Castlehaven 1-16
Rathgormack 1-7
TOMÁS McCARTHY REPORTS
A FIRST Munster final appearance in 11 years will shorten the winter in Castlehaven according to manager James McCarthy.
After Sunday’s nine-point win over Rathgormack, the Haven boss gathered the players in a huddle on the end line and urged them to seize the day against Dingle.
‘As I said to the group, it’s a one-off chance. It’s a dream to play in a Munster final and have a crack off Dingle. With Cork and Kerry anything can happen. There will be a big crowd and we can’t wait for it,’ McCarthy said.
This was like a home game for Haven as the blue and white fans flocked to Fraher Field and tooted their airhorns.
‘I looked back there with five minutes to go, when we were comfortable, and I could see a lot of blue and white. Before the game, I saw people coming in that I hadn’t seen with years! Hopefully, we’re giving people a bit of enjoyment. We have another day out and Christmas is getting nearer!’ McCarthy said.
The Hurley brothers hit 1-11 between them. Brian got a big cheer when he was replaced in injury time after shooting 1-6. His late effort deceived Rathgormack goalkeeper Padraig Hunt and landed in the bottom corner of the net. Michael was kept scoreless against Cratloe but was unmarkable on Sunday. The number 15 flashed over five points from play, four by half time.
‘Michael was on fire today. It’s a different one of them every week – Michael had a quiet day the last day, they left him loose today,’ McCarthy noted.
Michael Hurley kicked five points from play against the Waterford champs.
Even without Waterford duo Conor Murray and Michael Curry, Rathgormack rattled Castlehaven in the first half. A brilliant Billy Power goal helped the underdogs into a four-point lead. Haven responded with eight white flags in a row either side of the interval. Rathgormack missed four point chances in the third quarter. They closed the gap to two with 11 minutes left but the Cork champions finished strongly with a late flurry of scores.
McCarthy was happy with how his team reacted to the Rathgormack pressure.
‘When they got the goal, we got seven points in a row and we went up three at half time. When they brought it back to two in the second half, we finished it off again. We held the ball there for a minute after they got a score. That was the most positive thing about today. We didn’t play that well but we did enough to win,’ he explained.
A grey afternoon greeted the travelling party from Castlehaven. Seven first-half points from the Hurleys – four for Michael and three for Brian – saw the visitors recover from that sluggish start. Frees from Brian Hurley and Jason Curry fell short before Adam Murray split the uprights in the sixth minute for the hosts. Brian Hurley then picked out Michael and he kicked the equaliser.
On nine minutes, Stephen Curry beat three Haven defenders and slipped the ball to Billy Power, who billowed the bottom corner of the net. Rathgormack frustrated the opposition attack initially. The away team kicked three wides and one short in the first quarter. A Jason Gleeson free gave the outsiders a four-point advantage, 1-2 to 0-1.
Castlehaven responded by taking control of the middle third and moving the ball quicker into the Hurleys. Michael and Brian raised white flags before Cathal Maguire burst past five defenders and scored.
On 24 minutes, a full length block from Tom Walsh denied Brian Hurley a goal. The Cork attacker pointed the subsequent 45. Michael Hurley then cut in from the scoreboard corner and rifled over his third point off his right boot. Haven ahead for the first time with 27 minutes on the clock. The siblings struck again in injury time as Jason Curry and Willie Hahessy shot wides for Rathgormack. Seven points on the spin as the men in blue and white headed for the dressing rooms 0-8 to 1-2 to the good.
The sun made a welcome appearance for the second half. Rathgormack squandered three point chances on the resumption – two wides and one short. On 36 minutes, Conor Cahalane combined with substitute Conor O'Driscoll and rattled the crossbar. Referee Sean Lonergan was playing advantage for an earlier foul and Brian Hurley pointed the free that followed. Jason Curry registered Rathgormack's first point in 26 minutes from a dead ball.
Entering the last quarter, Rory Maguire found Sean Browne who blasted over to make it 0-10 to 1-3. Jason Gleeson curled in a free before Jason Curry produced a peach with the outside of his right. Only two between them.
A Brian Hurley free and a Mark Collins point from play settled the leaders. Collins covered every blade of grass. He made a late catch under his own crossbar. Two minutes from time, a dipping shot from Hurley nestled in the corner of the Rathgormack cobwebs. Conor O’Driscoll fisted over in injury time before Jack Cahalane added his name to the scoresheet.
Scorers - Castlehaven: Brian Hurley 1-6 (4f, 1 45); Michael Hurley 0-5; Cathal Maguire, Sean Browne, Mark Collins, Conor O’Driscoll, Jack Cahalane 0-1 each. Rathgormack: Jason Curry 0-4 (2f, 1 45); Billy Power 1-0; Jason Gleeson 0-2 (2f); Adam Murray 0-1.
Castlehaven: Darragh Cahalane; Johnny O’Regan, Rory Maguire, Ronan Walsh; Thomas O’Mahony, Damien Cahalane, Mark Collins; Conor Cahalane, Andrew Whelton; Jack O’Neill, Brian Hurley, Sean Browne; Cathal Maguire, Jack Cahalane, Michael Hurley. Subs: Conor O’Driscoll for Whelton (ht), Jamie O’Driscoll for Browne (55), Ciaran O’Sullivan for Cathal Maguire (58), Robbie Minihane for Conor Cahalane (59), Michael Maguire for Brian Hurley (61).
Rathgormack: Padraig Hunt; Conor Walsh, Mairtin Power, Liam Connolly; Sean Hahessy, Tom Walsh, Willie Hahessy; Billy Power, Glen Power; James Power, Jason Curry, Donnacha Hassett; Jason Gleeson, Stephen Curry, Adam Murray. Subs: Stephen Kirwan for Hassett (51), Peter Walsh for Murray (55).
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary).
