Castlehaven 2-12
Clonakilty 1-15
TOM LYONS REPORTS
CLONAKILTY qualified for the final of the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 1 league final, but only just after a nervous finish in mist-shrouded Ballinacarriga on Sunday.
Needing a positive result against Castlehaven in their last game to pip Nemo Rangers for a final place against St Finbarr’s, Clonakilty got it, but they weren’t convincing. A draw gave them the result they needed but for much of the second half, it looked as if they were going to slip at the last hurdle as the Haven dominated proceedings.
Trailing by two points in the 58th minute, Clon were in serious trouble but a late burst of scoring, including a superb two-pointer by Darragh Gough and points by Dara Ó Sé and Seán McEvoy, had them two in front going into injury time.
When sub James Campbell stretched the lead to three it seemed the final place was secured but a minute later the Haven were awarded a free on the wing. Dissent saw the referee bringing the free to the 14-metre line in front of goal. Mícheál Maguire, who had already kicked 1-5, placed the ball on the ground and let fly, a rocket of a shot that flew into the net without a back getting a touch. Suddenly, Clon’s hopes were hanging by a thread and Campbell’s last point took on a new hue.
Luckily for Clon, the final whistle blew before the Haven had a chance to mount another attack and Clon mentors and supporters breathed a sigh of relief.
Castlehaven's Cathal Maguire resisting arrest by Dara O'Sé of Clonakilty.
‘That was the game we needed, it was a tough game,’ said Clonakilty mentor Eoin Ryan. ‘We’d be disappointed with our performance. Our decision-making left a lot to be desired, we couldn’t break them down in defence. I honestly think we didn’t get up for the game at all today, from start to finish. We were very flat, hard to say why. We just seemed to want the game to be over, to get into the league final.’
Clon now face the Barrs in the Division 1 final on Friday, and will face the same opposition in the county premier senior football championship on July 26th.
‘We’re not worried about playing the Barr’s in the final and then playing them again a few weeks later in the championship. As long as we have a team, we have a lot of injuries. Tom Clancy was out injured today, Seán White had to come off and Liam O’Donovan. We got the result we wanted and having that final is better than any challenge game,’ Ryan added.
Both sides fielded without some key players. The Haven were the worst hit, missing the three Cahalane brothers, the two Hurleys, Rory Maguire and Mark Collins, while Clon were without Thomas Clancy and Maurice Shanley.
It was Clon who got off to a great start when Conor Daly raced through for a goal in the second minute and Dara Gough pointed a free. A Daly point was sandwiched by scores from Mícheál Maguire and Jamie Walsh. When Maguire punished a poor Clon kickout with a green flag in the eighth minute, it was all square and game on. A point by impressive corner back Chris Kenneally had Clon in front, 1-3 to 1-2, at the end of the first quarter.
Castlehaven's Michael Maguire scoring his side's first goal.
Clon upped the pace at the beginning of the second quarter and points from Ross Mannix, Dara Ó Sé (two-point free), and Daly (free), in answer to a single point from Andrew Whelton, had the Brewery Town four to the good. The closing minutes of the half belonged to Haven as points from Walsh, Maguire (free) and hard-working Sean Walsh had the gap down to a single point at the break, 1-7 to 1-6.
The third quarter saw both defences getting on top, especially the well-organised Haven defence. They held the frustrated Clon forwards to a single point from Dara Gough, while kicking three at the other end, with Jamie O’Driscoll and Maguire on target.
It was looking good for the make-shift Haven side as the last quarter began, Clon’s hopes of a final place fading away, especially when Mark White had to react sharply to prevent sub Liam McCarthy from goaling. Maguire and Dara Ó Sé swapped points, and when McCarthy and Maguire pointed, the Haven were two to the good.
A Conor Daly point was answered by Seán Browne and with two minutes remaining it seemed all over for the town side. However, Gough’s two-pointer from a free handed them a lifeline and they grabbed it in a hectic finish to secure a place in the final.
Scorers
Castlehaven: Mícheál Maguire 2-5 (1-1f); Seán Browne, Jamie Walsh 0-2 each; Andrew Whelton, Jamie O’Driscoll, Liam McCarthy 0-1 each.
Clonakilty: Conor Daly 1-3 (1f); Darragh Gough (tp), Dara Ó Sé (tp) 0-4 each; Chris Kenneally, Ross Mannix, Seán McEvoy, James Campbell 0-1 each.
Castlehaven: Darragh Cahalane; Johnny O’Regan, Oisín Daly, Seán Walsh; Shane O’Connell, Robbie Minihane, Jamie Walsh; Andrew Whelton, Seán Browne; Mark Crowley, Cathal Maguire, James O’Driscoll; Kevin O’Donovan, David Whelton, Mícheál Maguire.
Subs: Roland Whelton for S O’Connell (ht), Liam McCarthy for A Whelton (ht), Donncha O’Donovan for D Whelton (42), Gearóid O’Driscoll for M Crowley (54).
Clonakilty: Mark White; Liam O’Donovan, Dan Darragh, Chris Kenneally; David Lowney, Jack O’Mahony, Brian White; Ben Ridgeway, Dara Ó Sé; Ross Mannix, Seán White, Seán McEvoy; Luke Griffin, Conor Daly, Darragh Gough.
Subs: Conor Ustianowski for S White (45), Cian O’Donovan for L O’Donovan (48), Cian Ryan for R Mannix (48), James Campbell for B White (50).
Referee: John Ryan (Macroom).
