BY JOHNNY CAROLAN
FOR many of the Cork hurling team and management, Saturday’s Munster final was a first experience of a penalty shootout.
Damien Cahalane was in the minority – but not only was it not his first shootout, it wasn’t even his first in a Munster final at TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Having played such a key role in helping Castlehaven to victory over Dingle in the AIB Munster Club SFC final in December 2023 – going in goal and making saves, as well as scoring from the spot – he was a spectator on Saturday but he more than played his part in getting Cork to such a position.
‘Yeah, to be fair, it was one of the Castlehaven lads texted me and he said, “Look, we've good memories in Gaelic Grounds and Munster finals,” he said.
‘I didn't think it'd go to penalties now again. Weather's different, it was a brilliant day for it, a brilliant field, a flowing game and that. We'll have a bit of time to go back and look back at it. Now you're looking back and you're in a bit of a daze like, but, yeah, it is a nice one to be fair.
‘Once the game ends, you're kind of physically and mentally a bit spent but the lads that went out took on the responsibility of the penalties did unbelievable, every one of them to a man to go up there and have the nerve to do it.
‘Pa [goalkeeper Patrick Collins] then, the way he made himself kind of so big inside the goal. It's great.
‘It can be a lottery at times like, but, the boys, every single one of them, to a man to have the balls to go up and do that is unreal and fair play to them.’
Cork’s win means a fourth Munster hurling medal for Cahalane, who produced a superb display after being called up for his first championship start since the game against Waterford in April of last year.
‘Look, you just come in and you're asked to do a job and you try and do that, I suppose,’ he said.
‘I was confident coming in that you know you have the backing of your team-mates, your preparation has been right, physically feel good, so you're coming in, in a good kind of a mindset and a good headspace for the game, and just looking forward to days like these.
‘It is unbelievable to come out, this is what you do it for, absolutely. They are high-pressure situations, but you know if they weren't high-pressure situations, what would you be doing all the preparation and training for?’
Cahalane even got on the scoresheet, firing over a point from distance during the first half.
‘It just opened up a bit, just saw nothing on inside, so look, I had a go,’ he said.
‘Luckily, it went over, there were plenty of other massive scores from fellas and massive contributions. That was just one moment.’
All of the moments added up to the win, but almost immediately the focus is on improving for the All-Ireland semi-final.
‘We'll come back and we'll analyse this game,’ Cahalane said, ‘we'll analyse the Munster championship, try and take the learnings from it and try and push the boat out again. There's improvements there to be made, so we need to home in. If we stay at the same level all the time, you're going to be beaten some day again.’
