Jack’s the ace in Castlehaven’s pack as champs show they’re the team to beat

Castlehaven 2-18

St Michaels’s 0-5

TOM LYONS REPORTS

WHEN St Michael’s were drawn in the West Cork group of death in the McCarthy Insurance Premier Senior Football Championship they must have had grave reservations about their chances in only their second year in the grade.

A narrow win over Carbery Rangers in the first round may have eased their worries but their worst nightmares came true when they met county champions Castlehaven in round two in Clonakilty on Friday evening last. A 19-point defeat was as comprehensive as the score suggests as this totally lop-sided clash was over as a contest after only 20 minutes, at which stage the Haven led by 0-10 to 0-1.

Castlehaven's Robbie Minihane gets his pass away under pressure from Billy Cain of St Michael's.

Giving another clinical display of text-book football, as they had done against Clonakilty in the first round, the Haven looked every inch champions and hot favourites to achieve back-to-back titles as they ripped the Saints’ challenge to ribbons.

‘We had a lot of work done coming into this game,’ said ace wing back Mark Collins.

‘We knew we were going well over the last few weeks in training but we had to deliver a performance. Our first half showed that and I was very happy with the way we controlled the kickouts. Things we had worked on during the past few weeks came off.

‘We were expecting a tough game from Michael’s but probably the way we started disheartened them a small bit and they were unable to get back into it.’

With Clonakilty and Carbery Rangers drawing on Sunday, it means Castlehaven are already through to the knock-out stages with one game to spare. They are looking ominous. While Brian Hurley and Jack Cahalane looked the class acts up front, in truth this was as good a 15-player performance as one could hope to see from a team.

The points flowed from Brian Hurley (two from play and two frees), Cathal Maguire, Jack O’Neill, Andrew Whelton, Jack Cahalane, Jamie Walsh and Seán Browne, seven players sharing in the scoring as positions meant little in this all-out assault on the Saints’ goal in the opening 20 minutes. To say the city side were mesmerised is an understatement as they managed only a single point from their best, and often sole, forward Luke O’Herlihy.

The departure of Michael Hurley in the 23rd minute with an ankle problem seemed to take some of the momentum from the Haven’s play and the Saints managed to kick two points, from O’Herlihy and full back Alan O’Callaghan, to one for the Haven, from Cathal Maguire. It was 0-11 to 0-3 at half time, exactly the same lead they had enjoyed against Clon. That day they faded badly in the third quarter to allow Clon back into contention but they had learned their lesson well and there was no let-up this time. A point from Jack Cahalane on the restart, again to emerge as man-of-the-match as he did against Clon, was followed by a goal from impressive young sub Mícheál Maguire, who was on hand to finish the rebound to the net when Robbie Minihane’s effort crashed off the post in the 34th minute. Minihane had an outstanding second half for the winners.

Castlehaven's Damien Cahalane in control against Rory Kavanagh of St Michael's during the McCarthy Insurance Group PSFC in Clonakilty on Friday evening.

The Saints failed to raise another flag until the 53rd minute, centre back Daniel Meaney doing the honours. By then Minihane (2), Brian Hurley, Seán Browne and Conor O’Driscoll had split the posts for Haven points. Without performing to the high standard of the opening 20 minutes, so dominant were the Haven that they could afford to take off top players like Brian Hurley and Mark Collins, both carrying niggling injuries, with 15 minutes remaining.

The crowd was streaming out of Ahamilla long before Jack Cahalane deservedly claimed the Haven’s second goal in the 57th minute, set up by Mícheál Maguire.

‘We were delighted with the quick start again tonight as we weren’t always known for quick starts and it’s hard to get into a game when you fall behind like that,’ said a pleased Haven manager Seanie Cahalane.

‘We had a few niggles. We went so deep into last season that we have to manage the players carefully, so we’re trying to build the panel, to trust fellas when we bring them on. Tonight we had young lads like Jamie Walsh, Robbie Minihane and Mícheál Maguire and they did very well for us. We know we’ll pick up injuries as the season goes on, so we need to build the depth of our panel.’

Scorers

Castlehaven: Jack Cahalane 1-2; Brian Hurley 0-5 (3f); Mícheál Maguire 1-0; Seán Browne, Cathal Maguire, Robbie Minihane 0-2 each; Jack O’Neill, Andrew Whelton, Jamie Walsh, Conor Nolan, Conor O’Driscoll 0-1 each.

St Michael’s: Luke O’Herlihy 0-2; Alan O’Callaghan, Daniel Meaney, Eoghan Buckley 0-1 each.

Castlehaven: Darragh Cahalane; Johnny O’Regan, Damien Cahalane, Jamie Walsh; Jack O’Neill, Rory Maguire, Mark Collins; Andrew Whelton, Robbie Minihane; Jamie O’Driscoll, Brian Hurley, Seán Browne; Cathal Maguire, Jack Cahalane, Michael Hurley.

Subs: Mícheál Maguire for M Hurley (23, inj), Conor Nolan for J O’Neill (44), Thomas O’Mahony for M Collins (44), Conor O’Driscoll for B Hurley (46).

St Michael’s: Mikey O’Connell; Fionnán Leahy, Alan O’Callaghan, Joe Golden; Emmet Sheehan, Daniel Meaney, Rory Kavanagh; Eoin Hickey, Rory O’Shaughnessy; Keith Hegarty, Andrew Murphy, Tom Grainger; Billy Cain, Eoin O’Donovan, Luke O’Herlihy.

Subs: Adam Hennessy for B Cain (ht), Sam Murphy for E O’Donovan (38), Eoghan Buckley for E Hickey (44), Liam O’Sullivan for E Sheehan (48)

Referee: Robert Whelan (Gleann na Laoi).