St Finbarr's steady the ship with impressive win over Bride Rovers despite injury blows

St Finbarr’s 3-21 Bride Rovers 1-18

Off the mark and on the board. Three weeks later than they wanted, St Finbarr’s have their first victory of the county championship.

Climbing to second in Group 3, a second victory over Newcestown will put them on the road to the quarter-finals.

In front by seven at the end of a first half with plenty of edge, Brian Hayes (ankle) did not return for the second period, with Jack Cahalane (hamstring) already sitting in the dugout from the 18th minute.

The loss of these two key forwards was felt when Bride Rovers reeled off four-in-a-row around the three-quarter mark to reduce the deficit to four.

Ethan Twomey’s subsequent point was a significant one in reasserting the blue cause.

Bride Rovers did have a second opportunity shortly after to squeeze the deficit to three. Cormac Barry’s free dropped short, the 50th minute play ending with Jack O’Kelly turning Bride Rovers over and Ben Cunningham doubling his goal count for a 3-16 to 0-18 Barrs advantage.

Five white flags followed green. William Buckley’s personal account finished up at 0-7.

The Barrs cut a much different crowd to the inefficient shower that produced so little of tangible value in the second half against Midleton. For sharpness, purposefulness, punch, and a strong final product, their opening half here was more along acceptable lines.

The radar did take momentary tuning. Their opening three point attempts inside the first five minutes failed to raise a flag.

Ben Cunningham eventually opened the Barrs account in the seventh minute. It was the first of four unanswered points. It was the opening assist of Jack Cahalane, who laid off the final pass for two of their opening three points, delivered their fourth, and had the initial shot - which came crashing back off the crossbar - for Ben Cunningham’s 11th-minute rebound goal.

Injury curtailed Cahalane in the opening rounds of both the hurling and football championship. Injury again curtailed him here.

He had to be pulled on 18 minutes. His replacement, John Wigginton Barrett, was the provider of the Barrs’ second goal on 24 minutes. The score began with the vision of Brian Hayes to put possession in over the top to Willian Buckley. The Cork senior passed to the sub, who buried low from close range.

The green flag assist was part of a busy Buckley first half. There were also three points from play.

Ciarán Doolan, who operated from centre-back, was among eight names on the Barrs' first-half scoresheet. Corner-back Seán Daly was another. He came forward to snipe a pair.

The interval gap of seven was the largest their lead grew to across the first 30 minutes.

Bride Rovers had responded well to the Barrs’ first major. Adam Walsh (free), Ronan O’Connell, and David Barry clipped three without reply to reduce the margin to the minimum - 1-4 to 0-6 - on 14 minutes.

There was no similar response to the second major, Wigginton Barrett’s strike part of an unanswered 1-3 to shove Paudie Murray’s side seven in front.

Injury also visited the Bride Rovers corner. Adam Walsh had converted a pair of frees, one of which he won himself, before having to depart. His dead-ball deputy Patrick O’Flynn missed two of the three scoring opportunities he stood over approaching the break.

Placed-ball responsibilities passed to Cormac Barry for the second-half, three further wides accruing in this department, as well as the aforementioned effort that fell short.

Their opening round +9 score difference wiped out, the Senior A champions face a final round challenge of having to overcome Midleton by five points.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: B Cunningham 2-4 (0-2 f), W Buckley 0-7, B Hayes 0-3, J Wigginton Barrett 1-0, S Daly 0-2, C Doolan, E Twomey, C McCarthy, J O’Kelly, J Cahalane 0-1 each.

Bride Rovers: C Barry 0-5 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), C Tobin 1-1, P O’Flynn 0-3 (0-1 f), K Kearney, A Walsh (2), R O'Connell 0-2 each, D Barry, B Roche, L Roche 0-1 each.

ST FINBARR’S: S Hurley; C Walsh, J Burns, S Daly; D Cahalane, C Doolan, J Murray; C Cahalane, E Twomey; C McCarthy, B Hayes, J Kelly; J Cahalane, B Cunningham, W Buckley.

Subs: J Wigginton Barrett for Cahalane (18, inj), R Barrett for Hayes (h-t, inj), C Crowley for Daly (43-45 mins).

BRIDE ROVERS: C Hogan; D Cashman, E Roche, J Ahern; K Kearney, C Tobin, C Hazelwood; R O’Connell, C Barry; C Ryan, B Roche, P O’Flynn; D Barry, A Walsh, L Roche.

Subs: C O’Riordan for A Walsh (22, inj), C O’Sullivan for D Barry (32), C Barry for L Roche (59).

Referee: Simon Stokes.

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