CLYDA ROVERS..............1-12 NEMO RANGERS.............0-5 AFTER finishing the first half just two points to the good, it seemed as if Clyda Rovers might be hardpressed to advance in this county premier intermediate football championship third round tie at Blarney last Sunday evening.

But they turned on the style when playing into a fresh breeze after the interval to leave Nemo Rangers trailing in their wake, with the dynamic Paudie Kissane a standout figure at midfield as they powered to a comprehensive win.

Kissane emerged as Clyda's top marksman with four points, and his overall performance was truly out of the drawer.

Covering acres of ground, he picked up an abundance of possession which he invariably distributed to good effect, and Nemo's failure to curb his influence was one of the primary reasons for their tame capitulation.

Niall O'Mullane was another to shine at wingback for the winners, who hadn't a weak link in the second half when John O'Hanlon provided Kissane with solid support to ensure that they completely dominated the midfield exchanges. Equally convincing victors over Mayfield last time out, Clyda have certainly recovered well from their first round defeat at the hands of Valley Rovers, and, on this evidence, their bid to take the backdoor route to the top will have to be respected.

They were slow enough to settle, and, with both sides wasting chances during a tentative opening quarter, they didn't raise a flag until Kissane took a pass from centre back Oliver O'Hanlon to draw first blood in the 13th minute. Nemo, for whom Stephen Twomey made a promising start at midfield, quickly replied with a brace of points from David Kearney, who carried an obvious threat at corner forward, prompting Clyda to switch Ray Carey from full-back midway through the first half.

That brought greater stability to Clyda's last line of defence, and, as things transpired, they weren't to fall behind again after wing-forward Conor O'Sullivan earned them equality in the 21st minute. They bagged the next three points, with the excellent Niall O'Mullane doing much of the spadework for scores from James Murphy and Kissane before finding the target himself after receiving a return pass from roaming full forward Padraig O'Mullane.

After Nemo cut the gap to the minimum, courtesy of points from Michael Kearney and David Kearney, corner-forward Collie Lane had the last word for Clyda in stoppage time to make it 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval. It wasn't a particularly healthy advantage, given that Clyda had to play against the breeze on the turnover. But they upped the tempo considerably, working tirelessly and combining admirably to monopolize possession in the second half.

Clyda had moved 0-10 to 0-4 ahead after Kissane and Conor O'Sullivan shared a brace of points and James Murphy added two more - the second an outrageous effort from a free out near the left touchline – during the third quarter. They delivered the knock-out blow in the 49th. minute when Oliver O'Hanlon got on the end of a typically incisive raid involving James Murphy, Fionn O'Shea, John O'Hanlon and Niall O'Mullane to goal with style.

Superb points from Conor O'Sullivan and Paudie Kissane followed before outgunned Nemo finally broke their second half duck through Alan Cronin, from a free, in the 57th minute. O'Sullivan, who is eligible for minor ranks next year, James Murphy, Fionn O'Shea and Padriag O'Mullane were all to the fore up front for Clyda after the interval.

Niall O'Mullane, Oliver O'Hanlon and Maurice O'Brien comprised a commanding half back line which, allied with Paudie Kissane's tour-de-force at midfield, meant that Nemo struggled to get the ball into their full-forward line where Alan Cronin, Michael Kearney and especially David Kearney had their moments in the first half.

All in all, it was impressive stuff from the Mourneabbey men, whose next assignment will be a quarter final meeting with either Bantry Blues or Ballingeary.

CLYDA ROVERS: P. Kissane 0-4, O. O'Hanlon 1-0, C. O'Sullivan 0-3, J. Murphy 0-3, 0-1 free, N. O'Mullane and C. Lane 0-1 each

NEMO RANGERS: D. Kearney 03, A. Cronin, free, and M. Kearney 0-1 each

CLYDA ROVERS: C. Conway, D. Murphy, R. Carey, J. Fitzgerald, N. O'Mullane, O. O'Hanlon, M. O'Brien, J. O'Hanlon, P. Kissane, C. Flanagan, F. O'Shea, C. O'Sullivan, J. Murphy, P. O'Mullane, C. Lane. Subs, K. O'Gorman for D. Murphy, D. Roche for Lane, K. Roche for Flanagan, W. Cronin for Fitzgerald, J. O'Sullivan for O'Shea

NEMO RANGERS: R. Heaphy, R. Murphy, P. Brophy, K. Stone, B. Twomey, G. Murphy, E. Weldon, S. Twomey, M. Daly, J. Kearns, L. O'Sullivan, S. Marshall, A. Cronin, M. Kearney, D. Kearney. Subs, S. Martin for Marshall, D. Murphy for Kearns, N. Weldon for G. Murphy

REFEREE: E. Sheedy (Newcestown)