Iveleary kick on after the break to see off Clyda Rovers in Division 3 FL decider

Iveleary: 1-21 (1-4-13)

Clyda Rovers: 2-10 (2-0-10)

Iveleary have won the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 3 Football League title following a comfortable win in the end over Clyda Rovers at Donoughmore on Friday evening.

This final was a very enjoyable spectacle in what was a free-flowing contest. There was just a point in it at the break with Iveleary having their noses in front, but they produced an excellent display after the short whistle to prevail by eight points.

Clyda Rovers only managed three points in the second half as they couldn’t get their Cork footballer Conor Corbett in the game.

While Iveleary’s most known player is Chris Óg Jones, and while the Cork star did kick 0-5 (0-2 f) here, it was a well-balanced team performance underlining the quality that they have. Cathal Vaughan and Timmy Roberts deserve a mention, the pair were outstanding while also landing two two-pointers each.

It’s Iveleary's second successive league crown having won Division 4 a year ago.

Iveleary's Cathal Vaughan scores a two-pointer as Clyda Rovers' Gary Deane closes in during their Division 3 Football League final at Donoughmore.

Chris Óg Jones got the scoring underway with a neat point after three minutes only for Ben Nyhan to draw Clyda Rovers level under a minute later.

Iveleary were doing all the running early on which yielded points from that man Chris Óg Jones and Sam Pickering.

Arguably against the run of play, Clyda Rovers scored a goal after seven minutes. It was an easy finish from Aidan Kelly, but it was made by Conor Corbett after he did great work to split open the defence, 1-1 to 0-3.

A Vaughan two-pointer was the perfect response from the Muskerry men. Clyda Rovers were dangerous going forward early on with Conor Flanagan causing damage in the full-forward line.

The latter scored 1-1 in 40 seconds with the assist for the goal once again coming from Conor Corbett, 2-2 to 0-5 after 13 minutes.

Vaughan again landed an excellent two-pointer only for Nyhan to clip over an effort.

Three unanswered white flags from Iveleary gave them a one-point lead with 12 minutes remaining in the opening 30 minutes.

Patrick O’Grady and Flanagan (free) did give the Avondhu men the advantage again, but a Roberts two-pointer handed Iveleary a 0-12 to 2-5 lead.

Clyda Rovers' Eoin Walsh is tackled by Iveleary's Brian Cronin during their Division 3 Football League final at Donoughmore. Picture: David Keane

It was a game that ebbed and flowed in the first half. Roberts and Chris Óg Jones did extend their side’s advantage going into added time before a pair of Eoin Walsh points, one from a free, left Clyda Rovers just a point adrift at the interval, 0-14 to 2-7.

The teams traded points on the resumption as the championship pace continued.

The experienced Vaughan, who was a key cog in the Iveleary forward machine, pointed followed by a Chris Óg Jones free, 0-17 to 2-8 after 40 minutes.

Clyda Rovers were struggling to create the space they managed in the first half, but a Nyhan point did keep his team in touch.

Pickering and another Roberts two-pointer did give Iveleary their biggest lead so far, 0-20 to 2-9 after 51 minutes.

Conor Corbett did bisect the posts for Clyda Rovers, but a goal from close range from substitute Aaron O’Donovan gave the Muskerry men clear daylight with four minutes to go of normal time.

The game did peter out in the closing stages. Ciarán Galvin put the icing on the cake for the team in red and white with a sweet point.

Clyda Rovers' Conor Flanagan shoots under pressure from Iveleary's Barry Murphy during their Division 3 Football League final at Donoughmore. Picture: David Keane

An eight-point victory for Iveleary as they now turn their focus to the PIFC campaign, which begins next weekend.

Clyda Rovers will be disappointed with their second half showing, but it has been a positive year for them so far, but know that it’s all about how well they do in the SAFC.

Scorers for Iveleary: C Vaughan 0-6 (2 2pt), T Roberts (2 2pt), C Óg Jones (0-2 f) 0-5 each, A O’Donovan 1-0, S Pickering 0-2, K Manning, C Galvin, C O’Leary 0-1 each.

Clyda Rovers: C Flanagan 1-2 (0-1 f), A Kelly 1-0, B Nyhan 0-3, E Walsh (0-1 f), Conor Corbett 0-2 each, P O’Grady 0-1.

IVELEARY: J Creedon; B Murphy, D O’Donovan, D O’Riordan; K Manning, S O’Leary (c), C Galvin; B O’Leary, C O’Leary; T Roberts, C Vaughan, S O’Riordan; B Cronin, C Óg Jones, S Pickering.

Subs: C O’Riordan for K Manning (42), A O’Donovan for B Cronin (43), K Jones for C Vaughan (51), B O’Riordan for T Roberts (56), J Sweeney for B O’Leary (59).

CLYDA ROVERS: K Coffey; A Walsh, C Kelly, M Forde; P O’Grady, G Deane, D Buckley; B Nyhan, D Walsh (c); Conor Corbett, P Kissane, E Walsh; A Kelly, C Flanagan, D Cooney.

Subs: A Burke for A Kelly (35), S Kelly for P O’Grady (43), Cathal Corbett for D Cooney (48), S O’Sullivan for A Kelly (59).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).

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