Muskerry 7-11
Carbery 1-18
TOM LYONS REPORTS
No, this wasn’t a hurling game but a semi-final of the divisions/colleges section of the McCarthy Insurance county premier senior football championship. When the sides met in hurling a week previously, the final score was 3-16 to 0-15, so the football produced 13 points more than the hurling equivalent.
This was an amazing game. With five minutes remaining, Carbery trailed by four points despite having conceded four goals. They not only kicked 1-18, a score that would have won most games, but had kicked 13 wides to Muskerry’s five, as they dominated the possession stakes.
But in pushing forward in an effort to save the game, they left the door open behind them. The Muskerry forwards took full advantage to kick three late goals.
‘We will need to improve a lot going forward but any time you score seven goals, you would have to be very happy. To be fair our forward play was very good, some of the goals – be it Chris, Liam or any of the lads – were very good scores,’ said Macroom man Conor Hurley, manager of the Muskerry team.
‘At the other end, I have to highlight the play of our full back line, Neil Lordan in particular, and William Ronan, I thought were outstanding, and Daniel O’Donovan supporting them well. At a crucial stage in the second half, Joe Creedon pulled off a massive save.
‘We took our chances when they came eventually and pulled away in the second half.’
Carbery's Liam Hourihane defending against Muskerry's Chris Óg Jones during the McCarthy Insurance Division/Colleges FC semi-final at Castletownkenneigh on Tuesday evening.Breeze-assisted, it was Carbery who dominated the first quarter with Seán Ryan and Ian Jennings controlling midfield. Points by Damien Gore (two fisted efforts), Ryan O’Donovan (a free, a superb two-pointer from play), and one from play by Keith O’Driscoll, in answer to a solitary score from Ian Jones, had Carbery in front by 0-6 to 0-1 after 15 minutes.
Alan Quinn showed how dangerous the Muskerry forwards might be when he brought a great save from Carbery goalkeeper Damien O’Sullivan. When Quinn was fouled in the square in the 17th minute, Cork footballer Chris Óg Jones lashed home the penalty.
Carbery responded with points from Olan Corcoran and lively wing back Seán Daly. However, just when they were rebuilding their lead, they were caught at the back again when Darragh O’Leary’s shot came back off the post and Ian Jones was on hand to finish to the net. An O’Leary point had the mid-Cork men in front for the first time but on the stroke of half time, Kevin Casey kicked a superb two-pointer to put Carbery back in front at the break, 0-10 to 2-3.
A Seán Daly point stretched the lead to two immediately on the restart but when Seán O’Leary set up Cillian O’Donovan for Muskerry’s third goal, the winners were in front and there to stay.
Muskerry's Ian Jones is tackled by Carbery's Sean O'Riordan.A burst of scores from Chris Óg Jones – 1-2 in three minutes – stretched the lead to six by the 37th minute but Carbery weren’t lying down, with Podge Healy, Ciallan O’Brien, Olan Corcoran, Damien Gore and Aaron Hayes all rising to the challenge. Joe Creedon brought off a great save from Corcoran before Corcoran and Gore (free) cut the deficit to four.
The class of Jones told again as he lashed over a two-pointer before Gore (free) and Liam O’Connor swapped points. It was Muskerry six to the good as the game entered the last quarter but Carbery were winning most of the kickouts and dominating the middle third. Unfortunately, their wide tally wasn’t helping their cause as Gore drove a good chance wide from the edge of the square before pointing a free. Ian Jones responded for Muskerry but Olan Corcoran kicked two fine points to again close the gap to four with five minutes remaining as Carbery battled hard.
The roof really caved in on the West Cork side when Alan Quinn raced through for a marvellous solo goal, and Liam O’Connor followed with another within a minute. An O’Connor point put 11 between the sides but still Carbery refused to quit and they finally raised the green flag they had fought hard for when Corcoran scooped the ball into the roof of the net under pressure. Seán Daly added a point but Muskerry had the last say when a Quinn point was followed by a Jones’ goal deep in injury time, Muskerry’s seventh green flag of the game.
What next? Muskerry, the holders, will play Duhallow in the divisional final on Tuesday, 15th at a Duhallow venue.
Scorers
Muskerry: Chris Óg Jones 3-4 (1 pen, 2pt); Liam O’Connor 1-3; Ian Jones 1-2; Alan Quinn 1-1; Cillian O’Donovan 1-0; Darragh O’Leary 0-1.
Carbery: Olan Corcoran 1-4; Damien Gore 0-5 (3f); Ryan O’Donovan (2pt), Seán Daly 0-3 each; Kevin Casey (2pt) 0-2; Keith O’Driscoll 0-1.
Muskerry: Joe Creedon (Uibh Laoire); Daniel O’Donovan (do.), Neil Lordan (Ballinora), William Ronan (Kilmurry); Seán O’Leary (do.), Paul Ring (Aghabullogue), Aaron O’Sullivan (do.); Cillian O’Donovan (Macroom), Colm Gillespie (Aghabullogue); Alan Quinn (Macroom), Liam O’Connor (Inniscarra), Darragh O’Leary (Naomh Abán); Daniel Kelly (do.), Chris Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire), Ian Jones (do.).
Subs: Eoghan Lehane (Canovee) for D O’Donovan (35), Eolan O’Leary (Macroom) for D O’Leary (35), Kevin Manning (Uibh Laoire) for D Kelly (42), Conor Dodd (Canovee) for S O’Leary (42), Jack O’Donoghue (Uibh Laoire) for C Gillespie (53).
Carbery: Damien O’Sullivan (Ilen Rovers); Seán O’Riordan (Barryroe), Podge Healy (St Oliver Plunkett’s), Liam Hourihane (St Colum’s); Seán Daly (Randal Óg), Cillian O’Brien (Gabriel Rangers), Paddy O’Driscoll (do.); Seán Ryan (Ballinascarthy), Ian Jennings (Kilmacabea); Kevin Casey (Bantry Blues), Aaron Hayes (St James), Olan Corcoran (St Mary’s); Ryan O’Donovan (Barryroe) Damian Gore (Kilmacabea), Keith O’Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers).
Subs: Ger O’Callaghan (Gabriel Rangers) for P O’Driscoll (ht), Luke Shorten (Tadhg MacCárthaigh) for R O’Donovan (40), Michael O’Donovan (Tadhg MacCárthaigh) for K O’Driscoll (44), Philip Wall (Kilbrittain) for K Casey (53), Dave O’Connor (Tadhg MacCárthaigh) for L Hourihane (55).
Referee: James O’Regan (Lough Rovers).
