Brilliant Barryroe bask in the glory of famous victory 

Barryroe 1-12

Kilmacabea 0-14 (aet)

TOM LYONS REPORTS 

CARVE their names with pride, the footballers of Barryroe who heroically captured the club’s first-ever Carbery junior A football title in rain-swept Dunmanway on Friday night. 

In what will be remembered as one of the best and most exciting finals in living memory, Barryroe had to go to extra time for the third match in a row before getting their hands on the elusive Mick McCarthy Cup for the first time ever. 

Once more when the chips were down, Barryroe found a way to get over the line but rarely has a team had to battle so hard to ensure victory. Spare a thought for Kilmacabea, who fought gallantly to the bitter end and came within inches of taking the game to penalties. 

The deluge of rain during the day cast a doubt about this Bandon Co-op junior A final going ahead but full credit to the Doheny club who had had the pitch playable on the night. A huge crowd turned out to see if Barryroe could take home the silverware for the first time or if Kilmacabea could add to their three titles? The atmosphere was electric. 

The victorious Barryroe team celebrates after defeating Kilmacabea in the Bandon Co-op JAFC final. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Mercifully, the rain held off for an hour as the sides traded blow for blow and score for score in a thoroughly sporting contest full of tremendous scores from both sides. The sides just could not be separated in normal time as never-say-die Barryroe came from two points down on 60 minutes to force extra time. 

With the rain now lashing down and the game turning into an endurance test, what a battle we had in extra time. Heroic deeds, do-or-die effort, cramps, injuries, excitement as the sides shared three quick points, Barryroe one in front. With conditions deteriorating badly, amazingly there wasn’t to be another score in 15 minutes of extra time as the sides fought each other to a standstill. 

When Daniel O’Donovan’s great effort at an equaliser in the last minute agonisingly fell inches short of the crossbar, to be safely grasped by goalkeeper Gearóid Holland, it was all over. The scenes of celebration at the final whistle, both on the pitch and outside the wire among the Barryroe supporters, were incredible as they celebrated their first-ever junior A title. 

Of course, such a titanic struggle produced heroes on both sides, with the Clash Awards man-of-the-match going to Barryroe midfielder, former Tipperary star Robbie Kiely, who put in a huge effort all through and was central to all that was good about Barryroe’s win. Two other players towered over this final. Ryan O’Donovan, for the winners, kicked the only goal in the 34th minute, which kept his side afloat during the following 22 scoreless minutes, and he added eight points to boot. The last two, from play, were class efforts in injury time to salvage a draw for his side. Rarely can a player on a losing side in a final have given a display to match that of Kilmac’s corner forward Damien Gore. His kicking in trying conditions, play and frees, was absolutely superb as he contributed 11 points of his side’s total. One can only wonder how he ended up on the losing side. Barryroe ended up double marking him, which eventually won them the game, but it was a display for the ages, never to be forgotten. 

Kilmacabea's Ian Jennings is tackled by Barryroe's Mark Crowley.

As both sides adapted to the conditions in the opening quarter, scores were at a premium courtesy of numerous turnovers and marvellous defending on both sides. For the Kilmacs, Martin Collins was outstanding at centre back, well supported by Darren Whooley, Diarmuid O’Callaghan and Mark Jennings, while Seán O’Riordan, Tomás Ó Buachalla, David O’Sullivan and Michael Walsh impressed in the Barryroe defence. 

Gore opened the scoring and the O’Donovan cousins, Ryan and Olan, responded to put Barryroe 0-2 to 0-1 in front at the end of the first quarter. When Ryan O’Donovan had points from play and a free, Barryroe seemed to be taking control but they reckoned without the genius of Damien Gore. Five points in a row flowed from his magic boot to put the Kilmacs two in front. Ryan O’Donovan kicked a free to close the scoring in the first half and it was Kilmacabea in front, 0-6 to 0-5, at half time. 

It was all square within a minute of the restart when O’Donovan scored, and then the strong-running Ian Jennings and Mark Crowley swapped points. A goal was worth its weight in gold in the conditions and it came in the 34th minute when O’Donovan played a one-two with Seán Holland and finished low to the Kilmac net. Momentum now with Barryroe but, amazingly, they went completely off the boil and failed to score for the next 22 minutes. 

Credit Kilmacabea with upping the intensity as Ian Jennings, Donncha McCarthy, Ruairí Hourihane, Liam McCarthy, Gore and sub Daniel O’Donovan led the charge. Four points from Gore (three frees) and another from Daniel O’Donovan had the Kilmacs back in front by two points with only four minutes remaining and Barryroe’s dream of a first title was hanging by a thread. 

Barryroe captain David O'Sullivan raises the Mick McCarthy Cup.

But this Barryroe side is rich in character and they lifted themselves off the floor in the dying minutes, with Kiely, the O’Donovans and Mark Crowley to the fore. Ryan O’Donovan cut the lead to a point and Gore responded to make it two again with 60 minutes on the clock. Class will always out and in injury time O’Donovan struck for two superb points to level the scores, 1-10 to 0-13, and take the game to extra time. 

In the end it was the bench that won it for Barryroe in extra time when scores from subs Adam McSweeney, a great effort from the wing, and Brian O’Donovan sandwiched an Ian Jennings point within five minutes. The final 15 minutes were scoreless but nobody was leaving as Barryroe hung on for dear life amid tremendous excitement, before taking the title on a score of 1-12 to 0-14.

Despite the appalling weather, there were tremendous scenes of celebrations as chairperson of the Carbery Board Aidan O’Rourke presented the Mick McCarthy Cup to winning captain David O’Sullivan.

Scorers - Barryroe: Ryan O’Donovan 1-8 (3f); Olan O’Donovan, Mark Crowley, Adam McSweeney, Brian O’Donovan 0-1 each.  Kilmacabea: Damien Gore 0-11 (5f, 1m); Ian Jennings 0-2; Daniel O’Donovan 0-1. 

Barryroe: Gearóid Holland; Michael Walsh, Sean O’Riordan, Patrick Moloney; Tomás Ó Buachalla, David O’Sullivan, James Moloney; Robbie Kiely, Jerome O’Brien; David Murphy, Olan O’Donovan, Con Dineen; Ryan O’Donovan, Seán Holland, Mark Crowley. 

Subs: Diarmuid McCarthy for P Moloney (ht), Brian O’Donovan for S Holland (47), Adam McSweeney for J O’Brien (49), Dónal Ó Buachalla for D Murphy (52), Jack Cahalane for D O’Sullivan (58), J O’Brien (et), P Moloney (et), Cathal Sheehy (et).

Kilmacabea: Colin McCarthy; Liam Tobin, Darren Whooley, Mark Jennings; Diarmuid O’Callaghan, Martin Collins, Eamonn Shanahan; Joe Collins, Ruairí Hourihane; Donncha McCarthy, Ian Jennings, Ray Shanahan; Owen Tobin, Liam McCarthy, Damien Gore. 

Subs: Daniel O’Donovan for E Shanahan (37), Odhran Kerrisk for J Collins (42), Jamie Ronan for R Shanahan (50). 

Referee: Shane Scanlan (Newcestown).