmurry); C Óg Jones (Iveleary), James O’Mullane (Kilmurry), L Twohig (Aghinagh); G Fitton (Kilmurry), E O’Gorman (Macroom), M Corrigan (Macroom).
Subs: J Kelleher (Canovee) for Fitton (42), C O’Riordan (Iveleary) for K Kelleher (46, black card), J Pickering (Iveleary) for Twomey (52).

Referee: E Walsh (Freemount).