Saturday evening The Premier Intermediate hurlers were out in action against Carrigaline in the Round 3 clash in Pairc Ui Rinn. Fermoy were back to almost full strength only missing Kieran Morrison through suspension from the Tracton game, where Fermoy came out heavily on top. Mike Maher took charge and was called into the action as both teams had a strong rivalry. With a place in the Quarter finals at stake it was all or nothing and it would be Fermoys night coming away with their place booked against Cloyne in the next round of the competition. The game wasn’t the most exciting, but by god did the last 10 minutes get heated.

Carrigaline got off to a good start and within the opening 5 minutes were 0-2 to 0-0 before Jack Hutchings found the range and got the score sheet open for Fermoy. Carrigaline would hold this lead right till the very end but Fermoys ‘never say die’ attitude made it a game to remember. For the remainder of the first half, Fermoy had numerous wides and fouled in dangerous places and Carrigalines Rob O’Shea punished more often than not. Fermoy settled the ship coming into the half and points from Colman and Hutchings reduced the gap to 0-9 to 0-6 still in favour of the Seandún side. The half back line for Carrigaline were coming out on top setting up scores and leading to fouling from Fermoy but as the half went on Fermoy’s defence tightened up. Fermoy needed to up it in the second half if they wanted to stay in the contest.

Both teams started the second half with wides but David Drake for Carrigaline pointed before Paidi De Roiste replied with a score of his own. Carrigaline continue to keep the scores going and Ronan O’Callaghan and Martin Brennan got two massive scores to keep Fermoy going. David Geary managed to get 45 minutes in but was called aside and Padraig Clancy came into the game. Liam Colman had some wides but when he was called into action he stepped up and tapped over twice. As the final few minutes approached the margin was at one point, 0-14 to 0-13 in Carrigalines favour. Mark Flynn and Paidi De Roiste made way for Eric Delany and Paidi Shanahan, who would play his part in a big way. Brian O’Sullivan imposed himself on the game. On the 60th minute Colman had a high pressured free which he failed to score and Carrigaline went up the pitch to put the ball over the crossbar pushing the lead out to 0-13 to 0-15. Fermoy’s Eoin Clancy then dropped a ball into the square where Paidi Shanahan found himself in possession and fired home a brilliant goal to bring Fermoy into the lead for the first time in 63 minutes. This goal ignited Fermoys work rate again and Eric Delany was forced to foul to stop a Carrigaline attack and Fermoys faith went down to a free which wasn’t converted. Fermoy piled on the pressure then and clogged up the defence and mid - field but through a defensive error by Carrigaline, Jack Hutchings found an unmarked Shane Aherne who powered towards goal only to bury it beyond the keeper and securing a place in the next round. With Fermoy getting the rub of the green in the final few moments, the players deserve a lot of credit for not giving up in the final few minutes. The lads will have to get the foul count and wides down as the season goes on if they plan on making further progress in the Championship but it was a win all the same. The team lined out as following; C Quinn, R O’Callaghan, J Daly, D O’Carroll, E Clancy (Capt), B O’Sullivan, S Shanahan, M Brennan, D Geary, L Colman, S Aherne, T Clancy, P De Roiste, M Flynn, J Hutchings. Sub used; P Clancy for D Geary, P De Roiste for P Shanahan, M Flynn for E Delany.