Kilmeen capture South West junior D football title
Kilmeen capture South West junior D football title
Kilmeen 3-16
Ballinascarthy 0-4
WEST CORK GAEL REPORTS
KILMEEN were crowned worthy Rowa/Rowex South West junior D football champions at blustery Ahiohill last Saturday after an incredible second-half scoring spree.
The winners outscored their opponents by 3-10 to 0-1 in the second half as they outclassed Ballinascarthy.
While Kilmeen were easily the more accomplished side in this decider, Ballinascarthy – struggling to make up the required numbers at the outset – must have been very satisfied at the break trailing by just double scores, 0-6 to 0-3, and having played against a strong breeze.
Bal were under the cosh early on and trailed 0-4 to no score at the end of the first quarter, as the Kilmeen half-forward division of Martin and Shane O’Donovan together with captain and centre-forward Davy O’Donovan caused all sorts of problems for the Bal rearguard.
At this stage veteran goalkeeper Kevin Kingston, the O’Flynn brothers, Ryan and JC, and Barry Walsh were performing heroics to keep their goal intact, while Ben Murray ran himself to a standstill in the middle third.
Davy O’Donovan, midfielders Jonathan Deasy and Gearóid McCarthy and free-taker Shane O’Donovan shared the Kilmeen scoring spoils between the second and 17th minute, as Bal struggled to cope.
But after a free by hard-working full forward Eamonn O’Flynn got them off the mark in the 23rd minute, Dave O’Flynn struck over a point two minutes later and while Shane O’Donovan (free) and Davy clocked up a further brace for the Blues, an Eamonn O’Flynn free in the dying moments of the half left Bal in a reasonable position.
Kilmeen’s interval pep talk certainly caused them to up the ante considerably on resuming. Gamely, Bal held the line until the 38th minute, with Padraig Kingston, Dave O’Flynn, Pa Deasy, Sean Walsh and Murray working their socks off, but constant dripping wears a stone and Kilmeen’s marquee forwards, Shane and Martin O’Donovan, combined as the former shot home the first of his hat-trick of majors.
It opened the floodgates in devastating fashion as a deluge of white flags followed and when the aforementioned duo combined for two more goals, Bal were buried without trace.
One of the biggest cheers of the day was reserved for veteran Ger Collins as he bisected the Bal posts in the 52nd minute, while two smashing points by substitute Ger O’Mahony also caught the eye.
Vincent Dullea, Irish Cultural Officer of the West Cork Board, presented the cup to a delighted Davy O’Donovan, Kilmeen captain, at the conclusion of a sporting game.
Scorers
Kilmeen: Shane O’Donovan 3-4 (4f); Martin O’Donovan 0-4; Davy O’Donovan 0-3; Ger O’Mahony 0-2; Jonathan Deasy, Gearóid McCarthy, Ger Collins 0-1 each.
Ballinascarthy: Eamonn O’Flynn 0-3 (2f); Dave O’Flynn 0-1.
Kilmeen: Ger O’Sullivan; Barry Kirby, Michael Bohane, Timmy Calnan; Shane McCarthy, Darren Deasy, Cian McCarthy; Jonathan Deasy, Gearóid McCarthy; Martin O’Donovan, Davy O’Donovan, Shane O’Donovan; Thomas McCarthy, Finian Deasy, Daniel O’Donovan.
Subs used: Anthony Coakley for Calnan (37), Ger O’Mahony for Thomas McCarthy (47), Ger Collins for Daniel O’Donovan (49), Timmy O’Donovan for Bohane (52).
Ballinascarthy; Kevin Kingston; Barry Walsh, Ryan O’Flynn, Kieran Dineen; Frank McDermott, JC O’Flynn, Pa Deasy; Ben Murray, Padraig Kingston; Sean Walsh, Dave O’Flynn, Kevin O’Neill; Darren O’Donovan, Eamonn O’Flynn, John McCarthy.
Subs used: Tomás Ryan for O’Neill (injured, 5), Conor Nyhan for Darren O’Donovan (injured, 20), Darren O’Donovan for Nyhan (28), Nyhan for Dineen (injured, 50).
Referee: Donal Shorten (St Mary’s).
