Kilmacabea 1-14

Donoughmore 1-7

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

A STORMING finish paved the way for Kilmacabea’s triumph over Donoughmore in the county junior A football championship final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

Trailing by 1-6 to 0-7 with 42 minutes gone, the Carbery kingpins got back on terms through points from Eamonn Shanahan and Keith Whelton before the last quarter dawned, and a goal from substitute Ray Shanahan three minutes later set them firmly on the road to a historic first title success.

Heavily involved in the lead-up to Shanahan’s goal was another substitute Liam McCarthy, making it abundantly clear the return Kilmacabea got from the bench had a crucial bearing on the outcome.

Manager Donie O’Donovan agreed, revealing it’s something that has served the team well all season.

‘We make the changes with the aim of getting a bit stronger in the latter stages of a match, and it worked for us again today, with Ray and Liam both delivering the goods,’ said the Kilmacabea boss, who felt Daniel O’Donovan was also hugely influential in the second half.

‘Daniel is 38 years old, and I had to beg him to come back (from retirement), and what an impact he made in the second half today.’

As regards the backroom set-up, the recruitment of James McCarthy, who boasts an impressive CV as coach with his home club Castlehaven, has been a key factor in Kilmacabea’s progress, according to O’Donovan.

The Kilmacabea entourage celebrates their famous win in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

‘There were lots of people doing great work behind the scenes, but we felt we needed a bit extra to get us over the line, and James McCarthy was the difference. He has been involved with us for the past three months, and I have no hesitation in saying we wouldn’t be here today without him.’

On the field of play, O’Donovan suggested the essential difference in the end was that Kilmacabea had a bit more quality in attack.

‘I thought Eamonn Shanahan gave a man-of-the-match display, but our backs were excellent as well, and it was a solid team performance that did the trick,’ he said, describing his feeling in the wake of a memorable victory as ecstatic.

It was hard-earned against a youthful Donoughmore outfit that opened the scoring through full-forward Scott Barrett inside two minutes.

After Kilmacabea responded with a point from Daniel O’Donovan and a two-pointer from a free by goalkeeper Colin McCarthy, the Muskerry side regained the lead with an absolute peach of a goal from Gavin O’Sullivan in the 18th minute.

Smartly eluding the attentions of a cluster of Kilmacabea defenders, O’Sullivan raced in from the right wing before drilling the ball with power and accuracy past the helpless Colin McCarthy.

O’Sullivan tacked on two points from placed balls, the second from a 45, to make 1-3 to 0-3 with 22 minutes gone. An exchange of points followed between Eamonn Shanahan and Donoughmore’s David McDonnell before Kilmacabea’s Damien Gore completed the first-half scoring from a free.

Captain Ian Jennings arrives in Leap with the cup on Sunday night. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

The Carbery side, 1-4 to 0-5 behind at half-time, quickly erased the deficit on the resumption courtesy of a two-pointer from Ian Jennings, but Gavin O’Sullivan, displaying stunningly delightful skill, bagged the next two scores for Donoughmore.

That was as good as it got for the losers, who had a lucky escape in the 38th minute when Liam McCarthy got a fist to a Daniel O’Donovan delivery, and the ball struck the head of unsuspecting Donoughmore custodian Kevin O’Riordan.

Daniel O’Donovan, distributing his possession to good effect, pulled most of the strings around the middle as Kilmacabea gradually began to squeeze the life out of Donoughmore’s dogged resistance.

Owen Tobin, Diarmuid O’Callaghan and especially Martin Collins also did their bit in the half-back line to ensure Kilmacabea gained a territorial edge, and they never looked back after making a major breakthrough in the 44th minute.

Taking a return pass from Ray Shanahan, Liam McCarthy moved goalwards at pace before bringing the best out of Donoughmore netminder O’Riordan, who could do nothing to prevent Shanahan from firing home the rebound.

That was the signal for Kilmacabea to turn on the style in earnest, with Damien Gore, fed by Ray Shanahan, pushing them 1-10 to 0-6 ahead, Eamonn Shanahan adding a two-pointer and Liam McCarthy getting on the scoresheet with a cracking shot that was deflected over the bar by Kevin O’Riordan.

Eamonn Shanahan, so industrious over the hour, then brought his contribution to five points before David McDonnell posted a consolation point for Donoughmore, who simply had no answers once Kilmacabea clicked into top gear.

OUR STAR: Eamonn Shanahan shipped a heavy tackle in the first quarter, but he returned to the action after treatment to play a starring role as a roaming corner forward. He kicked 0-5.

Scorers

Kilmacabea: E Shanahan 0-5 (1 2pt); C McCarthy 0-2 (2ptf); I Jennings 0-2 (2pt); D Gore 0-2 (1f); D O’Donovan, K Whelton, L McCarthy 0-1 each.

Donoughmore: G O’Sullivan 1-4 (1f, 1 45); D McDonnell 0-2; S Barrett 0-1.

Kilmacabea: C McCarthy; L Tobin, D Whooley, C Tobin; O Tobin, M Collins, D O’Callaghan; D O’Donovan, I Jennings; O Kerrisk, K Whelton, D McCarthy; D Gore, J Collins, E Shanahan.

Subs: L McCarthy for Kerris (ht), R Shanahan for J Collins (40), C Whelton for Whelton, (63).

Donoughmore: K O’Riordan; R Honohan, D Forde, S Broderick; D Morrissey, J Crowley, K O’Connell; S O’Hanlon, M Lucey; D Holland, D McDonnell, A Dinan; G O’Sullivan, S Barrett, D Keating.

Subs: L O’Sullivan for O’Connell (47), T Murphy for Dinan (49), J McCarthy for Forde (49), J Murphy for Keating (54), J Twomey for Lucey (56).

Referee: A O’Connor (Ballygarvan).