Diarmuid Ó Mathúna 0-18
Kilbrittain 1-10
JOHN MURPHY REPORTS
IT was a case of up with the curtain and on with the football show at blustery Ahiohill as Diarmuid Ó Mathúna and Kilbrittain, more renowned for their prowess with the small ball, took centre-stage in a scintillating opening round clash in the Bandon Co-op Junior A Football Championship.
When the Castletownkenneigh lads enjoyed a three-point interval advantage, 0-9 to 0-6, having played against a near-gale force wind in the opening half, few in the fine crowd would have given the Seasiders much hope of being victorious.
However, boosted by the only goal of the game, a fine Josh O’Donovan major in the 31st minute, the losers matched their opponent’s stride for stride in a pulsating closing 30 minutes.
It took a last quarter point-scoring bonanza that yielded two magnificent white flags from impressive midfielder Matt Draper, another brace by scoring sorcerer Jack O’Callaghan and two superb scores by James Fleming and Gearóid O’Donovan to finally put a resilient, but now tiring Kilbrittain outfit to the sword.
The Black and Amber were just able to muster a single point in reply from the boot of team captain Thomas Sheehan, as the victors turned on the afterburners outscoring their opponents by 0-6 to 0-1 in a barnstorming last quarter performance.
Denis Healy, former Dohenys stalwart and coach of Mathúnas, was delighted with the result and particularly impressed with how his charges had coped with the strong wind in the opening 30 minutes.
‘The lads worked really hard. While things went against them for a while and that Kilbrittain goal was a setback, they delivered the goods when the chips were down in the last quarter. Some of their passing movements were absolutely brilliant and they took some splendid scores near the end,’ said a delighted Mathúnas boss.
‘Full credit to the lads, some of the off-the-ball running and setting up the scores was fantastic. I thought the quality of football was of a really high standard.’
Despite some great defending by James Hurley, Ivan Burke and Darragh Considine, the eagerness, pace and precision football displayed by Jeremiah Hurley, Conor O’Sullivan, Matt Draper and the O’Donovan duo Kevin and Gearóid augmented by the attacking forays of James Fleming, Ted Lordan and the dynamic Jack O’Callaghan had the Seasiders back-peddling for most of the opening half.
Matt Draper and one of Kilbrittain’s marquee players Conor Hogan exchanged early points, Mathúnas built up a head of steam as O’Callaghan, Kevin and Gearóid O’Donovan, Conor O’Sullivan, James Fleming all got in on the scoring act.
The industry of Josh O’Donovan, the grafting of Declan Harrington, Mark Hickey and Ronan Crowley kept Kilbrittain at the races, but until that fine goal by Josh O’Donovan following a lightning solo sally by Sam Dewey, their chances looked slim. Credit is due for that fabulous rally, but in an overall context the plaudits of victory were deserved by Mathúnas.
Next up for Kilbrittain is a meeting with St Colum’s on Sunday, August 18th while Diarmuid Ó Mathúna will clash with Ballinascarthy on the same day.
Our Star: Mathúnas’ Matt Draper was a class act around the middle third, an invaluable attacking link with his forward sextet, took two fabulous points from play, his quality of football displayed right out of the top drawer.
Scorers
Diarmuid Ó Mathúna: Jack O’Callaghan 0-7 (5f); Matt Draper, Gearóid O’Donovan 0-3 each; James Fleming 0-2; Eoin Mangan, Kevin O’Donovan, Conor O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Kilbrittain: Josh O’Donovan 1-3; Conor Hogan 0-4 (2f); Colm Sheehan, Mark Hickey, Thomas Sheehan 0-1 each.
Diarmuid Ó Mathúna: Oisín O’Leary; Eoin Mangan, Seán Crowley, Gavin Aherne; Aaron Draper, Conor O’Sullivan, Jeremiah Hurley; Cathal Mangan, Matt Draper; Robbie Lucey, Kevin O’Donovan, Gearóid O’Donovan; James Fleming, Ted Lordan, Jack O’Callaghan.
Subs: Caolan O’Donovan for Cathal Mangan (52), Ronan McCarthy for Robbie Lucey (53).
Kilbrittain: Nicolaj Kalitka; Darragh Considine, James Hurley, Ivan Burke; Sam Dewey, Nick O’Donovan, Mark Hickey; Oisín Gillain, Thomas Sheehan; Declan Harrington, Colm Sheehan, Charlie Kenny; Josh O’Donovan, Ronan Crowley, Conor Hogan.
Subs: Luke Griffin for Charlie Kenny (38), James O’Donovan for Sam Dewey (41), Sam Shorten for Oisín Gillain (49), Eamonn Lyons for Nick O’Donovan (51).
Referee: Kevin Crowley (Ballinascarthy).
