Barryroe 2-15
St James 2-14
JOHN MURPHY REPORTS
HEARTBREAK for St James, delight for Barryroe – these were the contrasting emotions after a Bandon Co-op Carbery JAFC thriller at blustery Ahiohill on Sunday.
St James players, shellshocked and in a huddle at the final whistle, could not believe that a game they had dominated for long periods had been snatched away at the death.
The Blues, meanwhile, celebrated a magnificent second-half recovery that had enabled them garner the two precious points on offer and book their place in the knock-out stages.
It was hard to believe that Barryroe failed to put a score on the board for 20 minutes of the opening half, as the Ardfield/Rathbarry combination ran them ragged all over the park. Points by Aaron Hayes, Sean Whelton and a penalty expertly dispatched by Frank Hayes had St James in total control, as they led 1-5 to 0-0.
A 21st minute goal from Adam McSweeney got Barryroe up and running, led by the O’Donovan clan Olan and Ryan, Adam McSweeney and Luke Murphy.
While James O’Driscoll and Seán Whelton continued to keep the scorekeeper busy, at the other end the O’Donovans in particular were tagged on points too. By the interval things were looking much rosier for the Blues, just 1-9 to 1-5 adrift and wind advantage to come.
Olan O’Donovan and Whelton (free) swapped scores, but by the end of the third quarter, Barryroe had really upped the ante. A cracking Olan O’Donovan goal, with a great assist by Luke Murphy, had Barryroe in front for the first time, 2-10 to 1-12. But St James struck back in style when Conor Hayes billowed the Blues rigging in the 52nd minute.
Two delightful Adam McSweeney white flags were the instant replies, but in the 59th minute it looked as if the Saints would prevail, when Frank Hayes lofted over a mammoth point against the wind.
The 2023 champions battled on. A fabulous two-pointer by Ryan O’Donovan tied it all up, 1-14 to 1-14, deep into stoppage time. There was still time for Olan O’Donovan to score a dramatic late winner.
OUR STARS: The O’Donovan cousins, Ryan and Olan, combined for 1-12, including the winner.
Scorers
Barryroe: Ryan O’Donovan 0-8 (2pt, 1f); Olan O’Donovan 1-4; Adam McSweeney 1-2; Luke Murphy 0-1.
St James: Seán Whelton 0-7 (2pt, 3f); Frank Hayes 1-3 (1-0 pen); Conor Hayes 1-0; Aaron Hayes 0-3; James O’Driscoll 0-1.
Barryroe: Conor Madden; Michael Walsh, Seán O’Riordan, Jerome O’Brien; Aaron Fleming, Conn Dineen, James Moloney; Mark Crowley, Diarmuid Dineen; Brian O’Donovan, Ryan O’Donovan, Tomás Ó Buachalla; Adam McSweeney, Olan O’Donovan, Luke Murphy.
Subs: Daniel Moloney for Michael Walsh (20), Seán Holland for Mark Crowley (50), Donal Ó Buachalla for Brian O’Donovan (53).
St James: Niall Evans; Peter Whelton, David Hayes, Tadhg Feen; Charlie McShane, Cathal Hennessy, Cristoir Hayes; Donnacha McCarthy, James O’Driscoll; James O’Donovan, Aaron Hayes, Mark Evans; Frank Hayes, Joe O’Sullivan, Seán Whelton.
Subs: James O’Sullivan for Tadhg Feen (ht), Ian Evans for Mark Evans (40), Conor Whelton for Donnacha McCarthy (43), Conor Hayes for Joe O’Sullivan (48), Kevin O’Leary for Charlie McShane (51), Kevin O’Brien for Frank Hayes (56).
Referee: Conor McCarthy (Carbery Rangers).
