Castlehaven singing in the rain as ‘special group’ delivers, again

Castlehaven 0-13

Dingle 0-13

(Castlehaven win 4-3 on penalties)

KIERAN McCARTHY REPORTS

THOSE cute Castlehaven hoors. You have to get up very early in the morning to catch out that crowd from Kerry – it just so happens Haven captain Mark Collins woke at 5am on Sunday, the rain lashing against his hotel bedroom window – but Castlehaven had a trick up their sleeve that no-one saw coming.

Surviving a drama-filled 80 minutes that saw the Cork champions ‘dead and buried twice’, as manager James McCarthy admitted, their decision to move defender Damien Cahalane in goal caught everyone by surprise. Surely, Dingle, too. That was part of the thinking. 

‘There was a bit of psychology attached to it,’ the Haven boss smiled after. 

There was a method to the madness, also – Cahalane was a shot-stopper when city club Greenwood won a schoolboys’ soccer national cup title in 2009. 

‘We spoke about it during the week, I said it to Damien and he was up for it. Looking at the weather, there was a possibility it could go to penalties. Damien is a good goalkeeper, he has a past history in soccer, is a big presence in goal – and it worked out.’

This was a sensational finale to a crazy Munster club senior football decider at the Storm Fergus-lashed Gaelic Grounds. If Noah’s Ark was spotted sailing up Ennis Road on Sunday afternoon, no-one would have been surprised given the biblical nature of the wind and rain. Adapt or die, and both teams choose the former, still delivering an epic packed with tension and theatre.

Castlehaven celebrate their epic Munster club senior football final win against Dingle.
(Photo: Andrew Harris)

In a game they never led, Castlehaven twice rallied from three points down, in the second half of normal time and then in extra time, to force a penalty shoot-out. They have been here before; their Cork semi-finals against the Barrs in 2020 and ’21 went to penalties too. That experience helps. And then there was the pre-planned Damien Cahalane switch, as he replaced regular number one Darragh Cahalane for the shoot-out. And it worked. 

Damien Cahalane scored their first penalty. Dingle did, too. 1-1. At one stage, the Haven led 3-1, with Brian Hurley and Mark Collins both scoring. Given the howling wind, it was no surprise the pendulum dramatically swung the other way, as Conor O’Driscoll and Rory Maguire both missed, and Dingle seized control. Dingle defender Tom O’Sullivan had a penalty to win the Munster final – but Cahalane didn’t blink, and saved it. Into sudden death, Cahalane was up first, went for power again, and scored. 

‘It’s high pressure so if you can keep your nerve and keep your cool, that’s a massive thing. You pick your spot and go for it,’ Cahalane explained after.

It left Dingle having a kick to stay alive in the game, but Mikey Geaney’s effort whizzed high and wide – and Castlehaven were Munster champions for a fourth time. Time to sing in the rain, as the Haven fans flooded the pitch in celebration.

‘We were dead and buried twice, we had injuries, fellas cramping, things weren’t going our way, but we just found a way and we didn’t panic,’ James McCarthy noted.

‘The conditions were brutal, but our spirit was incredible and it was nearly written that we were going to win the penalty shoot-out because of what our lads had to do to get back level in normal time and extra time; it shows you that this is a special group. 

‘They wanted to win this one. They wanted to put down a marker, to say we won counties but we want to win a Munster.’

It’s mission accomplished for Castlehaven, as the class of 2023 joins the heroes of 1989, ’94 and ’97. This was an arm wrestle from the start. Four times, the teams were level in the first half, with Dingle always leading this dance, helped by the wind blowing in from the Clare end. Conor Flannery and Cathal Maguire swapped scores. Then it was the turn of Dylan Geaney and the brilliant Brian Hurley. Next up, frees by Conor Geaney and Brian Hurley. 0-3 apiece. Then, Haven were hit by the loss of their in-form forward Michael Hurley with a leg injury, the blow compounded by two Dingle scores from Matthew Flannery and Paul Geaney (free). The West Kerry men led by two, the biggest lead so far.

Castlehaven captain Mark Collins lifts the cup after their Munster final triumph. (Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)

‘I thought we were in control until Michael went off, and then we lost a bit of our threat up front,’ McCarthy explained, but by half time the lead was trimmed back to one, 0-6 to 0-5, with Brian Hurley and Cathal Maguire both adding to their totals. 

It looked ominous when Dingle stretched the lead to three after 39 minutes, but Haven die hard. Captain Mark Collins and then Brian Hurley narrowed the gap to just one, 0-8 to 0-7, after 43 minutes. The return of Conor Cahalane, who had gone off injured in the opening half, was a needed boost, but then after the teams traded scores, first-half sub Jamie O’Driscoll was red carded in the 55th minute after two yellows. Fourteen-man Haven kept going. Hurley – who else? – levelled, 0-9 each. But when Conor Geaney clipped over a free with 59:58 on the clock, Castlehaven were backed into another corner. They came, again. Conor Cahalane was fouled, and Brian Hurley tapped over the free. 0-10 apiece, and extra-time needed.

Dingle took control in extra time, with the gale wind at their backs, and scores from Paul Geaney (2) and Tom O’Sullivan saw them lead by three at half time, 0-13 to 0-10. It looked like a winning move, but Castlehaven wouldn’t lie down. Mark Collins, using the wind, floated over one of the points of the day, and then the powerful Cathal Maguire, one of Haven’s heroes, took centre stage with two points to haul his side level, his leveller from a standing position in injury time of extra time. An outstanding score, given the circumstances.

‘Cathal is in flying form. He is on a great run, is after getting fitter and is injury-free. I think there is more in him. He saved us in the end with two great points,’ James McCarthy said. And then it was the turn of Damien Cahalane to, literally, save Castlehaven, before firing them to one of their sweetest wins ever. 

Scorers - Castlehaven: B Hurley 0-7 (4f, 1 45); C Maguire 0-4 (1m); M Collins 0-2. Dingle: C Geaney (3f), P Geaney (3f) 0-4 each; D Geaney, C Flannery, M Flaherty, N Geaney, T O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Castlehaven: D Cahalane; J O’Regan, R Maguire, R Walsh; T O’Mahony, D Cahalane, M Collins; C Cahalane, C O’Sullivan; J O’Neill, B Hurley, S Browne; C Maguire, J Cahalane, M Hurley. 

Subs: J O’Driscoll for M Hurley (24, inj), A Whelton for C Cahalane (30, inj), C Cahalane for S Browne (36), C O’Driscoll for C O’Sullivan (52), M Maguire for J O’Neill (60), R Minihane for C O’Sullivan (70), R Whelton for J O’Neill (77), M Maguire for J O’Regan (81). (extra time red card replacement, J O’Neill).

Dingle: G Curran; Tom Leo O’Sullivan, D O’Sullivan, Tom O’Sullivan; N Geaney, C Flannery, B O’Connor; B O’Sullivan, B O’Connor; M Geaney, P Geaney, M Flaherty; M Flannery, C Geaney, D Geaney.

Subs: C O’Sullivan for Darragh O’Sullivan (46, inj), T Browne for M Flannery (52), P Devane for P Geaney (69, inj), B Devane for M Flaherty (73). 

Referee: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary).