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Sherlock and Myers-Murray point the way as St Finbarr's complete Cork semi-final line-up

St Finbarr’s will now play Castlehaven at the semi-final stage next Sunday.

St Finbarr’s 0-14
Newcestown 1-8

THE CORK SENIOR football race has been whittled down to four contenders and all those remaining are traditional leading lights.

St Finbarr’s completed the set tonight at Páirc Uí Chaoimh as they fashioned a quarter-final success by managing to hold off a well-drilled and combative Newcestown unit.

The most potent attacking weapons were in the St Finbarr’s ranks. Steven Sherlock knocked over six points, split evenly between frees and play, while Myers-Murray weighed in with five, all registered from play. That was a level of scoring return from inside forwards that proved critical in settling the issue.

The victory leaves St Finbarr’s and Nemo Rangers as the pair of city outfits, Castlehaven representing the west and Duhallow flying the divisional flag. Three of them have carved up six of the last eight titles while Duhallow have contested three finals in that time frame.

It sets up next Sunday’s last four showdowns with Páirc Uí Rinn hosting both as Nemo play Duhallow at 2pm and Castlehaven take on St Finbarr’s at 7pm. The final is pencilled in for Sunday week, 11 October.

This encounter was almost a month on from St Finbarr’s last taste of competitive football action. Newcestown’s recent schedule has been punishing, the bulk of their team playing in a senior A hurling semi-final last Sunday.

Yet they were competitive throughout and went in front courtesy of Séamus O’Sullivan’s bundling home a goal in the 25th minute while Cork hurler Luke Meade was marshalling their defence well.

That edged them ahead 1-3 to 0-3 but St Finbarr’s critically strung together four points in replay to be ahead at the interval. Again the Paul O’Keeffe managed side coped when Newcestown drew level, 1-6 to 0-9, entering the final quarter, as they hit three points in succession to push clear.

Cork captain Ian Maguire formed a midfield partnership with former county player Michael Shields and that helped St Finbarr’s generate enough attacks. They managed to wear the Newcestown defence down. Sherlock was a key figure in the 2018 title success, Myers-Murray looks to have bounced back notably from a cruciate injury with his form alongside him.

He notched a late brace of points and the St Finbarr’s rearguard coped with a late Newcestown onslaught, albeit they looked fortunate not to have conceded a penalty late on when Cárthach Keane was in possession.

Castlehaven await in four days time.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Steven Sherlock 0-6 (0-3f), Cillian Myers-Murray 0-5, Eoghan Finn, Eoghan McGreevy, Denis O’Brien 0-1 each.

Scorers for Newcestown: Daniel Twomey 0-5 (0-5f), Séamus O’Sullivan 1-0, David Buckley 0-2, Colm Dineen 0-1 (0-1f).

St Finbarr’s

1. Patrick O’Neill

2. Sam Ryan
3. Jamie Burns
4. Alan O’Connor

5. Colin Lyons
6. Olan Murphy
7. Colm Scully

8. Ian Maguire (captain)
18. Michael Shields

10. Denis O’Brien
15. Steven Sherlock
22. Cian Walsh

13. Cillian Myers-Murray
11. Brian Hayes
14. Eoghan McGreevey

Newcestown

1. Christoper White

4. James Kelleher
2. Micheál McSweeney
3. Cian Twomey

10. Séamus O’Sullivan
6. Luke Meade
7. Colm Dineen

8. Fionn Keane
9. Seán O’Donovan

5. Gearóid O’Donovan
12. Cárthach Keane (captain)

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