Castlehaven 2-18

Knocknagree 4-10

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

MIDWAY through the first half of the county premier senior football championship clash at Páirc Uí Rinn, it seemed as if the extent of Castlehaven’s winning margin might be the only issue that needed resolving.

Performing with the familiar flair and conviction that saw them reach the summit in two of the last three campaigns, they looked set to dish out a chastening lesson to the 2025 county senior A kingpins Knocknagree, as they cruised into a 1-6 to 1-0 lead.

By the end of the first half, however, the Haven would have been fully aware they had a fight on their hands.

Gradually finding their feet, Knocknagree managed to remain in touch, going in at the interval just three points in arrears, 1-10 to 2-4.

An element of uncertainty continued to surround the proceedings until Castlehaven clicked into top gear towards the end of the third quarter, stringing four points together before wing-forward Sean Browne added a goal to propel them into a seemingly unassailable 2-18 to 2-7 lead with 47 minutes gone.

The manner in which they undermined a spirited Knocknagree challenge so quickly when the pressure was on provided the most satisfying aspect of their performance, as the Haven’s manager Seanie Cahalane acknowledged afterwards.

‘Our third quarter would be poor normally, but I thought we were excellent in that 15 to 20 minutes after half time. That we really drove it on was a huge positive against a Knocknagree side we knew would give us a right test,’ Cahalane said.

‘I thought we played very well for about 50 minutes, to be honest, but Knocknagree got a bit lucky with the goals that kept them in it in the first-half.

‘I’d be disappointed with our last ten minutes, we took our foot off the pedal a little bit, probably thinking we had the game won,’ remarked the Haven boss.

There’s no denying the Carbery men were the better team, and that their two-point winning margin doesn’t adequately reflect the extent of their superiority over the hour.

They looked in total control early on, with Damien Cahalane, Conor Cahalane and Cathal Maguire running the show around the middle, and the lively Micheál Maguire looking razor-sharp at corner-forward.

Placed by Micheál Maguire, Conor Cahalane got the winners off to a tonic start when his effort for a point dropped short and went all the way to the net in the fifth minute.

It was a fortuitous score, but it was quickly followed by a Micheál Maguire point before Michael Hurley and Brian Hurley, from a free won by Cathal Maguire, got in on the scoring act.

After Knocknagree responded with a goal from Fintan O’Connor, Castlehaven shrugged off that setback, bagging a hat-trick of points completed by a fine effort from Micheál Maguire in the 17th minute.

Aided by a two-pointer from Damien Cahalane, they led by 1-9 to 1-2 with 26 minutes gone, but Knocknagree’s second goal arrived a minute later, courtesy of corner-back Denis O’Mahony, whose shot from close range took a wicked deflection en route to the net.

The chief architect of Knocknagree’s two goals before the break was full-forward Denis R O’Connor, who completed their first-half tally with a two-pointer in stoppage time, and was primarily responsible for keeping the Duhallow men in the hunt.

Following great work by Cathal Maguire, Conor Cahalane had the last word for Castlehaven in the first half.

He was on target again with a superb individual effort within seconds of the resumption, giving Castlehaven a four-point advantage which they still held, 1-14 to 2-7, before Micheál Maguire popped over a fine score to kick-start the purple patch that effectively secured their ticket to a quarter-final encounter with Nemo Rangers.

Further scores from Damien Cahalane, Cathal Maguire and Brian Hurley followed before wing-back Mark Collins and Micheál Maguire were involved in the move completed by Sean Browne’s fisted goal from close range.

Remarkably, Castlehaven didn’t add to their tally after that, whereas Knocknagree notched 2-3, which could have been more had Haven goalkeeper Darragh Cahalane not denied substitute Anthony O’Connor at the expense of a 45 in the 49th minute.

Whether Castlehaven were guilty of resting on their laurels on the run-in is a moot point, but it was certainly due to untypically sloppy defending that they conceded late goals to Knocknagree’s Daniel O’Mahony and Anthony O’Connor.

The bottom line is they got the job done, and their overall performance was sufficiently convincing to confirm it will take a good team to prevent them from going all the way, as was the case last year when their three-in-a-row ambitions were dashed by eventual champions St Finbarr’s at the quarter-final stage.

OUR STAR: Midfielder Conor Cahalane finished as the game’s top scorer with 1-4 from play and was instrumental in ensuring Castlehaven started brightly in both halves.

Scorers

Castlehaven: C Cahalane 1-4; B Hurley 0-5 (1 2ptf, 2f); S Browne 1-0; M Maguire 0-3; Damien Cahalane 0-3 (2pt); M Hurley 0-2; C Maguire 0-1.

Knocknagree: F O’Connor 1-3 (1f); A O’Connor 1-1; Denis O’Mahony, Daniel O’Mahony 1-0 each; DR O’Connor 0-3 (2pt); P Doyle 0-2 (45s); E McSweeney 0-1.

Castlehaven: Darragh Cahalane; J Bohane, T O’Mahony, J O’Regan; R Maguire, Damien Cahalane, M Collins; C Cahalane, A Whelton; S Browne, C Maguire, J O’Driscoll; M Maguire, B Hurley, M Hurley.

Subs: S Walsh for Browne (55), S O’Connell for C Cahalane (59).

Knocknagree: P Doyle; Denis O’Mahony, Donal O’Mahony, G O’Connor; G Looney, K Cronin, T O’Connor; M McSweeney, E McSweeney; K Buckley, D Twomey, D O’Connor; F O’Connor, DR O’Connor, N O’Connor.

Subs: M Dowling for Buckley (ht), A O’Connor for N O’Connor (37), M Dilworth for Cronin (48), D Moynihan for D O’Connor (57), T O’Mahony for Twomey (57).

Referee: P O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).