Kilmacabea 0-15

St Mary’s 0-10

TOM LYONS REPORTS

CAPTAIN Ian Jennings was the hero as reigning champions Kilmacabea defended their Bandon Co-op Carbery junior A football title.

With his side trailing by four points at half time of Sunday’s final in Skibbereen, having played against the strong breeze, midfielder Jennings took the game by the scruff of the neck in the third quarter. He kicked three glorious two-pointers in a row from play in the space of five minutes to give his side the lead for the first time.

Again, with the game in injury time and Kilmacs hanging on to a two-point lead against a resurgent St Mary’s, Jennings kicked his fourth two-pointer, followed by a single white flag, to puncture the ambitions of the Enniskeane/Ballineen men.

‘The wind was very strong and you could see that it wouldn’t take a whole pile to send over a two-pointer,’ man-of-the-match Jennings said.

‘I just thought I’d have a lash, and for once they went over. I was trying a few before the game in the warm-up and had a good feel for the wind. It was sweet to get them.

‘We weren’t worried at half time as we knew the wind was very strong and that they would find it difficult to score against it in the second half. We have the experience of winning finals and that definitely helped – we never panicked at any stage.’

St Mary's Michael O'Driscoll closes in on Kilmacabea's Donnacha McCarthy.

This was far from a one-man show for the winners. Against the wind, and a lot of pressure from St Mary’s in the first half, they had to do a lot of defending. Martin Collins was outstanding at centre back, and was well flanked by Owen Tobin and Diarmuid O’Callaghan.

St Mary’s looked the stronger side in the first half and centre-forward Darren O’Donovan was their go-to man in the opening quarter when he pointed three times in succession. They could have goaled but Brian McCarthy’s close-in shot was blocked on the goal line. With Damien Gore under close surveillance up front, Kilmacs had only one point to their credit in the opening quarter, a free from Gore.

Impressive wing back Jack Eady pointed for Mary’s before Kilmac goalkeeper Colin McCarthy kicked a superb 45 against the wind. The elusive Niall Kelleher hit a top-class two-pointer to open a four-point gap but a five-minute break to repair a goal net gave Kilmacabea time to recover.

Gore pointed a free, having just blazed a goal shot wide, but the Kilmac forwards were winning little ball against a tigerish Marys’ defence, well marshalled by Mark O’Driscoll, William Hennigan and Jack Eady, with Rory O’Connor doing great work in the middle third. Keith Whelton was unlucky to see his shot coming back off the Marys’ post with the goalie beaten before improving Gore kicked his third point.

Carbery GAA Chairman David Whyte presents the Clash Awards man-of-the-match trophy to Kilmacabea's Ian Jennings.

It was looking good for the Kilmacs, only two in arrears approaching half time, but then Brian McCarthy produced a fine two-pointer for Mary’s to double the gap at the break, 0-8 to 0-4. Was it enough against the wind?

The second half was scoreless until Ian Jennings took matters into his captain’s hands from midfield. His three successive two-pointers between the 38th and 43rd minutes not only shoved his side two in front but changed the momentum of the game.

Entering the last quarter, Kilmacs were oozing confidence. The ageless Donncha McCarthy stretched the lead to three beginning the final quarter.

What the game may have lacked in excitement or championship intensity up to then, it more than compensated in the last quarter as Mary’s regrouped with subs Jason Collins, Stephen Keohane and Aaron O’Driscoll giving them added impetus.

Niall Kelleher’s free was answered by a point from play by promising wing forward Keith Whelton, but when Darren O’Donovan kicked his fourth point with three minutes remaining of normal time, the gap was a dangerous two.

The strong wind meant Mary’s were unlikely to kick a match-saving two-pointer, so all concentration was on defending the goal. The Kilmac defenders did exceptionally well in that respect. In the 63rd minute they turned over possession and in a lightning break, Ian Jennings was on hand to kick his fourth two-pointer of the game.

The Kilmacabea team and supporters celebrate after defeating St Mary's in the Bandon Co-op JAFC final. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

It was game, set and match to Kilmacs as Jennings crowned his match-winning performance with the last point of the game. Back-to-back titles for Kilmacs, a fifth title in nine years and the added prestige of winning the Carbery centenary final and the specially-commissioned medals.

‘We were worried until the last whistle was blown, to tell you the truth,’ admitted an exhausted manager Donie O’Donovan, hailing the influence of his captain.

‘Ian has been super all season, our main man in so many games. He has been a great captain all season. Martin (Collins) was superb at centre back, covering acres. He was injured all week and I got so many texts enquiring would he be playing today. You saw what he meant to the team out there. Every player on the pitch, what a bunch of lads.’

There were great celebrations as the Mick McCarthy Cup, commemorating the local legendary Skibbereen footballer, was presented to winning captain Ian Jennings by chairman of the Carbery Board, David Whyte.

OUR STAR: Special mention to Martin Collins who covered acres of ground for Kilmacs all through the game but it was captain Ian Jennings who took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half with his four superb two-pointers to win the game.

Scorers

Kilmacabea: Ian Jennings 0-9 (4 2pts); Damien Gore 0-3 (2f); Donncha McCarthy, Keith Whelton, Colin McCarthy 0-1 each.

St Mary’s: Darren O’Donovan 0-4; Niall Kelleher 0-3 (1f, 2pt); Brian McCarthy (2pt) 0-2; Jack Eady 0-1.

Kilmacabea: Colin McCarthy; Liam Tobin, Darren Whooley, Dara Tobin; Owen Tobin, Martin Collins, Diarmuid O’Callaghan; Odhran Kerrisk, Ian Jennings; Donncha McCarthy, Damien Gore, Keith Whelton; Eamon Shanahan, Joe Collins, Liam McCarthy.

Subs: Daniel O’Donovan for L McCarthy (ht), Ruairí Hourihane for J Collins (58), Cillian Whelton for O Kerrisk (63).

St Mary’s: Peter Daly; Mark O’Driscoll, Ryan Scannell, William Hennigan; Jack Eady, David Curtin, Rory O’Connor; Cillian McGillicuddy, Eoin Cullinane; Michael O’Driscoll, Darren O’Donovan, Gearóid Harrington; Niall Kelleher, Brian McCarthy, Jack Hurley.

Subs: Jason Collins for C McGillicuddy (38), S Keohane for G Harrington (40), A O’Driscoll for M O’Driscoll (45), P McMeninman for Mark O’Driscoll (54), Eoin Keohane for E Cullinane (58).

Referee: Jimmy O’Sullivan (St Colum’s).