WHO will take home the famed Flyer Nyhan Cup on Sunday? Will it be Ballinascarthy for the eighth time, their last in 2022? or Diarmuid Ó Mathúna for the sixth time, their last in 2010?
This clash is truly the battle of the league champions. Ballinascarthy operated in Division 7 of the county leagues, beating Kinsale by 3-15 to 0-12 in the final. Diarmuid Ó Mathúna operated a grade lower, in Division 1 of the Carbery league, and captured the title by winning all seven games.
This means that the sides have not actually met yet this season but both will be going for the championship/league double,
Ballinascarthy played in Roinn 1 of the championship, a three-team group. In round one they were lucky to beat Newcestown’s second string by a single point, 1-14 to 0-16. Round 2 was much easier, a 6-26 to 2-7 win over Bandon’s second string. Their quarter-final opponents were Randal Óg who put up a fine battle for 50 minutes before Bal pulled away to win by 5-19 to 2-15. Jeremy Ryan and Brian O’Donovan hit a massive 4-14 between them in that game. That put them into a semi-final clash with St James, who had knocked out champions Clonakilty, and this resulted in a 1-20 to 0-11 victory. Again the team was seen at its best in the closing quarter of this game.
Diarmuid Ó Mathúna followed their league victory by campaigning in Roinn 3, also a three-team group. A round two victory over Clonakilty, 2-22 to 0-12, had many talking of lifting the cup, with the winners totally dominating the game all through, young Caolann O’Donovan hitting 1-6. They followed that up in round three by beating St Oliver Plunkett’s by 2-18 to 2-12. Jamie Lucey, with 1-10, was the hero in that game. Quarter-final opponents were fellow-parishioners, St Mary’s, and a tough battle resulted in 1-14 to 1-11 victory, a last quarter surge providing the winning scores. The semi-final, another local derby against Newcestown saw the Castletownkenneigh men winning by 2-12 to 0-11. The goals came from Kevin and Gearóid O’Donovan, with Caolann O’Donovan hitting 0-7.
St James' Cristóir Hayes tries to hook Ballinascarthy's Ciaran Nyhan during the RCM Tarmacadam JAHC semi-final. (Photo: Paddy Feen)
In their four games, Bal have scored a total of 13-79 while conceding 4-49. That’s an impressive match average of 3-20 to 1-12. Mathúnas have scored a total of 7-66 in their four games, while conceding 3-46. That’s a match average of 2-16 to 1-11. While both defences look equal, conceding 1-12 and 1-11, the Bal attack has hit the target far more than Mathúnas, 3-20 per match compared to 2-16 for Mathúnas.
But statistics don’t win games, players do and Bal’s experience in winning three titles in 2019, 2021 and 2022 definitely gives them an advantage over their opponents who haven’t won the title since 2010.
The big question to be asked as regards winning this final is, can Mathúnas put the reins on the free-scoring Bal forwards? Will Cathal Mangan, Jeremiah Hurley, Robbie Lucey and Eoghan Mangan succeed in keeping Brian O’Donovan, Cillian Cullinane, Timmy Cullinane and Seán Ryan under control for a full hour? Both teams possess top-class free-takers in Jeremy Ryan, Jamie Lucey and Caolann O’Donovan and any transgression will be punished, with Ryan in particular having a major influence at midfield in all games.
Can the O’Donovan brothers continue their tremendous form in the Mathúna forward line, Gearóid bidding strongly to being the top dual player in the division this season and Kevin scoring vital goals for his side? They will be well aided by young Caolann O’Donovan, Ted Lordan and, especially Jamie Lucey. Bal will look to Nyhan duo, Ciarán and Daniel, Tristan Walsh, Daniel O’Brien and Padraic Cullinane to put the shackles on the Mathúna sharpshooters.
The midfield battle between Luke Murray and Jeremy Ryan on the one hand, and Conor O’Sullivan and Seán Crowley on the other will decide much, while both goalkeepers, Darragh Hennessy and Mícheál O’Driscoll, have been highly impressive to date.
If we had to choose, we would say that Bal’s goal-scoring ability, a tally of 13 goals in their four games as opposed to seven for Mathúna’s, may well be the deciding factor in the end.
