Injury-time goals put gloss on result as Cuchulainns advance

IFC quarter-final

Cuchulainns 2-10

Cootehill Celtic 0-9

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

A pair of injury-time goals may have put a flattering look on the scoreboard but Cuchulainns deserved this win as they eventually hit their stride to march on to the Intermediate Championship semi-final.

The Cross-Mullagh men have now won four matches in succession since their opening-round defeat against Butlersbridge, even though they have yet to play their best football consistently over an hour. Whether or not that is a desirable position to be in remains to be seen but any of the 10 sides who are already out would happily swap places with Fintan Cahill’s men, who are where they want to be and will know that if they can improve in certain areas, they will push the race for the Gilroy Cup close.

They were pushed closer here than the scoreline would suggest but generally had their noses in front in poor match – and late goals from Niall Carolan and Micheál Kenny wrapped it up.

Cuchulainns led by the odd point in nine at the end of a tepid first half in which the teams cancelled each other out for the most part.

Cootehill opened the scoring with a neat left-footed point from Shane Sexton but Cuchulainns quickly levelled through a well-taken Adam O’Reilly effort from the right wing.

For the remainder of the half, despite the perfect conditions and the attacking talent on both sides, scores were at a premium, with numerous missed chances and many moves breaking down and, it must be noted, good defending from both teams.

Sexton, whose movement was impressive, gathered an Enda Hessin pass and knocked over a mark to nudge the Celts back in front and they extended that advantage with another attacking mark, this time teenager Jake Whyte converting after a nice pass from Dean Connolly.

A super score from long range by Turlough Farrelly cut the gap on 12 minutes before Niall Magee levelled the match with his first from play.

The remaining 20 minutes or so up to half-time were low on quality. Evan Doughty kicked a trademark stylish point and then won and converted a free to make it 0-5 to 0-3 on 22 minutes.

Stevie O’Connor had the final say of the half for the Hoops to leave it 0-5 to 0-4 at the break.

On the resumption, Doughty kicked a good point from play after Bryan Magee did well but youngster Whyte cut the deficit with a converted mark.

Niall Magee, Cuchulainns’ stand-out performer on the day, kicked his second point after a driving run but again Cootehill hit back, Cillian McGahan sending over a free from 46 metres off the deck.

Turlough Farrelly and Whyte exchanged quality points from play before an excellent individual score from Sexton, who barrelled through a couple of tackles before pointing via the upright, tied the game at 0-8 apiece with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

The game had belatedly come to life by now. Niall Magee kicked an exceptional score off the outside of the boot from 40 metres to regain the lead for his side before Doughty played a one-two with Conor O’Reilly and added another off the trusty left boot.

O’Reilly was in for a goal chance moments later and showed a good side-step but Cootehill goalkeeper Jamie Smith smothered the chance and the town side dashed straight down the field and pointed, Whyte finishing smartly.

Cootehill then registered two wides and Cuchulainns one as the standard dipped again but the key score arrived in injury time when Niall Magee and Cian Donoghue did well and Niall Carolan showed great composure to round Smith and blast to the net from close range.

There was no way back for the Celts from there, with the clock against them and Kian Cooper picking up a straight red card. In the final action, Niall Magee again went on a speedy run and found Kenny, who hit the net for the second week in succession to see his side win with seven to spare.

Cuchulainns: Conor Gallagher, Christopher Tully, Cian Donoghue, Paddy Lynch, Niall Carolan (1-0), Cian Doughty, Micheál Kenny (1-0), Eoghan Donoghue, Turlough Farrelly (0-2), Adam O’Reilly (0-1), Evan Doughty (0-4, 1f), Niall Magee (0-3), Glenn McCann, Bryan Magee, Oisin Donoghue

Subs Philip Smyth for C Tully, Ruairi O’Connell for O Donoghue, Cormac O’Reilly for G McCann (all ht), Conor O’Reilly for A O’Reilly (50)

Cootehill Celtic: Jamie Smith, Rian Delaney, Ben McGahan, Alan Curran, Mark Farrelly, Sean O’Connor, Dean Connolly, Cian Farrelly, Cillian McGahan (0-1f), Kian Cooper, Enda Hessin, Stevie O’Connor (0-1), Jake Whyte (0-4, 2m), Cian Smith, Shane Sexton (0-3, 1m)

Subs: Diarmaid Carney for M Farrell (temp, 30), D Carney for M Farrell (ht), Mark Mullen for D Carney (60), Eli Argue for A Curran (60), Brandon McGearty for R Delaney (63)

Ref: Mark Ferncombe