Cill na Martra 2-19

Carbery Rangers 0-22

JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS

THERE was a strong Castletownbere flavour to Sunday’s McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC clash at Dunmanway as Cill na Martra held out against Carbery Rangers.

Guiding the Gaeltacht side were manager and coach Morgan O’Sullivan and Alan O’Regan respectively, with Donagh Wiseman serving as coach to the Rosscarbery side, now under the management of Robbie Ahern.

A meeting of the side beaten by Knocknagree in last year’s final and the team relegated from premier senior was always going to have a lot riding on it, especially with Newmarket and O’Donovan Rossa also in the group.

Ultimately, Cill na Martra’s strong first half with the wind, which gave them a lead of 2-11 to 0-7 thanks to two Shane O’Duinnín goals, provided too much of an obstacle for Carbery Rangers to overcome.

Cill na Martra's Daniel Ó Duinnín races away from Jack Kevane of Carbery Rangers. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

They remain without a group-stage win since 2022, but Morgan O’Sullivan knew it hadn’t been easy for his side to claim the win.

‘Just the way the championship is structured, everyone feels the pressure to get points on the board in the first game,’ he said.

‘When the draw was made, everyone was looking at it and we got a right tough draw. Carbery Rangers actually got more scores than us tonight but we got the two goals.

‘Look, we are down a few bodies from the county final last year, Ross are down a few bodies as well, but we realise the talent they have, most of their team have played some level with Cork, I'd be very familiar with some of them, they're great guys and great players and their management are very good, so we knew that we had to be on it tonight to get anything out of the game.

‘Thankfully, we got a couple of lucky breaks in the game with goals, and that's the difference at the end, really.’

After the second of Ciarán Ó Duinnín’s early points to put Cill na Martra 0-2 to 0-0 ahead, a turnover on the kickout led to Jason MacCárthaigh feeding Shane Ó Duinnín for a good finish to the net.

Ross’s cause wasn’t helped by the loss of goalkeeper Aaron O’Brien to injury soon after and his opposite number Ó Deasúna joined the Cill na Martra attack to stroke over a huge effort to make it 1-4 to 0-1.

Carbery Rangers' Paul Hodnett is stopped by Cill na Martra's Seán Ó Fóirréidh and Finnén Ó Faoláin. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Moments after, Ó Deasúna was alert to carry out his primary duties, denying Paul Hodnett after a good run, and the importance of that save was shown on 17 minutes as a driving run from the inspirational centre-back Seán Ó Forréidh gave him an opening before unselfishly squaring to Shane Ó Duinnín for his second goal.

While Paul Hodnett’s kicking did help Carbery Rangers to belatedly build their tally, Cill na Martra continued to keep the scoreboard ticking and shortly before half-time a nine-point lead could have become 12 but Ross backup goalkeeper Paul Shanahan denied Eoin Ó Conaill.

Even so, a ten-point half-time advantage was extended as Dan Ó Duinnín pointed on the restart but thereafter the lead contracted.

Cill na Martra manager Morgan O'Sullivan. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Two Paul Hodnett two-pointers were almost followed by a goal from Hayes, with Ó Deasúna tipping the ball over, and when sub Mark Hodnett and Dylan O’Neill – who didn’t score but was heavily involved – linked to set up Timmy Cullinane for an orange flag, it was 2-15 to 0-15 on 47 minutes.

Gearóid Ó Goillidhe’s composure at midfield ensured Cill na Martra did not panic though and in Deasúna they had a valuable free-taking asset – he sent over two frees for orange flags.

The second of those, his third score in total, put them 2-18 to 0-16 in front with 55 minutes on the clock, though there would be 12 more minutes of playing time. A pair of super two-pointers from Daragh Hayes left four in it as the clock moved red and they were in a good position for another when a vital intervention from Ó Goillidhe led to Ciarán Ó Duinnín and Eoin Ó Conaill combining for Dan Ó Duinnín to get his sixth point from play.

It was their last score but the defence, where Seán Ó Forréidh was immense, held out in injury time and while John O’Rourke did get Carbery Rangers’ seventh two-pointer, it was the last action and Cill na Martra took the points.

Scorers

Cill na Martra: Shane Ó Duinnín 2-1; Dan Ó Duinnín, Michéal Ó Deasúna (2 2ptf, 1 2pt) 0-6 each; Ciarán Ó Duinnín 0-5; Antóin Ó Cuana 0-1.

Carbery Rangers: Paul Hodnett 0-9 (2 2pt, 1 2ptf, 0-2 f); Daragh Hayes 0-6 (2 2pt); Timmy Cullinane (2pt), John O’Rourke (2pt), Brian Hodnett 0-2 each; John O’Rourke 0-1.

Cill na Martra: Micheál Ó Deasúna; Daire Mac Lochlainn, Finnén Ó Faoláin, Danny Ó Conaill; Cianie Ó Forréidh, Seán Ó Forréidh, Cormac Ó Cróinín; Adam Ó Duinnín, Gearóid Ó Goillidhe; Ciarán Ó Duinnín, Jason Mac Cárthaigh, Antóin Ó Cuana; Eoin Ó Conaill, Dan Ó Duinnín, Shane Ó Duinnín.

Subs: Pádraig Ó hÉalaithe for Cianie Ó Forrréidh, Dean Mac Cárthaigh for Shane Ó Duinnín (both 55), Antaine Ó Loingsigh for Ó Cuana (60+3).

Carbery Rangers: Aaron O’Brien; Jack Kevane, Jerry O’Riordan, Peter Óg Hill; John O’Rourke, Jerry O’Riordan, Brian Hodnett; Kelan Scannell, Paul Hodnett; Pa Hurley, Barry Kerr, John Hodnett; Timmy Cullinane, Daragh Hayes, Dylan O’Neill.

Subs: Paul Shanahan for O’Brien (12, injured), Mark Hodnett for John Hodnett (41), Jack O’Regan for Paul Hodnett, Peadar O’Rourke for Hurley (both 50).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).