Carrigaline through to SAFC knockout phase after beating Kiskeam

EchoLive.ie, 18 Aug

Brian Coakley and Jack McCarthy came up with the big scores late on at

Mallow

Carrigaline’s Brian O’Driscoll breaks free with the ball in the

McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC at Mallow. Picture Chani Anderson

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John Coughlan

Carrigaline 0-10 Kiskeam 0-6

Carrigaline were made battle to the wire before overcoming a stern

Kiskeam test in the McCarthy Insurance SAFC at Mallow on Sunday.

In a disappointing game, Carrigaline's Jack McCarthy hit two late

points which gave his side breathing space against their resilient

opponents.

By virtue of this win, Carrigaline will qualify from the group, with

the winners to be decided in their last game with Cill na Martra, who

are also unbeaten.

The sides had contrasting results coming into this game with

Carrigaline having an eight-point win over Beal Atha Ghaorthaidh with

Kiskeam suffering a 12-point loss to Cill Na Martra.

A magnificent catch by the Carrigaline full-forward Niall Coakley saw

him make a mark and duly slot the ball over the bar gave the South East

side the perfect start. Kiskeam were playing some nice football without

registering the all-important scores but a superb Sean O'Sullivan point

in the sixth minute tied proceedings.

Kiskeam’s AJ O'Connor drives the ball up the pitch. Picture: Chani

Anderson Kiskeam’s AJ O'Connor drives the ball up the pitch. Picture:

Chani Anderson

Carrigaline looked to be running out of ideas about how to break down

the stringent Kiskeam defence but after an eight-minute drought, Brian

Coakley split the posts.

To be fair Kiskeam were upsetting Carrigaline’s rhythm but they should

have hit the target midway through the half but Kevin O’Reilly shot

straight at the keeper. The league champions were certainly struggling

and when O'Sullivan kicked his second point from a placed ball the

sides were on parity with six minutes remaining to the interval.

In the modern game, blanket defending but Carrigaline couldn't make

inroads against it in this half. On one lapse of poor man marking,

David Griffin ended Carrigaline’s 13 minutes without a score with a

well-kicked point in the 28th minute.

Carrigaline’s Kevin O'Reilly’s goal attempt is saved by Kiskeam’s

Anthony Casey during the McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC at Mallow on

Sunday. Picture: Chani Anderson Carrigaline’s Kevin O'Reilly’s goal

attempt is saved by Kiskeam’s Anthony Casey during the McCarthy

Insurance Group SAFC at Mallow on Sunday. Picture: Chani Anderson

That score was the final one of the half with Carrigaline edging it at

the break 0-4 to 0-3 after a sub-standard opening 30 minutes.

On the resumption little changed with defence still the order of the

afternoon but a classy Sean O’Sullivan point brought the teams on

parity five minutes into the restart. Amazingly after looking sluggish

in the opening minutes, Carrigaline's Cork footballer Brian O’Driscoll

split the posts with a terrific shot from 30 yards.

Another negative for Carrigaline was the amount of turnovers they had

throughout the opening 40 minutes with the teams still tied at 0-5

each.

Scoring continued to be of a rarity and the Carrigaline corner-back

Jack McCarthy showed his class with a stunning long-range point midway

through the half. That point seemed to inspire McCarthy’s teammates as

Coakley was on hand to kick a similar point two minutes later.

Indeed McCarthy was certainly leading by example as once again he

showed true composure to extend the Carrigaline lead to three with 10

minutes remaining.

Coakley has been in form all season and he came good late with his

third point that eventually sealed the deal after this dour encounter.

Scorers for Carrigaline: B Coakley 0-3, J McCarthy 0-2, N Coakley, D

Greene, B O’Driscoll, D Griffin, E Landers 0-1 each.

Kiskeam: S O'Sullivan 0-5 (0-2 f), T Casey 0-1.

CARRIGALINE: S Mellett; N Quirke, I Sheerin, J McCarthy; K Kavanagh, C

Kerlihy, A Coholan; B O’Driscoll, D Griffin; D Greene, B Coakley, E

Ryle; E Landers, N Coakley, K O’Reilly.

Subs: C Barrett for E Tyle (inj 13), C Barry for A Coholan (40), A

Coholan for K O’Reilly (53).

KISKEAM: B Daly; D Murphy, J Daly, J O’Connor; A J O’Connor, S Meehan,

M Casey; T Dennehy, D Fitzgerald; E Daly T Casey, M Casey; S O’

Sullivan, A Carroll, A Dennehy.

Subs: C Murphy for M Casey (51), K O’Connor for M Casey (53), D

Scannell for A Dennehy (56), M Herlihy for D Fitzgerald (52).

Referee: Ciaran Murphy (Glanworth).