Kilmacabea 0-17
Castlehaven 0-11
TOM LYONS REPORTS
BEATEN finalists last season, Kilmacabea showed they will have a say in this season’s Bandon Co-op junior A football championship after proving too strong for Castlehaven in Drimoleague on Saturday.
Not for the first time, it was the classy kicking of ace full forward Damien Gore that guided the Kilmacs through this game. Quiet and well marked in the first half, he opened his shoulders in the second period to kick six points, finishing with nine in all.
This wasn’t a one-man show by any means, as Kilmacabea led by four points at the break, 0-9 to 0-5, against a hard-trying Haven second string. The tenacity of defenders, Diarmuid O’Callaghan and the three Tobins, Liam, Owen and Dara; the work rate of midfielder Martin Collins; the great link play of Donncha McCarthy; the experience of Ruairí Hourihane and the athleticism of Ian Jennings were all stand-out features for the winners, to add to Gore’s accuracy. If there was a down-point for the winners, it was the unwelcome sight of ace defender Niall Hayes, plagued with injuries in recent seasons, being carried off the pitch with a leg injury after only ten minutes.
The Haven had their own hero in corner forward, Mícheál Maguire, whose point-taking was sublime as he matched Gore’s tally of nine points, all but two of his team’s total.
‘We did well, kicked some good points and just kept our noses in front,’ said Kilmacabea manager Donie O’Donovan. ‘We got a good grip on the game in the third quarter, building up a nice lead. We’re trying to play around with the players we have as we just don’t have new players coming through from underage. The core of the team is still young enough with plenty of experience, they’re at a good age.’
There was nothing between the teams in the first quarter as they shared six points. Gore (free), Colin McCarthy and Odhran Kerrisk raised white flags for the Kilmacs, while Shane Nolan and Maguire (2), answered for the Haven, for whom veterans Seán Dineen and Roland Whelton were doing well at midfield. The Kilmacs then began to get on top, following a swapping of points between McCarthy and Maguire. Three in a row from Colin McCarthy, Gore (free) and Jennings had them three to the good. Following another Maguire effort, further points from Gore (free) and Jennings had them four in front by the break, 0-9 to 0-5.
The third quarter saw the Kilmacs at their best, driven on by high-fielding midfielder Martin Collins, whose brother Joe was also impressive at corner forward. Gore took control with three points in a row and Joe Collins stretched the lead to a daunting eight points. Maguire opened Haven's second-half account in the 43rd minute.
It was real old-fashioned, enjoyable man-on-man football, as Gore and Maguire put on scoring exhibitions, two for Gore and three for Maguire. In the closing ten minutes, the Haven upped their game and laid siege to the Kilmacabea goal, trailing by six points. It was nearly cut in half as Kilmac goalkeeper Karl McCarthy brought off a leg save from Jamie Walsh. Dave Whelton and Maguire cut the lead to four and the Kilmac mentors and supporters were beginning to sweat but sub Liam McCarthy, and Gore, eased their worries with two late points to clinch the win.
Our Stars: The honour is shared between Damien Gore, Kilmacabea, and Mícheál Maguire, Castlehaven, kicking an impressive nine points each.
Scorers
Kilmacabea: Damien Gore 0-9 (6f); Colin McCarthy, Ian Jennings 0-2 each; Donncha McCarthy, Odhran Kerrisk, Joe Collins, Liam McCarthy 0-1 each.
Castlehaven: Mícheál Maguire 0-9 (4f); Shane Nolan, Dave Whelton 0-1 each.
Kilmacabea: Karl McCarthy; Liam Tobin, Darren Whooley, Niall Hayes; Owen Tobin, Diarmuid O’Callaghan, Odhran Kerrisk; Joe Collins, Martin Collins; Donncha McCarthy, Ian Jennings, Ruairí Hourihane; Eamonn Shanahan, Damien Gore, Colin McCarthy.
Subs: Dara Tobin for N Hayes (10), Ray Shanahan for O Kerrisk (29), Liam McCarthy for E Shanahan (55).
Castlehaven: Cian O’Sullivan; Donal O’Callaghan, William O’Donovan, Tom O’Leary; Fiachra Collins, Jamie Walsh, Seán Bohane; Roland Whelton, Seán Dineen; Patrick O’Brien, David Whelton, Seán Walsh; Kevin O’Donovan, Shane Nolan, Mícheál Maguire.
Subs: Donncha O’Donovan for P O’Brien (35), Shane Hurley for S Dineen (42), James Buckley for S Bohane (42), Mark Crowley for F Collins (50).
Referee: Jack Forbes (Dohenys).
