Bragging rights to Barryroe as they withstand Kilbrittain comeback

BARRYROE 1-14

KILBRITTAIN 2-9

TOM LYONS REPORTS

FIRST place in Group B of the Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier JHC was claimed by Barryroe with a game to spare as they finished well to beat Kilbrittain at Ahamilla last Saturday.

For 55 minutes, these rivals sparred their way through this second-round clash before finally letting rip in the closing five minutes plus ten injury time. In a game that deteriorated badly in the second half because of the swirling wind and numerous stoppages, Barryroe seemed to be heading for a comprehensive win, having led by seven points at half-time with the strong breeze and holding their opponents scoreless in the third quarter.

Then the game exploded into action.

Two completely unexpected goals in a minute by Kilbrittain five minutes from time had the crowd on its toes at last and when the equalising point sailed over the crossbar a minute later, it seemed the Black and Amber were on the brink of a great escape. What a battle we had from there to the end of injury time and in the end it was the sheer heart, determination and will to win that carried the light blues over the line.

Having failed to get out of their group in 2020, 2021 or 2022, this win, on the back of victory against Ballygarvan, means that Barryroe will finish top no matter what happens in their last match against Milford.

‘We gave away two bad goals to let them into the game,’ explained a relieved Barryroe manager, Danny Murphy.

‘The first one was very soft and to concede a second one so quickly was very disappointing. We knew Kilbrittain were not going to lie down without a fight and we weren’t surprised by their comeback. Full marks to our lads in the closing stages, they showed tremendous courage to recover to win.

‘We’ve won very few games in the hurling in recent years but now we’ve won the first round of the football and two in hurling, so we have to be happy with that.’

Kilbrittain's James Hurley closes in on Barryroe's Michael Walsh. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Barryroe, playing with the swirling breeze, recovered from conceding the opening score to Kilbrittain, a Mark Hickey free, to dominate the opening quarter. It was the only time the Black and Amber led in the game. Barryroe centre-forward Daniel O’Driscoll was on fire in the opening ten minutes as he rifled over three points and when the accurate Olan O’Donovan, free, and impressive centre-back, James Moloney, added two more, the Blues led by 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

As the players began to find difficulty with shooting in the swirling wind, scores became fewer and the standard dropped.

Kilbrittain worked their way into the game with Josh O’Donovan prominent at midfield and the sides shared eight points. Ryan O’Donovan, two, Olan O’Donovan, 65, and Dónal Ó Buachalla had Barryroe points, while Mark Hickey, free, Ross Cashman, 65, Ronan Crowley, free, and Josh O’Donovan answered for Kilbrittain.

Considering the strong breeze, a four-point deficit didn’t seem bad news for Kilbrittain ending the first half but on the stroke of half-time they were hit a body blow when a superb sideline cut by Ryan O’Donovan was touched to the net by his cousin Olan and suddenly it was 1-9 to 0-5.

As the breeze died somewhat, the third quarter was punctuated by numerous injury stoppages that killed any flow in the game. The result was that only a single score, an Olan O’Donovan free, was registered in that quarter and Kilbrittain’s cause looked forlorn. The introduction of Conor Ustianowski did lead to an improvement in Kilbrittain’s play, with James Hurley, Ross Cashman, Maurice Sexton, Philip Wall and O’Donovan also to the fore. Points from Ustianowski and Cashman (free) closed the gap to six but missed chances, eight in the second half, were to prove costly.

Barryroe's Sean O'Riordan defending against Kilbrittain's Philip Wall. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

An O’Donovan free seemed to indicate Barryroe were coasting to the endline but then, in the 55th minute, chaos struck when a defensive error presented sub Conor Hogan with a scrambled goal and within a minute, it was Philip Wall crashing a shot to the net. Game on in earnest and when Ustianowski split the posts in the 58th minute, it was all square, momentum with Kilbrittain.

Both sides would have probably settled for a draw at that stage but the game was far from over as the referee added ten minutes of injury time. It was tough, fast and furious, no place for the faint-hearted, as sub Ryan Kilbane and Olan O’Donovan shoved Barryroe two in front.

Back came Ross Cashman with a free to cut it to one but hard-working full-forward Robbie Kiely had the final say with a fine point as the Barryroe camp celebrated a great win.

It was their first championship victory over Kilbrittain since 1982, although the two clubs have been in different divisions for much of that time.

Scorers

Barryroe: Olan O’Donovan (3f, 1 65) 1-5, Daniel O’Driscoll 0-3, Ryan O’Donovan 0-2, James Moloney, Dónal Ó Buachalla, Ryan Kilbane, Robbie Kiely 0-1 each.

Kilbrittain: Philip Wall, Conor Hogan 1-0 each, Ross Cashman (2f, 1 65) 0-3, Conor Ustianowski, Mark Hickey 0-2 each, Josh O’Donovan, Ronan Crowley (1f) 0-1 each.

Barryroe: Mícheál Whelton; Seán O’Riordan, Michael Ryan, Tomás Ó Buachalla; Stephen Madden, James Moloney, Jerome O’Brien; David Murphy, Adam McSweeney; Dónal Buachalla, Daniel O’Driscoll, Michael Walsh; Ryan O’Donovan, Robbie Kiely, Olan O’Donovan. Subs: Ryan Kilbane for Walsh (37), Darren McCarthy for Ó Buachalla (42), Colm Dineen for Madden (43), Seán Holland for O’Driscoll (52), Patrick Moloney for McSweeney (59).

Kilbrittain: Aaron Holland; Colm Sheehan, Nick O’Donovan, James Hurley; Ross Cashman, Thomas Sheehan, Maurice Sexton; Seán Sexton, Josh O’Donovan; Bertie Butler, Declan Harrington, Sam Shorten; Philip Ward, Tom Harrington, Mark Hickey. Subs: Ronan Crowley for Mark Hickey (20, injured), Conor Ustianowski for Shorten (36), Eoin O’Neill for Seán Sexton (42), Conor Hogan for Butler (45).

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg).

Our Star: Special mention to Olan O’Donovan, whose 1-5 contributed enormously to Barryroe’s victory, but it was centre-back James Moloney who drove them on all through, especially in the hectic dying minutes.
Star moment: Kilbrittain’s two goals in a minute really brought this game to life but it was Olan O’Donovan’s goal on the stroke of half-time that put Barryroe in control.
Talking point: The incredible finish to a game that had been meandering to an inevitable conclusion.
What's next? Barryroe meet Milford in the next round, seeking to secure a semi-final spot. Kilbrittain will need a result against Ballygarvan in their next game to stand a chance to qualify.