St Finbarr's 1-14 Nemo Rangers 1-13
St Finbarr’s are the Cork Premier Senior Football Champions for 2025 following a nail biting 1-14 to 1-13 victory over their great rivals Nemo Rangers at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Steven Sherlock kicked 0-05 and dual star Brian Hayes was named Player of the Match after tallying 1-02 as the Andy Scannell Cup was draped in blue and yellow ribbons for the first time since 2021.
This is the club’s 11th victory overall in the competition and perhaps the sweetest of the lot as it is the first time that St Finbarr’s have beaten Nemo Rangers in the decider, with this being the fifth meeting in the final between the two clubs.
The result also marks just the second time in 36 years that the blue and yellow has triumphed over the green and black at senior level.
Nemo Rangers had their own demons, as Robbie Dwyer’s side were out to avoid losing three consecutive county finals following successive defeats to Castlehaven.
The Barr’s edged it in the second half, despite trailing 1-09 to 0-10 at the break with Kevin O’Donovan’s goal in the 21st minute ultimately the difference after a period of play that saw the two clubs level four times.
Things exploded after the restart as Sherlock converted a free and Brian Hayes rifled the roof of the net in the 32nd minute to make the scoreboard read 1-12 to 1-09.
Two quick goal chances then fell to both clubs, and good goalkeeping by Darragh Newman and Micheál Aodh Martin increased the tension around the ground as the clocked ticked on.
Sherlock followed that up with a point from play, and Mark Cronin immediately replied for Nemo Rangers at the Blackrock End.
The corner forward had and opportunity to reduce the arrears down to one with his next touch, but the free for a two pointer hit the post in the 47th minute.
Cronin did not miss with his next placed ball, this time from inside the arc, and it was 1-13 to 1-11 with just under five minutes left to play.
Both clubs went to their bench in search of something, as the nervous feeling inside the ground seemed to reach new levels. Paul Kerrigan was one of those brought on by Nemo, with the 2010 All Ireland winner entering the pitch seeking his 11th county title.
Conor Horgan was the one to equalise with an orange flag, just as the clock turned red, and a grandstand finish was set up.
A substitute did decide the destination of the Andy Scannell Cup, and it was Cillian Myers Murray who curled the ball over in the second minute of time added on.
Nemo poured forward in search of an equalising or match winning score, but they could not get through the blue wall.
St Finbarr’s: Darragh Newman; Billy Hennessey, Jamie Burns, Sam Ryan; Dylan Quinn, Alan O’Connor, Ciaran Doolan; Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes (1-02, 1tp); William Buckley (0-02), Steven Sherlock (0-05, 1tpf, 2f), Conor Dennehy (0-01); John Wiggington Barrett, Ethan Twomey (0-02), Rickey Barrett (0-01).
Subs: E Dennehy for Burns (HT); L Hannigan for Wiggington Barrett (HT); E McGreevey for Hayes (44, temp), E McGreevey for Twomey (59); C Myers Murray (0-1) for Barrett (59).
Nemo Rangers: Micheál Aodh Martin; Mark Hill (0-01), Colin Molloy, Kieran Histon; Kevin Fulignati, Stephen Cronin (0-01), Ciaran McCartan; Alan O’Donovan, Briain Murphy; Kevin O’Donovan (1-01), Mark Cronin (0-05, 2f), Barry Cripps; Bryan Hayes (0-03, 1tp), Conor Horgan (0-02, 1tp), Colm Kiely.
Subs: R Dalton for Kiely (42); P Kerrigan for Fulignati (42), C Moore for McCartan (51), C Moore for Hayes (59), R Corkery for Alan O’Donovan (60, temp).
Referee: Conor Lane (Banteer)
