Castlehaven 3-12

Carbery Rangers 0-11

TOM LYONS REPORTS

IGNORE the final scoreline that leaves ten points between the sides at the finish of this Clóna Milk Carbery U21A football semi-final in Skibbereen on Thursday evening because this game was much closer than the score suggests.

In fact, over the hour the Ross lads probably shaded the possession stakes but the difference came in attack with the Haven’s cutting edge producing three goals while Rangers failed to hit the net despite a few good chances.

Two players dominated this game, Mícheál Maguire of the Haven and Dylan O’Neill of Rangers – Maguire hit 1-4, while O’Neill kicked 0-7. But whereas Maguire had great support up front in Danny O’Donovan and Eoin and James Maguire, O’Neill, once Timmy Cullinane had to retire injured at half time, often played a lone hand in trying to haul back the Haven lead in the second half.

‘A slow start for us, Ross started the game very well and did very well on the kickouts. Timmy Cullinane was having a fierce game for Ross,’ said Castlehaven mentor Brendan Deasy.

‘We got to grips with the kickouts in the second quarter and we got the goals at the right times. On another day, Ross would have scored a couple of goals, like Dylan O’Neill’s rasper across the goal. If one of those near misses went it, it would have been a different game.

‘Possession-wise, it was very even in the second half but they kicked a few wides and were trying to force the game to get back into it. We have forwards with great cutting in them like Mícheál and Eoin Maguire, and we should have Dan McCarthy back for the final. Danny O’Donovan is always threatening up front.’

Carbery Rangers' Dylan O'Neill breaks past Castlehaven's Eamonn O'Donovan. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

It was Rangers who got off to a fine start against the breeze, dominating the middle third and moving well in attack. Danny O’Donovan opened the scoring in the very first Haven attack but then Rangers took control to reel off four in-a-row from Colm Hayes, Timmy Cullinane (play and free) and Dylan O’Neill to lead by 0-4 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Enter Mícheál Maguire with points from play and free to get the Haven moving. Rangers responded with two from O’Neill and Eric Hicks. Amazingly, considering how well they were playing, the Ross side failed to score for the next 20 minutes while the Haven grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.

Trailing by three points entering the second quarter, the Haven struck the first fatal blow when a great move involving Danny O’Donovan and Mícheál Maguire saw James Maguire finishing to the net.

O’Donovan followed with a quick point and having solved their midfield problems through the efforts of Niall O’Callaghan and William O’Donovan, they punished Rangers with a second goal in the 25th minute when Seán Maguire set up Mícheál Maguire for a simple tap-in.

Again, O’Donovan followed with a point and it was the Haven five in front, 2-5 to 0-6, despite the best efforts of O’Neill and Cullinane for Rangers.

The Ross lads had the breeze in the second half but were dealt a big blow when Cullinane failed to appear through injury. It was Mícheál Maguire who opened the scoring. Rangers were again doing well under kickouts but they found it hard to penetrate a well-organised Haven defence, which had lost the impressive Donagh Courtney and Mark Crowley to injuries. Seán Maguire, Donal O’Callaghan and William O’Donovan more than compensated.

Carbery Rangers' Joe Healy under pressure from Castlehaven's Shane O'Connell. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

O’Neill (play and free) cut the lead to four but Rangers were guilty of vital wides, especially for two-points attempts and also had a couple of near misses for goals, including an O’Neill rasping drive across the face of the goal.

After Mícheál Maguire pointed, Eoin Maguire hit the first two-pointer, from a free, to stretch the lead to seven points, 2-9 to 0-8, at the end of a lively third quarter.

Eoin Maguire’s point was answered by O’Neill and then the flying Ross forward hit the target with the first and only two-pointer of the game from play. Ben Sheehy, Seán Cuinnea, Dylan Scannell, Padraig Tobin and Gerry McCarthy were trying very hard for Rangers at that stage.

Whenever Rangers threatened on the scoreboard, the Haven were able to respond, with Mícheál Maguire dictating terms. Outstanding young midfielder Niall O’Callaghan had a point for the Haven and they put the icing on the cake in the 60th minute when a great solo run by Mícheál Maguire ended with William O’Donovan crashing home his side’s third goal.

An Eamonn O’Donovan point finished the scoring as Haven advanced to the first final.

‘We have a lot of minors involved and it’s a great experience for them to be playing a few years ahead of their time,’ said Deasy.

‘That should improve them as well. You always need underage coming through and there is always a big emphasis on underage in our club. We’re also lucky to have ex-players involved on the sideline passing on any few nuggets they picked up in their playing days and it’s working very well.’

OUR STARS: Sharing top spot here between two outstanding young footballers, Mícheál Maguire of the Haven and Dylan O’Neill of Carbery Rangers, marvellous talent and great leadership.

Scorers

Castlehaven: Mícheál Maguire 1-4 (1f); William O’Donovan, James Maguire 1-0 each; Danny O’Donovan, Eoin Maguire (2pf) 0-3 each; Niall O’Callaghan, Eamonn O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Carbery Rangers: Dylan O’Neill 0-7 (2f, 2pt); Timmy Cullinane 0-2 (1f);Colm Hayes, Eric Hicks 0-1 each.

Castlehaven: Adam Limrick; Donal O’Callaghan, Seán Maguire, Donagh Courtney; Mark Crowley, William O’Donovan, Dylan O’Donoghue; Niall O’Callaghan, Shane O’Connell; Eamonn O’Donovan, Mícheál Maguire, James Maguire; James Buckley, Eoin Maguire, Danny O’Donovan.

Subs: Callum Moloney for D Courtney (29), Eoin Buckley for M Crowley (ht), Cian O’Callaghan for J Buckley (52), Simon Crowley for W O’Donovan (60).

Carbery Rangers: Ciarán Campbell; Ronan Hayes, Ben Sheehy, Cormac Ó Donnabháin; Cathal Buchanan, Seán Cuinnea, Dylan Scannell; Padraig Tobin, Gerry McCarthy; Ronan Hayes, Dylan O’Neill, Michael McCarthy; Colm Hayes, Timmy Cullinane, Eric Hicks.

Subs: Joe Healy for T Cullinane (ht), Ivan Eady for M McCarthy (44), Kevin Duffy for J Healy (55), Matthew Fitzpatrick for C Ó Donnabháin (62).

Referee: Jack Murphy (Gabriel Rangers)