Returning star Gore fires Kilmacabea into semis

Kilmacabea 1-15

Carbery Rangers 1-12 

TOM LYONS REPORTS

WHEN Kilmacabea reflect on this quarter-final of the Bandon Co-op junior A football championship in sun-splashed Rossmore on Sunday, they will wonder how they were left hanging on to a dangerous three-point lead in the closing minutes when they seemed to have this game safely wrapped up at different times.

They will probably decide that this Jekyll and Hyde performance will not suffice to bring the Mick McCarthy Cup back to Leap for the fourth time at the end of October. They will also give thanks that Damien Gore is fit again as the Cork player rifled over ten points, four from play, with some spectacular points from placed balls.

But good as he was, Gore was matched, score for score, by Jack O’Regan for Rangers, also with ten points to his name, again four from play. While all else is forgotten, this shooting exhibition by two outstanding forwards will be long remembered.

‘That wasn’t exactly the way we wanted to finish the game, in danger of conceding an equalising goal,’ admitted Kilmac manager Shane Crowley. ‘We did get off to a great start, playing good football, but then we started taking it into contact, being turned over. That seemed to give Ross a boost and it took energy from us. We were lucky Damien was in shooting form.’

Kilmacabea's Martin Collins closes in on Carbery Rangers' Pa Hurley during the Bandon Co-op JAFC quarter-final at Rossmore. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Points from Donncha McCarthy and Damien Gore (2) followed by an opportunist goal by Declan O’Sullivan in the seventh minute, who was first to the ball when a Gore free came back off an upright, had the Kilmacs off to a perfect start. Jack O’Regan (free) got Ross off the ground in the 16th minute, and over the following ten minutes they outscored the Kilmacs by four points to one. O’Regan kicked three and Ben Lenihan got the fourth, Gore replying for the Kilmacs. The lead was now down to two. O’Regan and Gore kicked another two points each to leave the Kilmacs in front by 1-6 to 0-7 at the break.

The second half began with the lively Chris O’Donovan and O’Regan swapping points with goalkeeper Colin McCarthy (free) and Gore, who fisted over when he might have goaled. The Kilmacs then hit a good patch with three in a row from Gore (free), Ray Shanahan and sub Daniel O’Donovan, but O’Regan was unstoppable, answering with two points. The Kilmacs, with numerous subs, were finishing stronger and four unanswered points from Gore (3) and Donncha McCarthy had them seven to the good with normal time elapsed.

Battling Ross were not finished yet and in injury time, Michael Mennis finished to the Kilmac net, and O’Regan added a point. Ross went looking for the equalising goal, with Owen Tobin intercepting a Ross pass on his own 13-metre line deep in injury time, much to Kilmacabea’s relief.

Scorers

Kilmacabea: Damien Gore 0-10 (6f); Declan O’Sullivan 1-0; Donncha McCarthy 0-2; Ray Shanahan, Daniel O’Donovan, Colin McCarthy (1f) 0-1 each.

Carbery Rangers: Jack O’Regan 0-10 (5f, 1 45); Michael Mennis 1-0; Ben Linehan, Christopher O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Kilmacabea: Colin McCarthy; Liam Tobin, Darren Whooley, Mark Jennings; Diarmuid O’Callaghan, Martin Collins, Eamonn Shanahan; Joseph Collins, Ruairí Hourihane; Donncha McCarthy, Ian Jennings, Ray Shanahan; Owen Tobin, Declan O’Sullivan, Damien Gore.

Subs: Daniel O’Donovan for E Shanahan (ht), Keith Whelton for D O’Sullivan (45), Odhran Kerrisk for R Hourihane (45), Liam Mccarthy for R Shanahan (52), R Hourihane for J Collins (56).

Carbery Rangers: Ronan Miller; Ciarán McCarthy, Killian Eady, Séamus O’Mahony; Colm O’Mahony, Kieran O’Regan, Alan O’Rourke; Michael Mennis, Pat Hurley; Christopher O’Donovan, Jack O’Regan, Caolan Hayes; Conor Twomey, Ben Linehan, Ciarán Calnan.

Subs: Evan Browne for M Mennis (40), Colm Hayes for B Linehan (45), Kieran Fitzpatrick for C Twomey (50), M. Mennis for A O’Rourke (58).