Doran Oil
Premier 12 Football Group 3
Clonakenny 3-05 Durlas Óg (B) 2-03
The second match in Templetuohy saw
Clonakenny square up to Durlas Óg where again the team with first half
advantage held the edge. Unfortunately, for Durlas Óg, the Clonakenny half time
lead proved an insurmountable hill to tackle as they yielded to a dominant
Clonakenny on the day.
From the off Clonakenny were threatening as Cain Russell pointed inside the
opening minute. Though both sides kicked alternate wides a brace of goals by
Cian O’Dwyer for Clonakenny in seven and eight minutes put his side in the
driving seat, with Rory Nolan superb as he dictated the play. Conor Nesbitt was
strong too at centre back for Clonakenny and he wasn’t giving an inch to the
Durlas Óg forwards. He pointed in the twelfth minute in one of his forays down
the field.
For Durlas Óg, captain Óisin O’Brien was having a fine game too and when his
long ball in was blocked out by the keeper, Dean Fanning was following up and
he hit the target to open the Durlas Óg account.
As the clock edged closer to half time Nesbitt’s long ball into the Durlas Óg
goalmouth was not contained and as it hopped and bopped it broke loose to Nolan
who hit the net, Clonakenny in control. But O’Brien responded with a point from
a free for Durlas Óg to leave it 3-02 to 1-01 at the break.
Durlas Óg needed to get the opening scores to put Clonakenny under pressure but
the ball wouldn’t go between the posts for them despite strong efforts from
Daragh Stakelum and O’Brien outfield. Instead three points for Clonakenny
without reply had them in firm control midway through the way with Sophie
Cantwell and Aoife Shelly also trying hard up front and unlucky not to get
scores on the board.
More attacks by Clonakenny were quelled by a Durlas Óg defence who had now
found the rhythm there were seeking. That rhythm oozed into attack as they
sought to reduce the deficit. Though a number of wides ensued, Conor Ruddy soon
hit the net as he latched onto a high ball in off the left from Liam Kenny.
Ruddy soon pointed with his adrenaline flowing and an outside chance of victory
within his sides grasp. Not to be for Durlas Óg however, as O’Briens late point
left too much of a gap with time just up; Clonakenny victorious thanks to an
excellent first half and early dominance on the score board in the second.
Clonakenny captain, Cain Russell collected the cup on behalf of his team from
sponsor Seamus Doran, who also presented the medals to both teams, with Joe
O’Sullivan, Mid Bórd na nÓg Chairman also in attendance.
Clonakenny; Stephen Maher, Denis
Hennessy, Kate Madden, Cain Russell (C) 03 (01f), Aaron Maher, Conor Nesbitt
(02), Conor Longe, Cian O’Dwyer 2-00, Ciarán Shanahan, Rory Nolan 1-00, Adam
Wallace, Mark Fogarty, David Hennessy, Matthew Davidson, Sophie Cantwell, Aoife
Shelly, Kate Shanahan.
Durlas Óg (B); Stephen Donovan, Cian McDonnell, Luke Fogarty,
Connor Fogarty, Dean Fanning 1-00, Liam Kenny, Óisín O’Brien (C) 02, Luke
Beresford, Connor Whitehead, Eoghan Ryan, Jack McGrath, Aaron Cooke, Daragh
Stakelum, Daniel Ruddy, Conor Ruddy 1-01.
Referee: Jonathan
Cullen (Loughmore-Castleiney)