Gray's last point rescues Kinsale

By Denis Hurley (Courtesy of Irish Examiner)

Youghal 0-11 Kinsale 1-8
YOUGHAL and Kinsale must meet again for a place in the semi-finals of the Cork IFC after their stalemate at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.
Having looked liked victors for long periods after leading from the 22nd to the 58th minutes, Kinsale then appeared to be heading out as Youghal rediscovered their scoring touch with a blitz of four points in five minutes, having gone 19 minutes without a score.

Derry O’Callaghan’s monstrous – and disputed – point levelled it at 1-7 to 0-10 in the 60th minute for Kinsale, but despite lots of pressure they could not get the winner in injury time. While James O’Mahony then scored to put Youghal back in the lead in the 64th minute, there were still three more minutes of added time, with Barry Gray pointing at the death to secure a replay for the south-east side.

In the first-half, Youghal were unable to convert their early dominance into scores, Paul Moylan’s sharpshooting notwithstanding, and then when Kinsale got on top they failed to take their chances.

They had kicked eight wides by half-time having played with the wind, though it must be said that, once Derry O’Callaghan’s 13th-minute goal drew them level at 0-3 to 1-0, they were playing the more fluid football.

Their half-forward line of Barry Gray, Brian Coughlan and Niall Stanley were linking very well while Gearóid Finn also weighed in as Youghal’s early fluency began to desert them.

Moylan, who scored the game’s first three points, was their most dangerous attacker, but O’Mahony’s point to draw them level at 1-2 to 0-5 in the 20th minute was their last one of the half.

Finn and Coughlan, with the last score of the half, pointed to give Kinsale a slight cushion, but turning with the wind Youghal would still have been fancied. While Brendan Ring did score the first point of the half, Finn responded immediately, and despite having more territory, Youghal wasted three goal chances, Paul Kelly, Nigel Roche and Moylan all guilty.

Barry Ring was very good at centre-back for the Imokilly club, though, and Kinsale were denied chances until Finn pushed them three clear in the 54th minute.

Subs Jonathan Ormond and Conor Spillane pointed for Youghal before two by Brendan Ring, though, putting them back in front before the frantic closing stages.

Scorers for Youghal: P Moylan (0-2f), B Ring (0-1f), 0-3 each, J O’Mahony 0-2, J Ormonde, N Roche, C Spillane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kinsale: G Finn 0-4 (0-1f), D O’Callaghan 1-1, B Gray, B Coughlan, N Stanley 0-1 each.

YOUGHAL: S O’Sullivan; B O’Sullivan, P O’Driscoll, A Fox; M Cronin, Barry Ring, B Coleman; K Dempsey, D Ring; J O’Mahony, Brendan Ring, P Kelly; N Roche, D O’Mahony, P Moylan.

Subs: B Cooper for D Ring (half-time), C Spillane for D O’Mahony (37), J Ormonde for Moylan (53).

KINSALE: C Hackett; N McCarthy, M O’Sullivan, C McCarthy; J Gould, J Keohane, R O’Sullivan; D O’Callaghan, D Coughlan; B Coughlan, A Gould, N Stanley; B Gray, C O’Sullivan, G Finn.

Subs: M Coughlan for Gould (37), P Buckley for C O’Sullivan (43, injured), M Eaton for Buckley (54 injured), C Stallard for C McCarthy (55), D Murphy for Stanley (59).

Referee: P Downey (Inniscarra)