St Finbarr’s and Killeagh will meet again in the Cork ETB Premier 2 MHC final after finishing level at 1-13 apiece at Páirc Uí Rinn on Monday night. A late surge from the Barrs, capped by a Liam O’Regan injury-time goal and an Alex O’Herlihy point, denied Killeagh victory after they had led 1-13 to 0-10 coming down the stretch.
Killeagh’s Early Advantage and Defensive Resilience
Killeagh dictated the pace through much of the opening half, establishing a 0-10 to 0-7 lead by the interval. Ben Geary led the scoring charge for Killeagh, while Cathal Brennan contributed a long-range effort from near the sideline to keep the pressure on the Barrs. St Finbarr’s struggled with accuracy early on, recording several wides and failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities. David Clarke O’Mahony proved vital for St Finbarr’s in the second half, producing two high-quality saves to prevent Killeagh from pulling further away. He first denied John Farquhar in the 37th minute and followed up shortly after by stopping a goal-bound strike from Ben Geary. Despite these interventions, Killeagh maintained their composure, with a goal from Jay Geary—assisted by his brother Ben—extending their lead to 1-12 to 0-10.
St Finbarr’s Late Rally
Trailing by four points with five minutes remaining, St Finbarr’s mounted a comeback. Charlie Kelleher narrowed the gap before O’Regan’s goal from a free in the third minute of injury time brought the Barrs within a single point. O’Herlihy’s final strike ensured the sides finished deadlocked, necessitating a replay scheduled for the coming weekend. CJ Barrett finished as the top scorer for St Finbarr’s with 0-6, including four frees and a 65. Ben Geary matched that tally for Killeagh, recording five points from frees and one from a 65.
Match Statistics and Personnel
Killeagh introduced R. St Finbarr’s brought on E. Murphy McKeown for E. Naughton in the 45th minute and S. Fleming Byrne for S. Gabriel as the match concluded. Referee Shane Scanlon officiated the encounter.
Reasons for the replay and key match performances
Why is there a replay for the Cork ETB Premier 2 MHC final? The match ended in a 1-13 to 1-13 draw after St Finbarr’s scored a late goal and a point in injury time, leaving the sides level at the final whistle. Who were the top scorers in the match? CJ Barrett led the scoring for St Finbarr’s with 0-6, while Ben Geary also contributed 0-6 for Killeagh. When will the replay take place? The replay is scheduled for the coming weekend. Did any players stand out for their defensive play? St Finbarr’s goalkeeper David Clarke O’Mahony was instrumental in keeping his side in contention, specifically through two saves that denied Killeagh potential goals in the second half.
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