Castlehaven 2-18

Newcestown 2-8

TOM LYONS REPORTS

THIS was the proverbial game of two halves in Ahamilla on Saturday evening in the quarter-final of the Clóna Milk Carbery U21A football championship.

When Castlehaven struck for two goals in the opening ten minutes, it appeared they were heading for a comfortable victory. However, the point-scoring efforts failed to match their goal-scoring ability and they managed only three points in the first half.

Growing in confidence as the opponents kicked numerous wides, Newcestown fought their way back with a pair of goals in the second quarter and had their noses in front by a point at half time.

It was anybody’s game as the teams faced the second half but what a transformation we witnessed as the Haven upped their game several notches and took complete control.

Dominating the midfield exchanges, they poured forth in waves of attacks and there was no let-up against a shell-shocked Newcestown outfit, who could do little to halt the blue tide. The Haven outscored the opposition by 0-15 to 0-4 in that second-half blitz, and the football they played in that period will certainly give other teams in the championship food for thought.

Castlehaven's Niall O'Callaghan goes past Newcestown's Donncha O'Mahony. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

‘We didn’t play badly in the first half but our decision-taking and shooting let us down,’ admitted Haven mentor Brendan Deasy.

‘We just took the wrong options. Out of our first seven shots, we scored the goal but three fell short and three went wide. Even though we were winning around midfield, it didn’t reflect on the scoreboard.

‘Newcestown rallied in true Newcestown fashion and even though they were down a man, they dominated the game. We didn’t say much at half time but made a few positional switches.

‘In the second half, we took over massively at midfield, winning seven kickouts in a row and scoring 1-5 from that. That was a crucial part of the game and we motored on from there.

‘This team is based on the successful minor team of three years ago but a number of them are out injured right now.’

Centre-forward Micheál Maguire was the player who orchestrated this impressive victory. He struck for the first Haven goal in the third minute after a great solo run and was involved in the sweeping move that saw impressive full forward Eoin Maguire palming home the second in the tenth minute.

Points from Daniel McCarthy (free), Danny O’Donovan and Shane O’Connell completed their first-half scoring. Newcestown answered the two Haven goals with points from Oisín O’Sullivan and Dan Flanagan (free).

The water break seemed to work the oracle for the St John’s brigade, as Dara O’Sullivan goaled immediately afterwards. When Humphrey Canty soloed half the length of the field to crash home a second in the 24th minute, the sides were level, despite having a player black-carded. Points from Samuel Long and Olan Kelly had them in front at the halfway break, 2-4 to 2-3.

It would have been a brave man, or a foolish one, who predicted the course of the second half. Mícheál Maguire was the player who ignited the Haven fire as he rifled over three points in a row in the opening five minutes. Completely dominating the kickouts from the Newcestown goal, the Haven swept forward.

Seven unanswered points were followed by a fisted goal from Maguire, set up by Daniel McCarthy. It was 3-11 to 2-6 at the water break, Newcestown’s only score coming from wing back Dan Flanagan.

Castlehaven's Callum Moloney is tackled by Newcestown's Humphrey Canty. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

The scoring blitz continued right through the last quarter, with James Maguire, William O’Donovan and Eamonn O’Donovan adding their names to the scoring list, with a single point in reply from Flanagan. Newcestown had the satisfaction of the only two-point score in the game, from Olan Kelly in the dying seconds.

This was an outstanding display of attacking football by the winners, spearheaded by the flying Mícheál Maguire, scoring 2-4, with great assistance from Eoin Maguire, 1-5, and Daniel McCarthy in attack, Niall O’Callaghan and Shane O’Connell at midfield, and William O’Donovan, Eoin Buckley and Eamonn O’Donovan in defence.

For Newcestown, Dan Flanagan, Donncha O’Mahony and Fiachra Ó Donnchadha in defence, Olan Kelly and Humphrey Canty at midfield, and Samuel Long and Patrick Twomey in attack, tried hardest.

Next up is Carbery Rangers in the semi-final.

OUR STAR: Special mention to Eoin Maguire and William O’Donovan of Castlehaven and to Olan Kelly and Dan Flanagan of Newcestown, but Mícheál Maguire was the class act for the winners, scoring 2-4, and being involved in everything good the Haven attempted.

Scorers

Castlehaven: Mícheál Maguire 2-4; Eoin Maguire 1-5; Daniel McCarthy 0-4 (1f); William O’Donovan, Shane O’Connell, Eamonn O’Donovan, James Maguire, Danny O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Newcestown: Dara O’Sullivan, Humphrey Canty 1-0 each; Dan Flanagan (1f), Olan Kelly (1 2-pt) 0-3 each; Oisín O’Sullivan, Samuel Long (1f) 0-1 each.

Castlehaven: Adam Limrick; Callum Moloney, Dylan O’Donoghue, Donagh Courtney; Eoin Buckley, William O’Donovan, Eamonn O’Donovan; Niall O’Callaghan, Shane O’Connell; Simon Crowley, Mícheál Maguire, James Maguire; Daniel McCarthy, Eoin Maguire, Danny O’Donovan.

Subs: Cian O’Callaghan for D O’Donovan (45), Eamonn O’Callaghan for S Crowley (54), Cian O’Donovan for J Maguire (58), Denis Shanahan for D McCarthy (58).

Newcestown: Mark Kelleher: Fiachra Ó Donnchadha, Hugh Flanagan, Noah O‘Sullivan; Jack Coomey, Donncha O’Mahony, Dan Flanagan; Olan Kelly, Humphrey Canty; Tadhg O’Sullivan, Samuel Long, Dara O’Sullivan; Ryan O’Neill, Patrick Twomey, Oisín O’Sullivan.

Subs: Seán Allen for J Coomey (ht), Jack Hayes for T O’Sullivan (55), James Lucey for R O’Neill (55).

Referee: Michael Collins (Clonakilty).