CORK’S JAMIE COUGHLAN scored 1-2 as Newtownshandrum advanced to the quarter-finals of the Cork SHC with a 3-18 to 1-18 win over Blackrock at Mallow on Sunday afternoon.
It was a first outing since beating champions Sarsfields in the first round in May for the 2000, ’02, ’05 and ’08 county champions but they showed no signs of rustiness.
Donagh Stack’s first-half goal helped them to open up a 1-9 to 0-6 lead at one stage, though points by Blackrock’s Eoin O’Farrell and David Cashman had just a goal in at the interval, 1-11 to 0-11.
Less than two minutes into the second half, though, Ryan Clifford was fouled for a penalty which Coughlan converted and the north Cork side were never likely to let such a commanding lead slip.
Clifford and Tim O’Mahony added points before John Paul King tacked on a third goal for a 3-15 to 0-16 lead.
Kevin O’Keeffe’s kicked goal did give the Rockies brief hope and they might have made further inroads when awarded a late penalty but William Biggane saved well and Newtown progress to a last-eight clash with Glen Rovers.
On Saturday night in Coachford, 1-5 from Alan Cadogan helped last year’s semi-finalists Douglas to record a 3-16 to 1-13 win over Duhallow.
Early goals from Finbarr Desmond and the excellent Stephen Moylan put Douglas firmly in control and though Kieran Shehan responded with a green flag for Duhallow, the half-time score was 2-7 to 1-5 for the city side.
Cadogan struck in the 41th minute and Mark Collins and Mark Harrington were among the points as they impressively pushed on. Midleton will be the quarter-final opponents, with Douglas having beaten the Magpies at the same stage last year.
Senior football champions Ballincollig impressed as they produced a controlled performance to beat last year’s Premier IFC winners Valley Rovers by 0-13 to 0-8 in the fourth round on Saturday in Kilmurry.
The hard work was done in the first half, with Ballincollig’s brilliant defence limiting their Innishannon opponents to just two points before half-time while Seán Kiely, Cian Dorgan and George Durrant all scored for ‘Collig, who amassed seven.
Hughie O’Donovan and Darragh Murphy led a brief Valleys revival at the outset of the second half, but Ballincollig responded well as Durrant and Dorgan scored. A goal looked more and more necessary for Valleys but it never arrived and Ballincollig now face St Finbarr’s or Castlehaven in the quarter-finals.
A repeat of a first-round clash with O’Donovan Rossa looms for Bishopstown after they beat Clyda Rovers by 1-9 to 0-8 in Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday. In a tight game, Fiachra Ó Deasúnaigh got the all-important goal for the Town in the 49th minute.
Cork stars Conor Dorman and goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran each scored two points for the Town, the latter from placed balls, while Jamie O’Sullivan was good in defence. James Murphy scored six points, five from frees, for Clyda, who trailed by 0-5 to 0-4 at half-time.
In the one SFC game played on Sunday, St Nicholas set up a meeting with the winners of next week’s Douglas and Nemo Rangers replay as they beat Dohenys by 1-5 to 0-7 in Bandon.
Having scored the equaliser last week to force a draw, Evan Kearney was again the Nick’s hero, scoring a ninth-minute goal. The free-taking of Barry O’Donovan and Robert Brosnan was key for the city side, while Dohenys relied on Mark Quinn and Denis Healy for scores.
Didn’t realise he was gone off till it was too late. Would have liked to have seen him receive more of an ovation from the crowd.
@Ciara Baines: He got a decent round of applause from all around the ground – unfortunately the substitution wasn’t announced until it was too late. Croke Park should have been wiser to the context.
@Camroc: Yeah he got a decent enough round of applause but I think he deserved a bigger ovation than Connolly (and Lowndes!) got. Would have been nice to see people up on their feet as he came off. Couldn’t be helped obviously. Just thought he deserved more.
A superb sportsman and great leader. Best of luck to him!!