Cill na Martra 3-12
Mungret St Paul’s 0-10
NOEL HORGAN REPORTS
WHILE Cill na Martra were most worthy victors over Mungret St Paul’s, it’s fair to say the near gale-force wind was a factor in how the AIB Munster club intermediate football final unfolded in Mallow on Sunday.
Aided by the elements, the Gaeltacht men built up a 2-9 to 0-1 lead in the first half, both of their goals facilitated to a certain extent by how the wind impacted on the flight of the ball.
Their first came in the 21st minute when Mungret St Pauls began to over-elaborate in possession deep in defence, allowing Daniel Ó Duinnin to make an interception, and there was always going to be only one outcome when Cill na Martra’s ace attacker was left with with a clear path to goal.
Cill na Martra's Ciarán Ó Duinnin is challenged by Mungret St Pauls' Jason Hassett.Their second goal arrived nine minutes later when a sideline kick from the back deceived a few players on the right wing before the wind carried it up Mícheal Ó Deasuna, whose pass to Daniel Ó Duinnin allowed the latter to set Madhci Ó Duinnin up for a well-taken goal.
In turning over 14 points to the good, it seemed as if Cill na Martra had laid firm foundations for victory, but selector Donal Ó Buachalla revealed afterwards nobody in the dressing-room at the interval felt they were home and hosed.
‘It was a good lead, but we knew St Paul’s were a good team, and they showed that even in the first half when they held the ball very well and controlled the pace from time to time. We certainly weren’t taking them for granted, although we felt if we didn’t concede a goal in the second half we’d be in with a great chance of finishing the job, and that’s the way it turned out,’ Ó Buachalla said.
He agreed Cill na Martra were a tad fortunate with the way the goals came about in the first half, adding that having to play against such a strong wind with just an eight or nine-point lead would have been a worry.
‘It was also important to get the first few scores in the second half, because St Paul’s probably felt they needed goals to get back into it after that, and were working the ball into the danger-zone rather than kicking from long-range with the wind like we did,’ Ó Buachalla added.
Stressing that the Limerick kingpins weren’t as bad as Cill na Martra’s winning margin suggests, Ó Buachalla was delighted the team got the job done so convincingly, adding that the effort and commitment put in by everybody involved in the club has been fantastic all year.
‘We’re a small parish, and days like this don’t come along too often, so we’ll remember this massive win for a long, long time,’ he remarked.
Cill na Martra captain Gearóid Ó Goillidhe celebrates with his mother Margaret.Having won the toss, the decision to play with the wind helped Cill na Martra to make the early running, and, with Mícheál Ó Deasuna quickly into his stride up front, they were three points to the good inside five minutes.
They went six ahead in the 19th minute after St Paul’s goalkeeper Ronan McElligott parried a shot from Maidhci Ó Duinnin, and Damien Ó hUrdail’s goal attempt from the rebound was deflected over the bar by Brian Barry.
Considering the strength of the wind, it wasn’t an especially intimidating advantage, but the brace of goals shared by Daniel Ó Duinnin and Madhici Ó Duinnin towards the end of the first half sent their prospects soaring.
With Damien Ó hUrdail and Mícheál Ó Deasuna on target, Cill na Martra couldn’t have hoped for a better start in the second half, and, after St Paul’s pulled a point back through free-taker John Hutton, the Muskerry side effectively sealed the deal with their third goal in the 37th minute.
It was a score that graphically illustrated Cill na Marta’s greater potency when on the offensive, with Ciaran Ó Duinnin beginning a move that had Sean Foirreidh and Maidhci Ó Duinnin also involved before Daniel Ó Duinnin fisted home a return pass from Mícheál Ó Deasuna.
Now 3-11 to 0-2 up, Cill na Martra were largely content to fight a regard action for the rest of the match, and St Paul’s, despite giving it everything and kicking some nice scores, were unable to engineer an opening for the goal they needed to have any chance of knocking the Cork champions off course.
Scorers
Cill na Martra: D Ó Duinnin 2-2; M Ó Deasuna 0-5 (1f, 1 45); M Ó Duinnin 1-1; D Ó hUrdail 0-2; S Ó Foirreudh, C Ó Duinnin 0-1 each.
St Paul’s: J Hutton 0-4 (3f), B Giltenane, L Harrington, D Hynes, S Barry, D O’Hagan, D O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Cill na Martra: P Ó Criodain; T Ó Corcora, C MacLochlainn, F Ó Faolain; D Ó Conaill, S Ó Foirreidh, C Ó Foirreidh; A Ó Cuana, G Ó Goillidhe; F Ó hEalaithe, D Ó hUrdail; M Ó Deasuna, D Ó Duinnin, M Ó Duinnin.
Subs: S Ó Duinnin for Ó Deasuna (54), G Ó Mochain for F Ó Faolain (58), C Ó Meachair for M Ó Duinnin (58), D MacLochlainn for Ó hUrdail (61), E Ó Conail for Ó Cuana (63).
St Paul’s: R McElligott; L Harrington, R Hegarty, J Hassett; F Corcoran, J McCarthy, J Garvey; C Deane, D O’Hagan; J Killian, J Hutton, B Barry; D Bridgeman, S Barry, B Giltenane.
Subs: O Moss for Garvey (ht), C Uwatse for Giltenane (ht), T Lloyd for Killian (39), E Ryan for B Barry (47), D O’Sullivan for McCarthy (56).
Referee: B Griffin (Kerry).
