CASTLEHAVEN may have hammered Carbery Rangers by 17 points (3-12 to 0-4) in the county league in February but the vanquished that day could easily have walked out of a packed Ahamilla with both points after their opening-round clash in the Bons Secours Premier Senior Football Championship.
I wrote a couple of weeks back that if Castlehaven had everyone then Ross could struggle, but Cork forward Brian Hurley didn’t tog due to his ongoing hamstring issues. Castlehaven finished the game with 13 men, with Jack Cahalane, Conor Cahalane and Mark Collins all sitting down at that stage. They had been two points up at the 57-minute mark but Rangers showed huge resolve to level (0-11 apiece) with frees from Paul Shanahan and John O’Rourke. The chances were there to grab a winner against all the odds.
Seamus Hayes, in his debut season as manager, along with his backroom team got an awful lot right as Ross dictated this Group A game for long passages. They were extremely well set up defensively, competitive in the middle third and Darragh Hayes and, particularly, Ciarán Santry looked a threat inside.
Match-ups were key for both managers. Keelan Scannell picked up Mark Collins, who had an unusually quiet outing. Starting at wing forward Haven boss James McCarthy even moved Collins to wing back at the start of the second half to get him into the game but where he went Scannell went. On the other side Ciarán O’Sullivan lived inside John O’Rourke’s shirt, limiting him to a couple from frees. With Brian Hurley out the expectation was that Michael Hurley would assume that central inside threat but James O’Riordan kept him on the periphery of this game.
With top marksmen tied up, this one had the look of a very close game from the early stages. In the cold light of day both groups were probably happy to walk away with a draw that, at least, sees them get a point on the board in the opening weekend. Damien Cahalane had an immense second half at midfield for the Haven; if they had won it he would have been the reason why. Carbery Rangers fans were irate with the referee as he waved play-on twice in the final moments at what looked like frees. The game was tough but could not be described as dirty, but a free count of 24 against Ross and 12 against Castlehaven looks unbalanced.
Castlehaven's Damien Cahalane impressed against Carbery Rangers.
Castlehaven will rue five first-half wides, all from scoreable positions. Seven of their 11 points came from play to only four from Ross. Many of the Haven’s big guns didn’t shine this time and the Ross backroom team will have been delighted with the performances of young players like Ciarán Santry, Barry Kerr and Keelan Scannell. Getting something out of the first game is key to progression with Seamus Hayes the happier manager of the two managers leaving Ahamilla. Clonakilty had an easy victory (0-20 to 1-9) over Valley Rovers in the same group so it is all set up for a humdinger in Enniskeane on Sunday, August 20th.
In the other big West Cork derby on Saturday afternoon, at sunny but windy Rossmore ex-Cork City goalkeeper Aaron Mannix landed a 45 into the wind to give the Dohenys a big victory over Newcestown in the senior A West Cork ‘Group of Death’. This was a game full of gusto and intent but lacked quality. The basic skills let both sides down repeatedly and led to numerous turnovers at vital times. Hence the scoring was low, finishing 0-9 to 0-8 with the Dunmanway lads having been one down heading into injury time.
Newcestown started without Fionn Keane at midfield and his physicality was missed so the athletic Sean O’Donovan joined Luke Meade around the middle. Dohneys played with the wind but continually failed to find their dangerous inside line of Mark Buckley, Fionn Herlihy and Keith White with any early quality ball. In fact, both teams seemed to function better playing into the strong wind with both sets of players preferring to put the ball through their hands; it’s a frustrating aspect to the game at the moment when it’s quite obvious to all that the footpass is key to the fast counter attack.
A lot of attacks from both sides were central and into traffic, leading to big collisions when using the width of the pitch to stretch the packed defence might have been a better option. This game simmered and went close to boiling over at times and referee Michael Collins issued two black cards and numerous yellows as high tackles and off-the-ball checking meant he had a very busy afternoon.
Gearoid O’Donovan went man-to-man with Cork senior panellist Fionn Herlihy as Cian Twomey moved to the corner to pick up Buckley. At the other end Donal Rice was given the job on Newcestown stalwart Tadgh Twomey. However it was Niall Kelly who was the danger man. Newcestown looked the better team at half time, leading 0-5 to 0-5, and the benefit of the wind to come. Dohenys emerged with the greater impetus after the break as Johnny Kelly, Eoin Lavers, Adam O’Donovan, Herlihy and Buckley all grew into the game. Another step in the right direction for Dohenys following their Division 3 league success earlier this season. It sets Group C up nicely, as in the next round of fixtures Newcestown take on an Ilen Rovers team that lost to Bishopstown on Sunday night. Both Newcestown and Ilen need the win when they meet in Rossmore on August 19th. Dohenys and Bishopstown, who both won their opening games, meet on August 20th in Bandon, knowing a second win would all but see them into the knock-out stages.
