Clonakilty Community College 1-9

Abbey CBS 0-11

Clonakilty Community College closed with a six-point surge to pip Abbey CBS and extend their Corn Uí Mhuirí stay until after Christmas.

Darragh Gough’s 63rd-minute winner booked their quarter-final berth for the fifth season in a row as Group 5 winners to cap a comeback from five points down with a dozen minutes to play.

The Abbey had built that advantage thanks to five superb first-half points from Tipperary minor Shane Quigley, all from play, but they didn’t score at all after the 42nd minute into a stiff breeze.

They were already guaranteed progress prior to this match but may now face a preliminary quarter-final as group runners-up.

This result eliminates St Pat’s, Castleisland, who needed a three-point Abbey win to advance ahead of Clon.

That outcome looked on for much of this fixture as the Tipp town school notched the first seven points on the spin with the wind at their backs.

Quigley had three of those with his wand of a left boot before adding a quickfire brace to extend the lead to eight, 0-9 to 0-1.

He was well-supplied by brilliant kick passes from corner-back David Ryan and midfielder Bill Quirke for two scores each.

Quirke assisted four of the Abbey’s 11 points in all, caught three further marks, and added a booming score of his own.

Limerick minor hurler Shane O’Grady was on the target early before winning a free for Joseph O’Dwyer to convert, while goalkeeper Robbie McGrath slotted another from long range.

Clonakilty finally landed their opening score in the 26th minute when wing-back Michael O’Donovan battled through for a point.

Crucially, they had the final two points of the half into the wind. They hit on the counter each time, with Gough finishing the first before winning a free for Olan O’Donovan to convert.

That left it 0-9 to 0-3 at half-time and Clon came out on the hunt for a game-changing goal.

Olan O’Donovan created two opportunities inside four minutes, each time translating a wayward shot into a goal chance.

For the first, he caught a ballooned kick and would’ve found Gough but for a full-stretch palmed clearance by Liam Finnane.

They made no mistake next time. Gough’s half-blocked effort was directed across goal by O’Donovan’s back-handed punch and Luke Murphy was in the right place to tap in.

The gap was back to three but the Abbey soon padded it out to five. Quirke had a shot at goal blocked by Daniel Moloney but it was called back for a free. O’Dwyer kicked that and it was followed by a turnover score from Dylan McGrath.

Olan O’Donovan should’ve had a goal of his own but Robbie McGrath superbly stood tall to save before O’Dwyer sent a first-time sidefooted shot just wide at the far end.

The game changed, however, when Seán O’Mahony was sin-binned for a 47th-minute pull-down. Once Clon organised their press, they kicked four points in less than three minutes.

Full-backs Sam Bailey and Oisín Harrington pushed up to create scores for Cork minor Timothy Cullinane. Gough blasted over when in on goal and Olan O’Donovan slotted a mark to leave just one in it.

The Abbey, however, effectively ran down the clock on the black card for the next six minutes and Emmet Bonner saw a shot at goal blocked by Shane O’Regan.

Clon sealed it at the death. Cillian Twohig landed a monster from outside the 45 in the 59th minute before full-back Bailey’s third assist of the day reached Gough for the winner.

It ended with 30 players crammed inside the Clon 45 and full-forward Olan O’Donovan coming up with the clinching turnover.

Scorers for Clonakilty Community College: L Murphy (1-0); D Gough (0-3); T Cullinane, O O’Donovan (1m, 1 f) (0-2 each); M O’Donovan, C Twohig (0-1 each).

Scorers for Abbey CBS: S Quigley (0-5); J O’Dwyer (2fs); R McGrath (1f), D McGrath, S O’Grady, B Quirke (0-1 each).

CLONAKILTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE: D Walsh (Clonakilty); O Harrington (Kilmeen), S Bailey (Kilmeen), S O’Regan (Clonakilty); D Moloney (Ibane Gaels), D Harrington (Clonakilty), M O’Donovan (Bandon); C Twohig (Kilmeen), D Gough (Clonakilty); L Murphy (Ibane Gaels), E Cullinane (St Mary’s), D Kenneally (Clonakilty); T Cullinane (Owen Gaels), O O’Donovan (Ibane Gaels), S Whelton (St James’).

Sub: M Murphy (Clonakilty) for M O’Donovan (40).

ABBEY CBS: R McGrath (Galtee Rovers); E Bonner (Galtee Rovers), S Lewis (Arravale Rovers), D Ryan (Arravale Rovers); D McGrath (Oola), L Finnane (Galtee Rovers), S O’Grady (Oola); B Quirke (Galtee Rovers), M Gleeson (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams); M Bowes (Arravale Rovers), S Carey (Aherlow), S O’Mahony (Arravale Rovers); D O’Hora (Solohead), J O’Dwyer (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams), S Quigley (Arravale Rovers).

Subs: C Kelly (Arravale Rovers) for O’Hora (29), B Delaney (Arravale Rovers) for O’Grady (58, inj), A Webster (Arravale Rovers) for Bonner (60, inj).

Black card: S O’Mahony (47-57).

Referee: B Barrett (Douglas).