Ryan hails Carbery heroes after sensational two-goal comeback

Carbery 2-20

Carrigdhoun 1-22

JOHN MURPHY REPORTS

LAZARUS, take up thy bed and walk to Ahiohill!

On a night when the host club was creating their own bit of history by staging the first-ever senior hurling championship match on their resplendent ground, the Carbery senior hurlers made it an occasion to remember when a dramatic comeback in this exhilarating county senior divisions/colleges round-three clash against Carrigdhoun.

The clock had ticked over into the 62nd minute and Carbery’s goose looked cooked, never having taken the lead against a classy and clinical Carrigdhoun.

But there is something to admire about this current crop of Carbery hurlers.

Determination, great one-to-one defending, they were displaying it in spades, but Carrigdhoun held the whip hand, 1-22 to 0-20 ahead and full-time looming.

Carrigdhoun's Brian Kelleher is dispossessed by Carbery's Sean O'Riordan during the Cork Divisional/College hurling championship quarter-final at Ahiohill.

Throwing caution to the wind, Carbery came forward with a relentless late bombardment. Philp Wall instigated the move, substitute Donnacha Collins was grounded and holding his nerve, captain Michael Cahalane left excellent Carrigdhoun shot-stopper Ted O’Callaghan helpless with a blockbusting drive from a 20-metre free. Goal.

Surely that was it? A glorious performance ending in a narrow defeat? Try telling that to the Carbery lads.

Time for one last play. A great ball won by wingback Peter Collins, a lung-bursting drive by the mercurial Darren O’Donovan, a piledriver to the net, both goals inside 60 seconds and Carbery had done the seemingly impossible – certain defeat turned into glorious victory.

‘We never gave up the ghost,’ Carbery manager Joe Ryan beamed. ‘We knew at half-time we had missed three clear-cut goal-scoring chances in the opening half, so the opportunities would arise. Darren (O’Donovan) was out of luck early on but he delivered the goods in style with that brilliant goal as did captain Michael Cahalane from that crucial free.

‘I am delighted for the players. They hung in there, showed great character and got their just rewards. It is a good boost for Carbery hurling. I loved the commitment and resilience the lads showed.’

Carbery's Philip Wall attempts to burst past Carrigdhoun's William Hurley during the Cork Divisional/College hurling championship quarter-final at Ahiohill.

Carrigdhoun were out of traps early and with the Kelleher brothers, Ronan and Brian, together with Adam O’Sullivan, Rhys McCarthy and Conor Desmond leading by example, the Carbery defence – with Seán O’Riordan, James Moloney and Aidan O’Donovan working hard – was under pressure.

Eoghan Ferguson forced outstanding Carrigdhoun goalkeeper Ted O’Callaghan into the first of three magnificent saves as Carbery began to get a foothold, but still trailed on a double scores margin, 0-6 to 0-3, at the close of the opening quarter.

The Kelleher brothers were splitting the posts with clockwork regularity, but the excellence of free-taker Maurice Sexton, the industry of Luke Murray and Josh O’Donovan and some neat scores by Darren O’Donovan, Michael Cahalane, Aidan O’Donovan and Josh O’Donovan saw Carbery adrift by the minimum, 0-10 to 0-9, at the interval.

Upping the tempo and pace on resuming Carrigdhoun hit Carbery with a tsunami of good quality points – Adam O’Sullivan, Ronan Kelleher and a brace by the excellent Rhys McCarthy – to go five clear. Undaunted, Carbery took up the struggle, as Josh O’Donovan, Luke Murray and Philip Wall all performed the oracle.

However, what looked like the crucial score arrived in the 42nd minute when Seán Lombard ghosted past a trio of Carbery defenders and with a deft flick of the wrist billowed the Carbery net. The losers’ tails were up and despite Carbery trading score for score, it looked a formality that they would prevail.

But Carbery had other ideas and fashioned the most unlikely, but glorious triumph with that blockbuster final two-goal salvo.

Scorers

Carbery: Maurice Sexton 0-11 (10f); Darren O’Donovan 1-2; Mike Cahalane 1-1 (1-0f); Josh O’Donovan, Philip Wall 0-2 each; Aidan O’Donovan, Luke Murray 0-1 each.

Carrigdhoun: Brian Kelleher 0-7 (3f); Adam O’Sullivan 0-6; Ronan Kelleher 0-4; Rhys McCarthy 0-3; Seán Lombard 1-0; Conor Desmond 0-2.

Carbery: Aaron Holland (Kilbrittain); Seán O’Riordan (Barryroe), James Hurley (Kilbrittain), James Moloney (Barryroe); Peter Collins (Randal Óg), Aidan O’Donovan (Ballinascarthy), Seán Sexton (Kilbrittain); Luke Murray (Ballinascarthy), Josh O’Donovan (Kilbrittain); Maurice Sexton (Kilbrittain), Michael Cahalane (Bandon), Darren O’Donovan (St Mary’s); Eoghan Ferguson (Ballinascarthy), Philip Wall (Kilbrittain), Shane Murnane (St Colum’s).

Subs: Eoin Ryan (Clonakilty) for Shane Murnane (38), Cathal Sheehy (Barryroe) for Seán Sexton (46), Donnacha Collins (Randal Óg) for Luke Murray (48).

Carrigdhoun: Ted O’Callaghan (Kinsale); Joe O’Sullivan (Belgooly), Kevin Maguire (Ballinhassig), Eoin Lombard (Ballinhassig); Kealan O’Rourke (Kinsale), William Hurley (Valley Rovers), Mark Hitchmough (Shamrocks); Ronan Kelleher (Carrigaline), Rhys McCarthy (Carrigaline); Brian Kelleher (Carrigaline), Conor Desmond (Ballinhassig), Adam O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); Eoin O’Donovan (Belgooly), Michael Murphy (Kinsale), Seán Lombard (Ballinhassig).

Subs: Richard Lombard (Ballinhassig) for Eoin O’Donovan (42), Neil O’Sullivan (Belgooly)for Kealan O’Rourke (50,) Ryan Long (Belgooly) for Rhys McCarthy (50).

Referee: Aidan Hyland (Kilworth).