Connolly goal fires Skibb minors to county title

O’Donovan Rossa 2-10     

Boherbue 1-9

B KENNEALLY REPORTS

SKIBBEREEN minor footballers gained some compensation for their county championship final defeat to Kilshannig by taking the Rebel Óg county minor A football league title in a very exciting game at Tom Creedon Park, Macroom on Sunday afternoon last.  

Skibb looked out of sorts in the first half and Boherbue deserved their interval lead of 1-7 to 1-2  - but the Skibb mentors got their thinking caps on and came up with the alterations that swung the game their way eventually.  

Victory was achieved in the end by a superb 55th minute goal that started with the outstanding Jamie Shanahan in defence and involved  Dylan Hourihane, who released Elliot Connolly, and he finished finished with a bullet-like drive to the Boherbue net. This goal put Skibb in front by two points and crowned a magnificent second-half comeback marked by effort and skill.

Boherbue started well and were two points up when they conceded a penalty in the ninth minute, Skibb’s Rory Byrne being pulled down close to goal and Dylan Hourihane made no mistake from the spot kick.  

Byrne added a point from a free but Boherbue came back with points from Brian Herlihy and two from David O’Connor to regain the lead by the 18th minute. After they were awarded a penalty in the 24th minute, David O’Connor’s goal from the spot gave the Duhallow boys a 1-5 to 1-1 lead. Rory Byrne had a badly-needed point for Skibb but back came Boherbue with a brace to lead by five points at the interval.

There was a big change in attitude from the West Cork boys in the second half. Dylan Hourihane had two points early on and Kevin Hurley’s shot was deflected over for another point in the 36th minute. 

When Dylan Hourihane pointed another free for Skibb, the gap was down to the minimum and Boherbue were reeling.  

The Duhallow boys badly needed a score and it came in the 40th minute from David O’Connor but Sean Fitzgerald quickly replied for the winners to leave the score at 1-8 to 1-7.

The final quarter started with the Skibb equaliser, Eoin O’Connell on target after a great phase of flowing football from both teams. Six minutes from time Boherbue regained their narrow lead when Ross O’Connor’s shot hit the upright and bounced over but a minute later came the decisive Skibb second goal. After that there was to no stopping the West Cork boys.  

Shane O’Driscoll opened up a one-goal gap with a point in the 58th minute and in injury time Dylan Hourihane had the simple task of kicking over a free from in front of the posts to secure the win.

Scorers

O’Donovan Rossa: D Hourihane 1-4 (1-0 pen, 3f); E Connolly 1-0; R Byrne 0-2 (1f); K Hurley, E O’Connell, S Fitzgerald, S O’Driscoll 0-1 each.   

Boherbue: D O’Connor 1-4 (1-0 pen); B Herlihy 0-2; CJ O’Sullivan, B Murphy, R O’Connor 0-1 each. 

O’Donovan Rossa: Paul Minihane; Padraig O’Neill, Eoin Fitzgerald, Ross Fitzgerald; Jamie Shanahan, Dylan O’Donovan, Shane O’Driscoll; Jack Cowap, Sean Fitzgerald; Michael O’Sullivan, Rory Byrne, Dyal Hourihane; Eoin O’Connell, Elliot Connolly, Kevin Hurley. 

Sub: Muiris Waugh (50). 

Boherbue: B J Dunston; Pat Daly, Michael Daly, Lee Deane; Fintan O’Connor, Jack Daly, Oisín Healy; Colm O’Keeffe, CJ O’Sullivan; Brian Herlihy, Brian Murphy, Gerry O’Sullivan; Alan O’Connor, Ross O’Connor, David O’Connor. 

Sub: Hugh P O’Connor (45).

Referee: Gerard Keating (Millstreet).