Castletownbere 0-10
Macroom 0-8
BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS
CASTLETOWNBERE got their pursuit of premier intermediate championship honours back on track with a narrow victory over Macroom at Aughaville on Saturday evening.
Semi-finalists in last year’s championship but defeated in this year’s opening group game by Kilshannig, the Beara club needed a result – and they got it.
Macroom, suffering their second defeat having lost previously to Rockchapel, cannot now progress and will be battling to avoid a dreaded relegation play off when they face unbeaten Kilshannig, assured of progression, in their last group game. Victory for Castletown in their clash with Rockchapel would see them advance as well.
Castletownbere were greatly strengthened by the return of Fintan Fenner to lead their attack and in a tight game like this, it was the accuracy of Fenner from play and from frees that was decisive. In contrast, Macroom had to do without the services of their main attacking threat, the injured Alan Quinn, and they suffered as a result. Castletown also benefited from the introduction of Gary Murphy, not deemed fit enough to start, and his pointed free in the 54th minute from an awkward angle was vital to his side’s late rally that yielded four unanswered points to turn impending defeat into a victory greeted with joy by the Beara men.
Macroom, with the benefit of a strong wind, had mixed fortune in the opening quarter. They had points from midfielder Cillian Donovan, Dylan Twomey and Eoin O’Mahony inside seven minutes.
Fintan Goold, home from the USA for the game, increased the Macroom lead to 0-4 to 0-0 in the 22nd minute but James Harrington had an opening point for Castletown, and Jack Hanley added another almost immediately. Macroom increased their lead to four again with frees by Goold and Seán Kiely but Fintan Finner pointed a free from the last kick of the half to leave Castletown three points adrift, 0-6 to 0-3, at the break.
Castletown got a good start to the second half when Finner pointed a carelessly-conceded free after four minutes, but Macroom replied with an excellent point from corner-back Johnny Murphy. Jack Hanley replied for the Beara men on 36 but then lost their centre back Trevor Collins to a black card offence. In the ten-minute period when understrength it was Castletown who got the only score, a point from Finner in the 47th minute that cut the gap to a single point, 0-7 to 0-6. Macroom, making no inroads on the disciplined Castletown defence, got some respite from a fine Mark Hunt point from a mark in the 52nd minute but then Gary Murphy showed his worth to the Beara men when he pointed a free from out in the right corner to set the scene for a final onslaught on the Macroom posts.
Finner pointed a free to level the score at 0-8 apiece on 55, and in the last minute of regulation time, he hit the target again to push Castletownbere in front. Macroom did not avail of two half-chances from frees subsequently but Jack Hanley ended any uncertainty about the outcome with a 65th-minute point from the last kick of the game.
Scorers
Castletownbere: F Finner 0-5 (2f); J Hanley 0-3; J Harrington, G Murphy (f) 0-1 each.
Macroom: F Goold 0-2 (1f); C Donovan, D Twomey, E O’Mahony, S Kiely (f), J Murphy, M Hunt (mark) 0-1 each.
Castletownbere: Dave Fenton; Daniel Hanley, Declan Dunne, Jonathan Rosales; Joe O’Neill, Trevor Collins, Shane McCarthy; Andrew O’Sullivan, Oliver Byrne; Jack Hanley, Fintan Fenner, Mikey Orpen; James Harrington, Tomás Murphy, Lee Kelly. Subs: Gary Murphy for M Orpen (35), Oisín Murphy for McCarthy (42).
Macroom: Brendan O’Connell; Ger Angland, Rory Buckley, Johnny Murphy; Cormac Buckley, Mark Corrigan, Don Creedon; Cillian Donovan, Caleb Dinneen; Seán Kiely, Michael Cronin, Eolan O’Leary; Dylan Twomey, Fintan Goold, Eoin O’Mahony.
Subs: Ciarán Condon for Angland (3, inj), Tony Dineen for C Dinneen (15, inj), Mark Hunt for O’Mahony, Conor O’Sullivan for Twomey (both 48).
Referee: Shane Scanlon (Newcestown).
