Valley prove too strong for brave Clyda outfit
COUNTY INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL C'SHIP, RD 1 VALLEY ROVERS............. 1-9 CLYDA ROVERS...............0-6 by Pat Ryan at Blarney
VALLEY Rovers with a good all round second half performance advanced to the third round of the Co Premier IFC at Blarney on Sunday last when they had six points to spare over Clyda Rovers. The opening half was keenly contested to a certain extent, but on the changeover the South East side were to shade matters and ran out deserving winners.
The early stages saw the game start at a hectic pace with Paudie Kissane and Hugh O'Donovan trading an early point. Valley Rovers edged in front soon after when Hugh O'Donovan had a point from a free. Gradually the North Cork side began to gain their composure with Ray Carey and Paudie Kissane very effective while keeper Cian Conway was also very solid between the posts all through.
The sides were level at 02 each by the 10th minute when Niall O'Mullane kicked over. The momentum was with the Mourneabbey side at this stage, but some inaccuracy in front of the posts proved decisive at the end of the game. David Murphy gave them the lead with a point in the 13th minute before Derek O'Brien was a little unlucky not to finish to the net in the 17th minute when his effort went narrowly over the crossbar for a point to move double scores in front 0-4 to 0-2. However last years Co IFC kingpins Valley Rovers regrouped well.
They worked the short passing to great effect while up front Hugh O'Donovan and Eamon Collins were in great form and between them they accounted for all their sides tally. They went on to hold a 0-5 to 0-4 lead at the break and could have been further ahead only for Fiachra Lynch being denied by a great save from the Clyda Rovers keeper Cian Conway. On the changeover the winners continued to set the pace and were to strike for the only goal of the game when Eamon Collins finished to the net in the 33rd minute after being put through by John Burke to put a bit of daylight between the sides.
Clyda Rovers tried hard to get back into the contest but at times were pegged by a resolute Valley Rovers defence. Instead it was the winners that pushed on from here and with Kevin Canty, Chris O'Donovan and David Lynch all very prominent. They were to tag on 4 more points in this half while Clyda Rovers who missed a number of scorable chances had a late point from James Murphy but their was no denying Valley Rovers their victory. Clyda Rovers will now meet the beaten side from the replay between either Ballinora or Mayfield in the losers section.
