IN a game where both sides had under a 50 per cent conversion rate and turnovers were evenly shared, this final came down to big moments.

Barryroe provided them late on, showing their Carbery-winning experience.

Their last triumph was in 2023, when they defeated Kilmacabea. St Mary’s last Mick McCarthy Cup win was in 2014. Nine Barryroe players started both finals, and they know how to win Carbery deciders.

Following a ten-minute scoreless spell, Olan O’Donovan and Luke Murphy stepped up with two crucial points.

Barryroe had led by three at the break, but their only second-half scores before those late points came from Ryan O’Donovan’s two-point free and Daniel Moloney.

With the Blues leading 1-7 to 0-9, Jack Hurley had a chance to equalise for St Mary’s but hit it wide. Darren O’Donovan and Brian McCarthy had also missed opportunities to level matters.

Barryroe were feeling the heat but came up trumps. Goalkeeper Liam Colbert cleverly found Michael Walsh from a short kick-out after Hurley’s miss. A patient build-up followed, with Daniel Moloney finding Olan O’Donovan, who jinked into space and slotted over.

St Mary’s went long from the next restart, but man-of-the-match Mike Collins came up with a clean catch to set Barryroe on the attack again. This time, captain O’Donovan turned provider to find Murphy, who extended the lead.

The record books will remember the scorers, but Colbert and Collins made the big plays that allowed those scores to happen. That’s what wins championships.

Barryroe had lost all six of their kick-outs in the first half, despite leading 1-4 to 0-1 inside 25 minutes. Credit to St Mary’s, with Rory O’Connor, Brian Everard, Darren O’Donovan and Eoin Keohane forcing the mistakes.

It wasn’t until the 37th minute that Barryroe won their own restart, but they improved dramatically in the second half, winning seven of nine against the wind.

Former Dohenys manager Declan O’Dwyer’s sideline decisions also proved important. When things weren’t going to plan, Barryroe changed their approach, with Collins moving out around the middle. He won four kick-outs in the latter half, including a big one in stoppage time.

A cagey affair required courage, and Barryroe had heroes all over the pitch.