Douglas 2-14

Beara 0-10

BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS

BEARA went into this county U21 A Football Championship semi-final at Macroom without any quarter-final game, and their lack of preparedness showed starkly in the first half.

City champions Douglas had the benefit of a thrilling win over the highly-rated Muskerry champions Ballincollig in the quarter final, a late goal giving them a two-point winning margin and making them confident, battle-hardened and razor-sharp – qualities clearly missing from the Beara men in the opening half.

In the second half, Beara matched Douglas on the scoreboard and more importantly in the intensity they brought to their play, and even though still well beaten at the end, the Beara men emerged with honour and showed that they too did not lack players of ability and spirit. The first-half performance by Beara was pretty bad. Tackling was almost non-existent, allowing Douglas to dominate all over the field and carve the Beara defence wide open at will. When Beara did get the ball forward, there were too many inaccurate passes, throwing away possession and causing a lowering of morale.

Douglas, a fine side physically, revelled in the space they were given and turned on the style.

Two points from danger man Seán Coakley and one each from Eoin O’Flynn and Harry Quilligan had the city side four points clear before Ben O’Sullivan had an opening point for Beara in the 10th minute.

Douglas added four more points, Seán O’Leary, Coakley, Jack Cunningham and Coakley again the scorers before the 15th minute, and two minutes later the inevitable followed. Another Douglas attack came down the right hand-touchline and Ollie Barry sent over a perfect pass to Jack Cunningham, the corner forward making no mistake from close range. A 10-point deficit (1-8 to 0-1) left Beara facing a drubbing.

In the run-up to half-time, Douglas increased their advantage further with a two-pointer from Seán Coakley which was followed by two points for Beara from Adrigole’s Tom O’Connor. Then Eoin O’Flynn’s point for Douglas was matched by another point from O’Connor, to leave Beara trailing by 1-11 to 0-4 at the interval.

Whatever was said to the Beara lads at the interval, coupled with the introduction of three substitutes, produced a second-half performance which was unrecognisable from that which had preceded it, and did much to restore pride for the western division.

Beara went on the offensive from the throw-in. Castletown’s Ultan Murphy kicked an early point and Tom O’Connor pointed a free after five minutes. Jack O’Brien took a fine point for the city side, matched by another point from Tom O’Connor, leaving it 1-12 to 0-7 on 43 minutes and Beara battling hard now for every ball. Douglas effectively sealed their victory with a second goal at the end of the third quarter and it was a well worked effort, Seán Coakley and Daniel Linehan combining to open the Beara defence before releasing Cunningham to slot home from close range and leave the winners in an unassailable position leading by 2-12 to 0-7.

Cunningham quickly added a fisted point but Beara did not capitulate, battling on gamely to the finish. Tom O’Connor pointed a 24th minute free and James Spencer added another from play a minute later. Seán Coakley, appropriately, had the final score for Douglas, and the city men will now face Ibane Rangers in the county final.

Scorers

Douglas: J Cunningham 2-2, S Coakley 0-7 (1tpf, 3f), E O’Flynn 0-2, H Quilligan, S O’Leary, J O’Brien 0-1 each.

Beara: T O’Connor 0-7 (1tpf, 3f), B O’Sullivan, U Murphy, J Spencer 0-1 each.

Douglas: James O’Flaherty; Donnacha O’Callaghan, James O’Callaghan Maher, Luis Dwan Fogarty; Ollie Barry, James Burke, Colm MacPháidín; Jack O’Brien, Donncha MacPháidín; Adam Young, Seán Coakley, Seán O’Leary; Eoin O’Flynn, Harry Quilligan, Jack Cunningham.

Subs: Daniel Linehan for Young (ht), Chris O’Keeffe for Quilligan (inj, 45), Joe Mouret for Fogarty, Joe Hartnett for D MacPháidín (both 52), Evan Collins for Cunningham (60).

Beara: Joseph O’Donovan (Urhan); Seán Power (Glengarriff), Callum Downing (Adrigole), Shane Collins (Adrigole); Darren Harrington (Glengarriff), Mark Downing (Adrigole), Callum McElhinney (Glengarriff); Gerard O’Shea (Adrigole), Philip Harrington (Glengarriff); Jack Hanley (Castletownbere), Brian O’Sullivan O’Connell (Glengarriff), Niall O’Shea (Urhan); Ben O’Sullivan (Adrigole), Tommy O’Sullivan (Adrigole), Tom O’Connor (Adrigole).

Subs: Danny Walsh (Castletownbere) for Power (inj, 27), James Spencer (Castletownbere) for P Harrington, Ultan Murphy (Castletownbere) for O’Sullivan O’Connell (both ht), Olan Murphy (Castletownbere) for T O’Sullivan, Oisín Lynch (Urhan) for Collins (both 51).

Referee: Liam O’Shea (Carbery Rangers).