Goleen 3-8
Deel Rovers 0-8
BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS
GOLEEN’S bid to make it a county junior B football double got off to an ideal start.
With the county junior B (confined) title already in the trophy cabinet, the West Cork junior B champions want to add the McCarthy Insurance Group JBFC crown (open county) to their collection.
They have moved to the semi-finals after a relatively easy victory over Deel Rovers from Milford in the quarter-final at a sunny Kilmurry on Sunday afternoon.
In truth, Goleen were never in danger of losing here. They started well, led at the interval by 3-5 to 0-3 and the only negative aspect of the display was the way Goleen lost their focus in the second half as the play became very scrappy, but the eventual outcome was never in doubt.
Goleen got a super start with a point from Michael O’Reilly in the first minute followed immediately by a foul on O’Reilly in the Deel goalmouth which led to a penalty. Up stepped Darren O’Donovan to fire the spot kick to the net. Goleen, warm favourites against a predominantly hurling club, could hardly have been in a better position so early in the game.
In fairness to Deel, the Avondhu men stayed calm and opened their scoring with a well-worked point from Anthony Watson in the sixth minute. The Avondhu men found scoring difficult when under pressure from a well-organised Goleen defence while the Deel defence was straining to cope with persistent Goleen attacks.
Points were exchanged, Goleen’s Patrick Scully with a fine effort from play, Henry O’Gorman from a free for Deel, as the West Cork side led 1-2 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Paudie O’Regan added a free for Goleen in the 17th minute. From the resultant kick-out, Tadhg Cullinane came through down the centre of the Deel defence, his pass put Darren O’Donovan clear and the Goleen man left goalkeeper Patrick Ryan with no chance of denying the Carbery champions a second goal.
This score was a clear demonstration of the essential difference between the teams – Goleen were able to open the Deel defence in a manner that the opposition could not manage.
Deel did not capitulate, however their hard work and strong running did not end with scoring chances as the Goleen defenders – with team captain Pádraig Reidy, Ryan O’Callaghan and Cian Bowen forming a strong half-back line – frustrated their best efforts. Tadhg Cullinane had a Goleen point in the 23rd minute, Eoin Dillon replied from a free, and Michael O’Reilly then added another for Goleen.
In the final minute of the half, Goleen struck a mortal blow when Patrick Scully cut clean through the Deel defence and scored a third goal to leave his side leading by 3-5 to 0-3 at the break.
Goleen will be disappointed with their second-half performance as they allowed themselves to lose their focus and the standard of play fell significantly.
Deel kicked three points in a row from frees to trail 3-5 to 0-6 after 37 minutes, and 13 minutes elapsed before Michael O’Reilly pointed a free for Goleen, their first score of the half. Five minutes later Goleen had another point from Michael O’Reilly’s trusty boot and the outcome was inevitable as Goleen were able to contain the Deel threat with reasonable composure.
Team manager Shane O’Neill and coach Donal McGrath will be happy with the first-half performance and can use the second-half showing as a warning of what can go wrong when the focus slips.
Scorers
Goleen: D O’Donovan 2-0; M O’Reilly 0-5 (3f); P Scully 1-1; P O’Regan (f), T Cullinane 0-1 each.
Deel Rangers: H O’Gorman (3f), E Dillon (3f) 0-3 each; A Watson, B Murphy (f) 0-1 each.
Goleen: Ronan Kennedy; Eden Healy, Jack O’Driscoll, Michael Sheehan; Pádraig Reidy, Ryan O’Callaghan, Cian Bowen; Matthew Sheehan, Tadhg Cullinane; Patrick Scully, Daniel O’Driscoll, Jake Coughlan; Paudie O’Regan, Darren O’Donovan, Michael O’Reilly.
Subs: Paul Collins for R O’Callaghan (ht), Adam Sheehan for C Bowen (40), Micheál O’Donovan for P Scully (47), David O’Leary for D O’Driscoll (58).
Deel Rangers: Patrick Ryan; Brian Villers, Stephen O’Flynn, Eoghan O’Gorman; Pat Watson, Kieran O’Flynn, John O’Flynn; Rory Villers, Darragh Hannigan; Michael O’Flynn, Anthony Watson, Henry O’Gorman; Brian Murphy, Eoin Dillon, Rory Hannigan.
Subs: John O’Flynn for R Hannigan (41), Gearóid O’Mahony for H O’Gorman (48).
Referee: Brian Harte (Kilmurry).
