Super sub Aaron Mannix nails injury-time 45 as Dohenys edge ‘proper’ derby clash

DOHENYS  0-9

NEWCESTOWN  0-8

GER McCARTHY REPORTS

THE bragging rights – and two championship points – are in Dunmanway following this derby clash in Group C of the Bon Secours Senior A Football Championship at Rossmore.

New kid on the block Aaron Mannix held his nerve to score an injury-time 45 as Dohenys saw off Newcestown in this all West Cork clash on Saturday.

This was a hard-hitting local derby, high on effort but disappointingly low on quality. That’s because two committed teams’ efforts were thwarted by a strong wind blowing across a perfect playing surface.

Defences were dominant, turnovers aplenty, and although there were some terrific individual scores, this clash proved a frustratingly stop-start affair. Granted, it was the first day out for both teams, who were level on eight occasions. Bottom line is that improvement is needed from each club in their remaining group matches.

Dohenys won’t care one iota having chiselled out a victory after falling a point behind as the clock reached 60 minutes. Colm O’Shea levelled before substitute Aaron Mannix nailed a match-winning 45.

Newcestown's Richard O'Sullivan strides away from Dohenys' Shane Barry.

‘Jesus, that was a proper championship game,’ Dohenys manager Declan O’Dwyer said.

‘All day long, it was a massive battle.

To be fair, we are a very young team but it was the likes of Mark Buckley, Fionn Herlihy, Eoin Lavers and Johnny Kelly, some of our main players, who showed up and took the fight to them.

‘We have seen what Aaron (Mannix) can do over the last few weeks at training. He is just a massive boost to the panel with his physicality and all that. This is a huge win for us.’

The contrast in Newcestown’s mood could not have been starker at the final whistle.

Two tough group games against Ilen Rovers and Bishopstown will take place after a couple of rounds of the dual club’s senior A hurling championship.

Newcestown's David Buckley is held back by Dohenys' Johnny Kelly.

‘Deep into injury-time, it looked like we had it,’ Newcestown coach Kevin Mulcahy commented.

‘You have to credit Dohenys, they just kept coming. We lacked a little bit of discipline in defence at times but look, it was our first championship game. There was a lot of rustiness and it was the first time this 15 has played together in a competitive game. Nobody let us down. That was serious championship football, a proper game, a proper West Cork derby.’

Dohenys’ Colm O’Shea opened the scoring but Sean O’Donovan quickly replied. Each team would kick five wides during the opening half and finish with ten (each) in total.

It was 0-3 apiece after 21 minutes following David Buckley and Niall Kelly (both frees) were answered by Fionn Herlihy and Mark Buckley (free) efforts for Dohenys.

Colm O’Shea’s black card didn’t affect the Dunmanway side despite Niall Kelly adding their opponent’s only score during that ten-minute spell. Newcestown did lead 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval following a David Buckley long-range point after Keith White had levelled matters for a fourth time.

There was little change to the pattern of a game blighted by niggly fouls and wayward shooting in the second period.

Once again Newcestown pushed ahead, 0-7 to 0-6, thanks to a Richard O’Sullivan shot that scraped the crossbar plus a David Buckley free. Fionn Herlihy and Mark Buckley (free) were on target for Dohenys.

Then came a turning point as Newcestown’s James Kelleher was black-carded after 54 minutes. Creditably, Newcestown dug in and edged back in front courtesy of Niall Kelly on 60 minutes. Dohenys refused to yield, and a superb Colm O’Shea injury-time point levelled it 0-8 to 0-8. A draw looked the likeliest outcome until substitute Aaron Mannix made no mistake from a match-winning 45.

Scorers 

Dohenys: M Buckley 0-3 (3f); C O’Shea, F Herlihy 0-2 each; K White, A Mannix (1 45) 0-1 each.

Newcestown: D Buckley (2f), N Kelly (1f) 0-3 each; S O’Donovan, R O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Dohenys: S Daly; D Rice, S Daly, J Farrell; C Daly, E Lavers, B O’Donovan; J Kelly, R Coakley; A O’Donovan, C O’Shea, S Barry, K White, F Herlihy, M Buckley.

Subs: A Mannix for S Barry (40), D Collins for E Lavers (46, inj).

Newcestown: C White; C O’Donovan, C Twomey, G O’Donovan; N Murray, M McSweeney, J Kelleher; S O’Donovan, L Meade; C Goggin, T Twomey, R O’Sullivan; N Kelly, D Buckley, R Sweeney.

Subs: C Dineen for C Goggin (43), C Keane for T Twomey (45).

Referee: M Collins (Clonakilty).