Ó Ceallaigh points Naomh Abán to dramatic triumph

Naomh Abán 0-12

Aghinagh 0-11

B KENNEALLY REPORTS

AFTER a rather lacklustre first half dominated by Naomh Abán, this Macroom Motors Muskerry U21BFC final at Macroom on Saturday evening week last burst into life after the break with Aghinagh casting caution to the wind.  

The teams were level at 0-7 each by the 37th minute, Aghinagh having scored five points in a row without reply, and from here to the finish the two teams provided a wonderful contest with neither side able to get a decisive advantage.  

Seven minutes from time, Aghinagh took the lead for the first time when Liam Twohig kicked over his seventh point and only two minutes remained when Diarmuid Ó Ceallaigh pointed a Naomh Abán free from out on the sideline. Injury time was being played and everybody would have settled for a draw when Ó Ceallaigh fired over a superb point from play to break Aghinagh hearts.

Cork U21 Maidhc Ó Duinnín was the dominant player of the first half, opening the scoring from a free after eight minutes and adding three more to make it 0-4 to 0-2 after 18 minutes. The Aghinagh points came from a Liam Twohig free in the 11th minute and a point from play from Michael Horgan three minutes later and they were not to score again until after the break. 

Naomh Abán looked the better side but Aghinagh were not playing to their potential and the winners added further points from Darragh Ó Laoire, Diarmuid Ó Ceallaigh and Ó Laoire again to lead by 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval.

Aghinagh were a revelation in the second half and went into action from the throw in. Liam Twohig had three more points on the board within four minutes, Dermot O’Callaghan made a rousing run out of defence before parting to Adam O’Leary who kicked over another point and when Michael Horgan kicked over his second point in the 37th minute the sides were level and it was game on.

It was still level with eight minutes left and Liam Twohig sent the Aghinagh support into ecstasy with a point from a free, giving his side the lead for the first time in the game. The minutes passed without a score but just when it seemed that Aghinagh would survive, up popped Diarmuid Ó Ceallaigh with a marvellous levelling point and it was he who would get the winner too. 

Scorers

Naomh Abán: M Ó Duinnín 0-7 (4f), D Ó Ceallaigh 0-3 (2f), D Ó Laoire 0-2. 

Aghinagh: L Twohig 0-7 (6f), M Horgan 0-2, A O’Leary, D O’Riordan 0-1 each.

Naomh Abán: Gearóid Ó Luasa; Fionn Ó Loingsigh, Ronán de hÍde, Stiofáin Ó Murchú; Micheál Ó Ceallacháin, Tadgh Ó Riordáin, Aodh Ó Catháin; Conchúir Ó Críodáin, Maidhc Ó Duinnín; Eoin Ó Scanaill, Diarmuid Ó Ceallaigh, Dara Ó Loingsigh; Dara Ó Laoire, Piarais Ó Liatháin, Conchuir Ó Murchú. 

Subs: Conchúir Ó Riordáin, Cian O’Súilleabháin, Diarmuid Ó Meachair.

Aghinagh: Kevin Cotter; Olan Cummins, John Lynch, Micheál O’Connell; Luke O’Leary, Dermot O’Callaghan, Andrew Murphy; Matt McCarthy, Shane Corkery; Adam O’Leary, Diarmuid Crowley, Michael Horgan; Donagh O’Riordan, Aodh Twomey, Liam Twohig. 

Subs: Eoin McCarthy, Richard Cotter.

Referee: Ted Hayes (Éire Óg).