Barryroe 1-13

Tadhg MacCárthaigh 0-13

TOM LYONS REPORTS

CASTING aside the disappointment of losing the county hurling semi-final the previous weekend, Barryroe advanced to the final of the Bandon Co-op junior A football championship with a hard-earned victory over Tadhg MacCárthaigh under lights in Dunmanway on Friday night. 

Crucial to their victory was the only goal of the game, scored by Luke Murphy on the stroke of half time. 

Playing with the breeze in the first half, Barryroe had struggled to put scores on the board against a well-organised MacCárthaigh defence. They were only a point in front as half time approached. Advantage Tadhg MacCárthaigh with the breeze to come in the second half. 

Murphy’s goal was not only a psychological blow to the Caheragh men but put daylight between the sides. 

The third quarter saw the sides hitting four scores each, MacCárthaighs kicking a two-pointer, to leave three between the sides – the game up for grabs entering the final decisive quarter. 

Tadhg MacCárthaigh never closed that three-point gap, due to a lack of scoring power from play and Barryroe’s superb defending and breakaway scores, including a vital two-pointer by midfielder Dermot Dineen. 

Barryroe's Conn Dineen races away from Tadhg MacCarthaigh's Shane Fitzgerald during the Bandon Co-op JAFC semi-final at Dunmanway on Friday night. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

‘We didn’t have any problem getting the lads back up again after the hurling defeat. They just refocused, they knew there was a big game here tonight, to get back into the Carbery final,’ said Barryroe manager Norman Fleming.

‘The goal before half time was absolutely vital. Caheragh are a good championship side, always hard to beat but that goal gave us a big boost and set them back a bit. 

‘We know we have the footballers, just a little composure missing maybe and we weren’t quite up to scratch in that first half. We reshaped at half time and played very controlled football in the second half. 

‘There’s a good panel there, 35 lads at training and without all those lads we would be struggling. They all played their part tonight, every player on the pitch contributed. We’re just delighted to get over tonight, to get to the final.’

In a first quarter dominated by good defending on both sides, Tadhg MacCárthaigh, against the strong breeze, opened the scoring with a Luke Shorten point. It was the Caheragh men who were looking the better side. 

Barryroe settled to kick the next two points, from the tricky Olan O’Donovan and Ryan O’Donovan (free), but they were struggling against a livelier Caheragh outfit. The Blues were glad of a two-point free by Ryan O’Donovan as a Dylan Murray point made it 0-4 to 0-2 at the end of a first quarter that failed to lift a strangely subdued crowd. 

With James Moloney, David O’Sullivan, Daniel Moloney and Seán O’Riordan marshalling a very tight Barryroe defence and David O’Connor, Cathal Hegarty and Tadhg Keating doing the same for Tadhg MacCárthaigh, scores were at a premium in the second quarter. 

Tadhg MacCarthaigh's Dylan Murray goes past Barryroe's Sean O'Riordan. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Olan O’Donovan pointed for Barryroe but then their well ran dry as sharper MacCárthaighs answered with a pair from Luke Shorten (free) and Adam O’Donovan. Shorten, Mark O’Driscoll and, especially, Eoin O’Donovan were impressive in the Caheragh attack at that stage. 

Trailing by a single point entering injury time in the first half, Tadhg MacCárthaigh were in a good place but then they were caught with a sucker-punch in the 33rd minute. 

Mike Collins was fouled as he cut through the Caheragh defence but advantage saw him kicking a high ball into the MacCárthaigh goalmouth. The tall Luke Murphy outfielded everybody, turned and lashed the ball to the net – a crucial score that gave Barryroe their biggest lead so far, 1-5 to 0-4 at half time. 

A good start to the second half for Barryroe, with Dermot Dineen and Tomás Ó Buachalla working hard at midfield and Ryan O’Donovan, Olan O’Donovan, Luke Murphy and Mike Collins prominent in attack, resulted in points by wing back Conn Dineen and Collins. The hard-working Mark O’Driscoll pointed for Tadhg MacCárthaigh, but Luke Murphy replied for Barryroe, who were looking much sharper in attack. 

Tadhg MacCárthaigh were beginning to dominate possession with Daniel Kingston and Michael O’Donovan winning good balls at midfield. After sub Charlie McCarthy and Ryan O’Donovan (free) had swapped points, the westerners kicked three points – a single from Daniel Kingston and a two-point free from Luke Shorten – to cut Barryroe’s lead to three.

Tadhg MacCarthaigh's Daniel Kingston turns away fom the challenge of Barryroe's Mike Collins. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

1-9 to 0-9 entering the last quarter, and the large crowd now finding its voice, it was anybody’s game but, again, it was Barryroe who rose to the challenge with a pointed free from Ryan O’Donovan and a superb two-pointer into the breeze by midfielder Dermot Dineen, a vital score. 

Tadhg MacCárthaigh were struggling to score from play but a two-point free from Shorten cut the lead to four. 

Ryan O’Donovan stretched it to five but when Shorten kicked his third two-point free in the 61st minute, only a goal separated the sides. The Caheragh men needed a goal but never got a chance as Barryroe put up the shutters and the final whistle saw the Blues advancing to their first final since winning their only title in 2023. 

Next up will be St Mary’s in the final on Sunday, October 25th. 

OUR STAR: Eoin O’Donovan (Tadhg MacCárthaigh) and Barryroe’s Ryan O’Donovan and Mike Collins were impressive but our vote goes to the hard-working Luke Murphy at centre forward for the winners, covering acres of ground, as well as scoring the decisive goal. 

Scorers - Barryroe: Ryan O’Donovan 0-6 (4f, 1 2ptf); Luke Murphy 1-1; Olan O’Donovan, Dermot Dineen (2pt) 0-2 each; Conn Dineen, Mike Collins 0-1 each. Tadhg MacCárthaigh: Luke Shorten 0-8 (1f, 3 2ptf); Daniel Kingston, Mark O’Driscoll, Dylan Murray, Charlie McCarthy, Adam O’Donovan 0-1 each. 

Barryroe: Leon Colbert; Michael Walsh, Seán O’Riordan, James Moloney; Conn Dineen, David O’Sullivan, Daniel Moloney; Dermot Dineen, Tomás Ó Buachalla; Olan O’Donovan, Luke Murphy, Adam McSweeney; Mike Collins, Seán Holland, Ryan O’Donovan. Subs: Aaron Fleming for D O’Sullivan (55), Brian O’Donovan for S Holland (55). 

Tadhg MacCárthaigh: Niall Kingston; Shane Fitzgerald, Tadhg Keating, David O’Connor; Adam Gilman Burke, Cathal Hegarty, Rory Kingston; Daniel Kingston, Michael O’Donovan; Eoin O’Donovan, Mark O’Driscoll, Luke Shorten; Oisín Daly, Dylan Murray, Adam O’Donovan. Subs: Charlie McCarthy for A O’Donovan (33), Liam O’Donovan for A Gilman Burke (42), Tadhg McCarthy for R Kingston (45), Leon Burke for O Daly (49), Colm Crowley for D Murray (61). 

Referee: Jack Murphy (Gabriel Rangers).