Kilmacabea 0-13
Randal Óg 1-8
TOM LYONS REPORTS
IAN Jennings admits Kilmacabea were relieved to emerge from their Bandon Co-op Carbery JAFC quarter-final against Randal Óg in Timoleague on Sunday.
The hot favourites were pushed all the way to overcome the vibrant challenge of a Randal Óg side that led at half time and again at the beginning of the last quarter before eventually succumbing to a late surge of scores from the winners.
‘That was a tough one, we did well to come out of that,’ admitted Kilmac midfielder Ian Jennings.
‘The wind was tricky and we were playing into the sun in the first half but we didn’t play well. We left a lot of scores behind us and we found the intensity of Randals hard to cope with. We were in a good position at half time, only a point down, but we didn’t kick on in the second half and Randals’ early goal really seemed to upset us.
‘We really had to battle to draw level and we were lucky Damien (Gore) was in such unstoppable form inside in the closing stages, winning those frees for us. We very nearly left it behind us at the very end and definitely that form won’t do us in the semi-final.’
With the diagonal wind, Randal Óg had the opening two points from Patrick Collins and Peter Collins (mark), before Damien Gore opened Kilmacabea’s tally in the seventh minute. The hard-working Cathal Duggan and Colin McCarthy, the first of his six pointed frees, swapped points and it was 0-3 to 0-2 at the end of a first quarter that was evenly fought. While the Kilmacs concentrated on building moves, Randals went for the more direct approach to goal.
Randal Óg's Séamus Crowley and Kilmacabea’s Owen Tobin battle for the ball.
When Alan Brickley (free) and impressive full forward Donncha Collins sandwiched a point from the busy Donncha McCarthy, Randals were two to the good in the second quarter but some fine play from Martin Collins, Ruairí Hourihane, Diarmuid O’Callaghan and Ian Jennings saw the Kilmacs draw level with points from Colin McCarthy and Ian Jennings. The last say of the half fell to Donncha Collins and it was Randals 0-6 to 0-5 in front at the break, but facing the wind in the second half.
When the Kilmacs levelled the scoring immediately after half time with a Colin McCarthy free, we waited for a takeover but it never happened as Randals struck back straight away with the only goal of the game when a shot from Peter Collins rebounded from the angle of the post and crossbar and Donncha Collins was on hand to tap the rebound to the net.
To Kilmac’s credit, they refused to panic and came back to register the next three points, two fine efforts from Éamonn Shanahan and another from Ian Jennings.
All square at the end of the third quarter, 1-6 to 0-9, Randals lifted their game again with Conor O’Neill, Ian Crowley, Connor O’Connell and Séamus Crowley prominent and points from Donncha Collins and Séadhna Crowley had them in sight of the winning line.
It was not to be as the Kilmacs took control in the closing stages, with Damien Gore to the fore at full forward, winning a number of frees, all being converted by Colin McCarthy. The dramatic closing minutes saw Lady Luck smiling on the Kilmacabea men as they won their way to the semi-final against either Ballinascarthy or St Mary’s
Scorers
Kilmacabea: Colin McCarthy 0-7 (6f); Ian Jennings, Eamonn Shanahan 0-2 each; Donncha McCarthy, Damien Gore 0-1 each.
Randal Óg: Donncha Collins 1-3; Séadhna Crowley, Patrick Collins, Cathal Duggan, Peter Collins (m), Alan Brickley (f) 0-1 each.
Kilmacabea: Karl McCarthy; Liam Tobin, Darren Whooley, Owen Tobin; Odhran Kerrisk, Diarmuid O’Callaghan, Donncha McCarthy; Martin Collins, Ian Jennings; Ruairí Hourihane, Colin McCarthy, Ray Shanahan; Éamonn Shanahan, Damien Gore, Joe Collins.
Subs: Clive Sweetnam for O Kerrisk (54), James O’Sullivan for O Tobin (55).
Randal Óg: Ciarán Murray; Cal Nyhan, Barry O’Driscoll, Thomas Kingston; Stephen Crowley, Séamus Crowley, Padraig O’Sullivan; Conor O’Neill, Ian Crowley; Peter Collins, Cathal Duggan, Patrick Collins; Alan Brickley, Donncha Collins, Séadhna Crowley.
Subs: Conor O’Connell for P O’Sullivan (13), Padraig Duggan for P Collins (54), Reno Di Rollo for C Duggan (54).
Referee: Brian Crowley (Castlehaven).
