Nemo Rangers 1-20

Castlehaven 1-17

TOM LYONS REPORTS

WHERE, oh where were Castlehaven in the first half of this McCarthy Insurance Group Premier Senior Football Championship quarter-final in jam-packed Ahamilla on Sunday last?

It was a game that dragged for a lot of the way but finished in a welter of excitement that saw the Haven cut back Nemo’s lead to a single point. The Haven had two chances to procure an equaliser in injury time but were turned over both times by an alert Nemo defence.

Sub Dara O’Sullivan, just three minutes on the pitch, became the Nemo hero when he kicked the last two points of the game to end the Haven’s participation in the championship and send his side to a semi-final meeting with Carrigaline.

The Haven could have escaped with a draw and extra time but, in truth, they would have been fortunate to do so as the city men were the better team on this occasion and deserved their win. They laid the foundations in the first half with the breeze, when they were much the sharper side, forging a six-point half-time lead courtesy of a controversial Bryan Hayes goal in the 19th minute. The linesman appeared to raise his flag for a sideline kick to the Haven but play continued as he lowered his flag again and Nemo took advantage to bury the ball in the Haven net. The Haven camp objected strenuously, but to no avail.

They could also harp to two bad lapses of discipline by their senior players, failure to hand back the ball for Nemo frees that resulted in two gift points for the winners.

Castlehaven's Sean Walsh battling with Nemo Rangers' Dara O'Sullivan. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

In that first half, the Haven were strangely flat and only the great Brian Hurley kept them in contention with one of his best displays in the blue-hooped jersey. Unfortunately, he got little support from his fellow forwards as he kicked five of their nine first-half points, with midfielders Conor Cahalane and Cathal Maguire kicking the other four. None of the other forwards managed to raise a flag – just not good enough in a county quarterfinal.

Nemo, for their part, were so clinical in their play that they kicked 1-11 of their first-half tally of 1-12 from play and didn’t register a single wide. In fact, it wasn’t until the dying minutes of the game that they kicked their only two wides. They were tidy and neat in their play, sharp on the breaks, and their young players – in particular Bryan Hayes and Ross Corkery – really delivered on this occasion, kicking 1-9 between them over the hour.

‘Ross has had a full pre-season this year, has been very unlucky with injuries,’ said Nemo manager Robbie O’Dwyer.

‘Bryan was in with the Cork panel this year, then went to Boston, came back with an injury – he’s been very unlucky, too, with injuries. If we can get him fit, keep him on the field, hopefully he’ll continue like this. We’re getting players back from injuries at just the right time.’

To Nemo’s credit, when the Haven cut the lead to four in the third quarter with three points in a row from Seán Browne, Brian Hurley and Andrew Whelton, they responded with three in succession from outstanding wing-back Colin Molloy, Ross Corkery (free) and Conor Shalloe.

Again in the closing minutes, when the lead was down to one and a draw loomed, they lifted their game, never panicking, to land two insurance points.

The Barrs’ display in the first game against Carbery may have put the other three sides in the shade but this was a very efficient display from last season’s beaten finalists, who had struggled through the group stages with an injury-hit side.

‘It’s been very disappointing for us the last couple of years, losing two county finals,’ said O’Dwyer.

‘My first year against the Haven, we were kind of building, then the Barrs last year, it just didn’t work out, that little bit of luck you need. This win should stand to the lads. We weren’t favourites; the Haven were favourites, and justifiably so. The lads showed great character. Delighted with the performance.’

The first quarter saw Nemo, with the breeze and winning most of the kick-outs, working eight scores, with young Bryan Hayes accounting for four points, one a two-pointer.

The Haven had four on the board, a two-pointer from Conor Cahalane and a pair from the rampant Brian Hurley.

The Haven improved in the second quarter, landing four scores to Nemo’s five. However, one of the Nemo scores was that vital controversial goal by Bryan Hayes, with Ronan Dalton and Luke Horgan involved in the quick build-up.

Castlehaven's Andrew Whelton is tackled by Nemo Rangers' Colin Molloy. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

It was 1-12 to 0-9 at the break, all to do for a struggling Haven side. Assisted by the breeze, they did improve in the second half, with Mark Collins much more involved. With three points in a row, they cut the lead to four, but Nemo actually then stretched it to seven at the end of the third quarter, 1-17 to 0-13.

Like the wedding feast at Cana, the Haven kept the best wine to the last, following the introduction of Jack Cahalane and Robbie Minihane as subs. A point from a Brian Hurley free, then a goal from Jack Cahalane in the 51st minute, set up by Hurley, and another Hurley point had the lead down to two amid great excitement in the huge crowd.

Nemo eased the pressure with a Ross Corkery point but the Haven were on song now and Hurley’s 10th point plus a Damien Cahalane white flag had the gap down to one in the 60th minute.

Nemo never panicked in injury time, however, turning over the Haven twice before sealing the issue.

‘We were very flat in the first half. It was very disappointing because we thought we had prepared very well,’ said a very disappointed Castlehaven manager, Seánie Cahalane.

‘On the day they were on it, we weren’t. They’re a good team; they’ve been in the last four county finals. Some people were writing them off but we warned our players not to listen to that.

‘There were times today when things just didn’t go our way, when we didn’t get the breaks. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don’t. That’s sport.

‘The game was in the melting pot at the end but we turned over a couple of balls, that was down to Nemo pressure, they were very well organised. We put in a massive effort this year, so yeah, very, very disappointed.’

OUR STAR: Honours shared here between Brian Hurley, who delivered a super performance with 0-10 and certainly didn’t deserve to be on the losing team, and Bryan Hayes, who kicked an impressive 1-4 from play for Nemo.

Scorers

Nemo Rangers: Bryan Hayes 1-4 (1 2pt), Ross Corkery 0-5 (2f), Colin Molloy 0-3, Dara O’Sullivan and Jack Horgan 0-2 each, Kevin O’Donovan, Conor Shalloe, Mark Cronin and Alan O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Castlehaven: Brian Hurley 0-10 (3f, 1 2ptf), Jack Cahalane 1-0, Conor Cahalane 0-3 (1 2pt), Damien Cahalane, Andrew Whelton, Cathal Maguire and Seán Browne 0-1 each

Nemo Rangers: Mícheál A. Martin; Kevin O’Donovan, Mark Hill, Kieran Histon; Jack Horgan, Stephen Cronin, Colin Molloy; Alan O’Donovan, Brian Murphy; Mark Cronin, Luke Horgan, Conor Shalloe; Ross Corkery, Ronan Dalton, Bryan Hayes.

Subs: Conor Horgan for R. Dalton (ht), Conor Moore for J. Horgan (57), Dara O’Sullivan for L. Horgan (58).

Castlehaven: Darragh Cahalane; Seán Walsh, Thomas O’Mahony, Johnny O’Regan; Rory Maguire, Damien Cahalane, Mark Collins; Conor Cahalane, Cathal Maguire; Seán Browne, Jamie O’Driscoll, Andrew Whelton; Mícheál Maguire, Brian Hurley, Michael Hurley.

Subs: Jack Cahalane for S. Browne (46), Robbie Minihane for A. Whelton (46).

Referee: David Murnane (Macroom).