CASTLEHAVEN 1-12
CRATLOE 0-11 (aet)
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
THEY made hard work of it but Robbie Minihane’s extra-time goal and Brian Hurley’s seven-point contribution helped Castlehaven see off Cratloe in a Munster club SFC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.
It was far from pretty, and this arm wrestle only came to life in the final quarter and extra-time. Level nine times throughout, Minihane’s extra-time goal proved pivotal, but this was a hard watch. Not one for the football purists, but Castlehaven manager James McCarthy was just relieved to see his side qualify for a Munster semi-final away to Waterford champions Rathgormack on November 26th.
‘Look, we are winning,’ McCarthy stated.
‘We have to find a way to win. That’s the way coaching is gone. It isn’t something, personally, I enjoy but you have to set up your team depending on what you’re playing against. Sometimes it’s out of your control, what you can do and what you can’t do.’
Cratloe boss – and former Clare inter-county manager – Colm Collins was magnanimous in defeat. He said: ‘Whoever was going to get a goal, in the context of this type of game, was going to win it. Listen, Castlehaven are a really good side. They totally deserved it.’
A forgettable first half ended 0-4 to 0-4 with Cathal O’Hanlon, Enda Boyce, Cathal McInerney (mark) and Conor Ryan on target for Cratloe. Jack Cahalane (two), Brian Hurley (free) and Rory Maguire provided Castlehaven’s scores.
Hurley (two, one free) exchanged scores with Diarmuid Ryan and Cathal McInerney (free) at the beginning of the second half. Cork football captain Hurley continued to shine and made it 0-7 to 0-6 prior to another McInerney free levelling matters for a seventh time after 41 minutes.
It's a thumbs up from manager James McCarthy after Castlehaven's victory.
There would be no further scoring until the 58th minute however, as both teams doubled-down on defensive duties, denying their opponents time and space. The Haven lost Johnny O’Regan to a black card with 14 minutes to go but, crucially, Cratloe were unable to make their temporary numerical supremacy count.
The prospect of extra-time appeared to galvanise two tired teams into action during the closing stages. Brian Hurley edged the Haven back in front, 0-8 to 0-7, via a superb score from distance with two minutes remaining. Deep into injury-time, David Collins came up from the back to equalise only for their opponents to make it 0-9 to 0-8 courtesy of Mark Collins. A dogged Cratloe refused to accept defeat and Enda Boyce levelled matters for a ninth time to take the quarter-final to extra-time.
Chances were few and far between in the first half of additional time until substitute Robbie Minihane gained possession and brilliantly found the bottom corner of the net. Castlehaven led 1-9 to 0-10 after Cathal McInerney replied from a free as the teams changed ends for the final time. McInerney converted another free to make it a one-point game. That was Brian Hurley’s cue to make his presence felt once again with a free and fisted effort to make it 1-11 to 0-11. Substitute Jamie O’Dricoll had the final say, fisting over the bar to complete the scoring.
‘We actually spoke about extra-time during the week because we knew, coming into Munster SFC games, especially the first one, that we were up against a top-class team,’ James McCarthy explained. ‘We have been celebrating a fair bit down west but today we did it the hard way and I thought we showed great spirit.’
Scorers
Castlehaven: Brian Hurley 0-7 (3f); Robbie Minihane 1-0; Jack Cahalane 0-2; Rory Maguire, Mark Collins, Jamie O’Driscoll 0-1 each.
Cratloe: Cathal McInerney 0-4 (4f); Conal O’Hanlon (1m), Enda Boyce 0-2 each; Conor Ryan, Diarmuid Ryan, David Collins 0-1 each.
Castlehaven: Darragh Cahalane; Johnny O’Regan, Rory Maguire, Ronan Walsh; Thomas O’Mahony, Damien Cahalane, Mark Collins (captain); Conor Cahalane, Andrew Whelton; Jack O’Neill, Brian Hurley, Sean Browne; Cathal Maguire, Jack Cahalane, Michael Hurley.
Subs: Conor O’Driscoll for S Browne (41), Robbie Minihane for A Whelton (45), Ciarán O’Sullvian for J O’Neill (47), Jamie O’Driscoll for J O’Regan (57), Jamie O’Driscoll for C Maguire (et), David Whelton for T O’Mahony (et), Micheal Maguire for B Hurley (et).
Cratloe: Padraigh Chaplin; David Collins, Kevin Harnett (captain), Liam Markham; Enda Boyce, Mike Brennan, Rian McNamara; Diarmuid Ryan, Conor Ryan; Shane Neville, Sean Collins, Conal O’Hanlon; Rian Considine, Cathal McInerney, Podge Collins.
Subs: Jack McInerney for R Considine (52), Ogie Murphy for R McNamara (52), Tommy Rooney for C O’Hanlon (54), Conal O’Hanlon for P Collins (et).
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick).
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