Castlehaven 0-11
Argideen Rangers 0-11
(Castlehaven won 5-4 on pens aet)
TOM LYONS REPORTS
IT went right down to the last of ten penalties before Castlehaven could celebrate reaching the semi-final of the Bandon Co-op Carbery junior A football championship in Aughaville on Saturday night.
In truth, it should never have come to that against a battling Argideen Rangers team that looked very flat after their hurling exploits the previous week and were too dependent on one player for scores.
Level after normal time and extra time, penalties were needed, five each, and, bar one near save by the Argideen goalkeeper, every single penalty was expertly converted until we came to the tenth and last, an Argideen kick.
Castlehaven's Donal O'Callaghan coming out with the ball from Dara Walsh of Argideen Rangers.
Castlehaven goalkeeper Stephen Collins became the hero of the night when he saved that kick and his side were through.
‘Nobody wants a game to go to penalties but at senior level we’ve been at both ends of it. Fantastic if it goes well but heart-breaking when you lose, it’s a lottery,’ said an exhausted Castlehaven manager Vivian O’Callaghan.
‘We said to our lads beforehand just take the penalty and no fault if you miss. That was a real battle, probably should have finished it in normal time. We were on top at that stage and should have finished it but a massive, massive effort from the lads, in fairness.. We’re over the moon with this win.’
Although Seán Walsh opened the score for the Haven, it was Argideen who started better with three scores from the outstanding Darragh Holland (two frees) and another from Seán Walsh. But the Haven were nothing if not gritty and a point from Shane Nolan (free) left two between the sides at the end of the first quarter, 0-4 to 0-2.
After Finbarr Butler had almost goaled for Argideen to start the second quarter, the influential David Whelton kicked two good points for the Haven and Shane Nolan added a free, with Argideen’s answers coming from Darragh Holland and the hard-working Bill Fleming.
It was 0-6 to 0-5 for Argideen at half time but it was the Haven who dominated the second half against a tired-looking Timoleague outfit, with Joseph Bohane, Seán Walsh, Fiachra Collins, Ciarán O’Sullivan, David Whelton, and experienced subs, Shane Hurley and Seán Dineen, prominent.
Points from Shane Nolan (free), Roland Whelton (free) and David Whelton had them two in front by the 47th minute but wides weren’t helping and they weren’t to score again in that last quarter.
Argideen, sensing the game was slipping from them, raised their game in the closing minutes and with John Sheehan, Finbarr Butler, Bill Fleming, Gerry Crowley, John Michael O’Callaghan and Darragh Holland getting their second wind, Holland kicked two points to tie the scores, 0-8 each, at full time.
Castlehaven's Sean Walsh breaks from Argideen Rangers' Ger Crowley and Dara Walsh during the Bandon Co-op JAFC quarter-final at Aughaville on Saturday night.
As the game went into extra time, with a change of referees, Andrew Whelton replacing the injured Michael Collis, the question was would Haven regret the missed chances at the end of ordinary time that could have won them the game?
After Seán Dineen and Dara Walsh had swapped points, the Haven grabbed the initiative with scores from David Whelton (mark) and Shane Nolan to jump two in front. Darragh Holland kicked a vital point on the stroke of half time in extra time, 0-11 to 0-10, and with the game scoreless for the second ten minutes, the Haven playing keep-ball, it seemed that the Blues would hang on to their single-point advantage. However, with the Haven crowd shouting for the final whistle, sub Conor Lehane came up trumps for Argideen with the last kick of the game, his shot hopping on the crossbar before going over.
0-11 each, then came the unwanted penalty shoot-out and this time the Haven could really celebrate a win, kicking their five penalties and saving the last Argideen kick.
Before the game a very respectful minute’s silence was observed for former Castlehaven footballer, Dermot O’Regan.
Scorers
Castlehaven: David Whelton (1m), Shane Nolan (3f) 0-4 each; Seán Walsh, Seán Dineen, Roland Whelton (1f) 0-1 each.
Argideen Rangers: Darragh Holland 0-7 (3f); Bill Fleming, Seán Walsh, Dara Walsh, Conor Lehane 0-1 each.
Castlehaven: Stephen Collins; Donal O’Callaghan, Joseph Bohane, Tom O’Leary; Seán Walsh, Ciarán O’Sullivan, Seán Bohane; Liam O’Mahony, Fiachra Collins; Shane Nolan, Roland Whelton, Shane O’Connell; Mark Crowley, David Whelton, Patrick O’Brien.
Subs: Shane Hurley for P O’Brien (ht), Seán Dineen for S Bohane (ht), Patrick O’Brien (et), Donncha O’Donovan (et), William O’Donovan (et).
Argideen Rangers: Michael O’Callaghan; Joe Crowley, John Sheehan, Charlie Twomey; Finbarr Butler, Bill Fleming, Matthew Lawton; Gerry Crowley, Andrew Guinevan; Seán Maxwell, Seán Walsh, Jack Lawton; John Michael O’Callaghan, Darragh Holland, James Crowley.
Subs: Dara Walsh for J Lawton (ht), Paudie Butler for S Maxwell (40), Conor Lehane (et), Darragh O’Donovan (et), Cathal O’Donovan (et).
Referees: Michael Collins and Andrew Whelton (Clonakilty).
