Kilbrittain survive late Caheragh comeback to advance to Carbery U21 B2 football decider

Kilbrittain 1-8

Tadgh MacCarthaigh 1-8 

OLIVER O’BRIEN REPORTS

KILBRITTAIN reached the final of the Clona Milk Carbery U21 B2 football championship by virtue of scoring difference despite drawing with Tadgh MacCarthaigh on Saturday evening in a wet and windy Aughaville.

Kilbrittain finished second in their section and now meet Kililen in the final, fixedfor Skibbereen this Sunday, 26th, at 2.30pm.

Tadgh Mac Carthaigh started the brighter with the aid of the strengthening wind, and opened the scoring with a fine point from Tadgh Keating. Conor Hogan kicked Kilbrittain’s first score in a rare attack in the 11th minute. Colm McCarthy, Cormac Shanahan, Keating and Oisin Daly played some good football for the home side in the opening quarter. Kilbrittain’s Colm Sheehan, Sean Sexton, Oisin Gillain and Ronan Crowley were showing up well for Kilbrittain.

As the weather deteriorated, Gavin Crowley kicked a fine point to edge Tadgh McCarthaigh ahead on 15 minutes. But then Kilbrittain started to wrestle control of the game. Conor Hogan levelled before Kilbrittain were reduced to 14 men following a black card for Fionn Ustianowski. Before the break, Daly and Keating kicked two points to leave the half-time score reading Tadgh MacCarthaigh 0-4 Kilbrittain 0-2.

Kilbrittain were a different side on the resumption. Hogan won possession from a kick-out, and using his soccer skills, dribbled past two defenders and planted the ball in the bottom left corner of the net for a great goal – and the lead for Kilbrittain.

Kilbrittain did to Tadgh MacCarthaigh what the home side did to visitors in the first half, dominating the opening stages of the second half, but Kilbrittain were more clinical. Conor Ustaianowski pointed a free and three more points from Hogan had Kilbrittain enjoying a 1-6 to 0-4 lead by the 40th minute.

Tadgh MacCarthaigh’s Daly stopped the rot with a fine individual point. The home side started to settle. Points from Murray and Daly clawed back the Kilbrittain lead to two points entering the final ten minutes. Conor Ustianowski hit a fine point as the clock went inside the final five minutes. Conor Hogan then hit the score of the game with his first touch after gathering a fine pass from Seamus O’Sullivan to put four between the teams. Murray hit back a point with time up to leave three between the sides.

With the last play of the game, Luke Gilman-Burke sent in a high ball and Oisin Daly went highest to get a hand to it and guide it into the net to level the game, 1-8 apiece. Due to the nature of the group, a draw was not enough for the home side, but was enough to send Kilbrittain into the final.

Scorers

Kilbrittain: Conor Hogan 1-6 (1f); Connor Ustianowski 0-2f.

Tadgh MacCarthaigh: Oisin Daly 1-3; Tadgh Keating 0-2; Liam Murray 0-2f; Gavin Crowley 0-1

Kilbrittain: Eoghan McCarthy; John Ryan, Mikolaj Kalitka, Eoin O’Neill; Seamus O’Sullivan, Colum Sheehan, Charlie Kenny; Connor Ustianowski, Oisin Gillian; Gavin Kenny, Ronan Crowley, Sean Sexton; Conor Hogan, Mark O’Shea, Fionn Ustianowski.

Sub: James Ahern for F Ustianowski (inj).

Tadgh MacCarthaigh: Cathal O’Sullivan; Connor Crowley, Colm Crowley, Timothy Farrell; Gavin Crowley, Luke Gilman Burke, Cormac Shanahan; Oisin Daly, Tadgh Keating; Cathal Hegarty, James McCarthy, Liam Murray; Shane Clohery, Colm McCarthy, Connor McCarthy.

Referee: Frank Quill.