Cork SFC Final: Barrs defeat rivals Nemo

Cork SFC Final

St Finbarr’s 1-14 Nemo Rangers 1-13

Cillian Myers Murray was the St Finbarr’s hero as his 62^nd-minute point gave them victory over Nemo Rangers.

Having trailed by two points, 1-9 to 0-10, at half-time before a crowd of 6,949, the Barrs seized the lead in this southside city derby early in the second half thanks to a goal from man of the match Brian Hayes, but they found themselves reeled in in the closing stages.

A superb two-pointer from Conor Horgan had Nemo - beaten in the previous two finals by Castlehaven - level in injury time but the Barrs’ substitutes combined from the kickout, with Enda Dennehy and Eoin McGreevy working the ball to Myers Murray, who did the needful.

There was still time for Nemo to work an equalising opportunity but, as the clock reached the end of the allotted four minutes of injury time, they couldn’t break the Barrs down. Mark Cronin sent a ball wide to Horgan, whose effort looked good only to hit the post and bounce away.

Conor Lane’s whistle confirmed the Barrs’ 11^th title and the first final win over Nemo, having lost to their neighbours in 1993, 2010, 2017 and 2022. Hayes was outstanding at midfield alongside the equally impressive Ian Maguire, but it was fine game of football that had plenty of star turns.

The first half only featured scores from play until Sherlock’s orange flag from a free in the 33^rd minute cut the Barrs’ half-time deficit from four to two. Up to then, the lead had changed hands more than once.

A fine two-pointer from Hayes put St Finbarr’s 0-7 to 0-4 in front in the 16^th minute before Nemo replied with a Cronin point and the same player then set up Kevin O’Donovan for a brilliantly taken goal.

While William Buckley replied for the Barrs to level, 1-5 to 0-8, Nemo were in the ascendancy and Cronin’s third was followed by a two-pointer from Cork U20 star Bryan Hayes and then corner-back Mark Hill got forward to make it 1-9 to 0-8 before Sherlock’s injury-time free.

Despite playing into the wind in the second half, the Barrs held Nemo scoreless for the third quarter and made their dominance count at the other end. Following a Sherlock free, they had the lead when Sherlock found Rickey Barrett, who unselfishly squared for Hayes to palm to the net. A second point of the day from Cork hurler Ethan Twomey had them 1-12 to 1-9 ahead.

Nemo captain Alan O’Donovan might have levelled with a goal but he was denied by a combination of goalkeeper Darragh Newman and Sam Ryan while at the other end Kevin O’Donovan did brilliantly to make a goal-line block on a Sherlock effort.

After Sherlock opened up a four-point lead, a Cronin free finally ended Nemo’s scoring drought and they inched their back to parity as the end neared.

However, Myers Murray would have the final say.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Steven Sherlock 0-5 (1 2pt, 2fs), Brian Hayes 1-2 (1 2pt), William Buckley, Ethan Twomey 0-2 each, Conor Dennehy, Rickey Barrett, Cillian Myers Murray 0-1 each.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: Mark Cronin 0-5 (2fs), Kevin O’Donovan 1-1, Bryan Hayes 0-3 (1 2pt), Conor Horgan 0-2 (1 2pt), Mark Hill, Stephen Cronin 0-1 each.

St Finbarr's: Darragh Newman; Sam Ryan, Alan O’Connor, Dylan Quinn; Billy Hennessy, Jamie Burns, Donor Dennehy; Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes; Etha Twomey, Ciarán Doolan, William Buckley; John Wigginton Barrett, Steven Sherlock, Rickey Barrett.

Subs: Enda Dennehy for Burns, Luke Hannigan for Wigginton Barrett (both half-time), Eoin McGreevy for Hayes (45-46), McGreevy for Twomey, Cillian Myers Murray for Barrett (both 60+2).

Nemo Rangers: Micheál Aodh Martin; Colin Molloy, Kieran Histon, Mark Hill; Ciarán McCartan, Stephen Cronin, Kevin Fulignati; Alan O’Donovan, Briain Murphy; Colm Kiely, Barry Cripps, Kevin O’Donovan; Conor Horgan, Mark Cronin, Bryan Hayes.

Subs: Ronan Dalton for Kiely, Paul Kerrigan for Fulignati (both 43), Conor Moore for McCartan (51), Luke Horgan for Hayes (59).

Referee: Conor Lane (Lyre).