Barryroe 2-14
Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas 2-14
JOHN MURPHY REPORTS
THEY haven’t gone away you know! Both 2023 Carbery junior A football champions Barryroe and last year’s beaten finalists Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas signalled to all and sundry at blustery Barryroe on Saturday that they will be well in the reckoning in this year’s competition.
This was a game of non-stop football in the Dubliner Cheese Carbery-Beara Division 1 Football League, both sides showing flair, tenacity and pillar-to-post accuracy. In the end a draw was a fair result.
The old cliché of a game of two halves was certainly relevant. The opening 30 minutes was controlled by the Blues before Mathúnas staged a Lazarus-like revival, coming from 2-10 to 0-5 in arrears at the break to eking out a deserved draw.
‘Certainly, the wind was a factor,’ Mathúnas manager John Roche said. ‘We also made a few changes at half-time and they worked out well while we cut out some of the supply of ball to attack. We asked the lads to come out for the second half in positive mode. They did just that and of course the goals by James (Fleming) and Jamie (Lucey) played a big role. We could have nicked it with our third goal chance, but a draw was a good result. Remember, Barryroe are currently the league leaders.’
Two early points by the outstanding Ryan O’Donovan set the scene as white flags from frees by Stephen Moore and Jack O’Callaghan tied it up. Despite playing against the stiff wind Mathúnas were enjoying positive possession, with Conor O’Sullivan, Aaron Draper, Stephen Moore, James Fleming and Jamie Lucey all catching the eye. It was 0-5 to 0-3 in favour of Mathúnas by the 19th minute, but ominously the threat from the brilliant O’Donovan on the mark was looming large. Suddenly, a Blues scoring tsunami erupted, sending shock waves reverberating through Mathúnas ranks.
Ryan O’Donovan powered over a glorious two-pointer from the right wing. He repeated the feat in the next sequence of action. Substitute Donal Ó Buachalla cut out a Mathúnas clearance, fed O’Donovan with an astute pass and the latter powered an unstoppable drive past Oisín O’Leary. Tomás Ó Buachalla added a point. O’Donovan then completed his hat-trick of two-pointers. When Tomás Ó Buachalla billowed the Mathúnas net, incredibly Barryroe had scored 2-7 without reply in a ten-minute spell to lead 2-10 to 0-5 at the break.
It was a daunting task facing Mathúnas, but whatever words of wisdom were imparted in the dressing-room, they worked. Stephen Moore pointed a free, substitute Ciarán O’Donovan made an immediate mark and while Tomás Ó Buachalla and O’Donovan (45) split the posts, the Blues scoring well had dried up considerably.
A magnificent Aaron Draper two-pointer, a Jamie Lucey free and when James Fleming cracked a superb drive past the impressive Barryroe debutant goalkeeper Seán Flynn together with a superb point by Conor O’Sullivan, the cat was really amongst the pigeons.
Stephen Moore and Donal Ó Buachalla exchanged points, but the winds of scoring change were firmly blowing in Mathúnas direction now. This was evidenced when Jamie Lucey powered home a beauty to set up an exhilarating finale. Impressive winger Luke Murphy looked to have won it for Barryroe, 2-14 to 2-12 with time almost up. However, a fabulous two-pointer by substitute Seán Crowley earned Mathúnas a deserved draw.
‘Our work-rate around the breaking ball, the display of young Seán Flynn between the posts, some great goals and magical two-pointers were very positive factors in the first half,’ explained Barryroe selector Gearóid Whelton.
‘However, we allowed Mathúnas too much latitude in the second half, they are a good side and never give up easily. A positive is that we had three minors playing tonight – we need a big panel if we are to challenge for honours.’
Our Star: Who else but the irrepressible Ryan O’Donovan at full forward for Barryroe – he showed control, composure and his clinical edge to bag an impressive 1-10.
Scorers - Barryroe: Ryan O’Donovan 1-10 (3tp, 2f, 1 45); Tomás Ó Buachalla 1-2; Luke Murphy, Donal Ó Buachalla 0-1 each. Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas: Jamie Lucey 1-1, James Fleming 1-0; Stephen Moore (2f), Aaron Draper (tp) 0-3 each; Jack O’Callaghan (2f), Seán Crowley (tp) 0-2 each; Ciarán O’Donovan 0-1.
Barryroe: Kieran Griffin; Daniel Moloney, James Moloney, Michael Walsh; Aaron Fleming, Seán O’Riordan, Diarmuid McCarthy; Cathal Sheehy, Michael Ryan; Brian O’Donovan, Tomás Ó Buachalla, Luke Murphy; Dave O’Sullivan, Ryan O’Donovan, Adam McSweeney. Subs: Seán Flynn for Kieran Griffin (inj, 4); Donal Ó Buachalla for Cathal Sheehy (23), David Murphy for Adam McSweeney (43), Ciarán O’Regan for Diarmuid McCarthy (56).
Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas: Oisín O’Leary; Gavin Ahern, Nick Hilliard, Ronan McCarthy; Eddie Mangan, Conor O’Sullivan, Barry Lordan; Micheál O’Sullivan, Ted Lordan; Patrick Collins, Stephen Moore, Aaron Draper; James Fleming, Jamie Lucey, Jack O’Callaghan. Subs: Ciarán O’Donovan for Patrick Collins (ht), Seán Crowley for Gavin Ahern (ht), Robbie Lucey for James Fleming (53).
Referee: Michael Collins (Clonakilty).
