THE Muskerry division was a hive of activity last weekend with a B hurling championship final, two B football semi-finals and two C football semi-finals all being decided, writes Brendan Kenneally.

Cloughduv took the B hurling title and will now represent Muskerry in the county championship.

Uibh Laoire and Blarney have qualified for the Mid Cork junior B football final after their wins over Cill na Martra and Macroom respectively.

Ballincollig and Macroom have qualified for the C FC final with wins over Ballinora and Aghabullogue in their respective semi-finals.

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Cloughduv 2-14

Inniscarra 2-13

The final of the Talbot Hotel Cork Muskerry Junior B Hurling Championship was played at Ballinora on Sunday morning. A game of swaying fortunes ended in a welter of excitement.

In the 63rd minute, Cloughduv were leading by one point when in a final attack Inniscarra were awarded a penalty and the free-taker went for the goal.

Unfortunately for Inniscarra, the ball went whizzing wide of the post and the final whistle followed the puck-out with Cloughduv supporters in the large Sunday morning attendance jubilant.

Cloughduv dominated first-half proceedings and led by 1-10 to 0-6 at half time, corner forward Colm O’Leary contributing 1-4 of that tally, the goal coming as early as the eighth minute.

The second half told a different story entirely with Inniscarra thundering back into contention. Between the 38th and 46th minutes, they scored 2-4 without reply, both goals coming from Kieran Keohane.

With Inniscarra now leading by two points, 2-10 to 1-11, and with momentum, Cloughduv needed to stop the flow. Substitute Darren Kelly stepped up with a cracking goal to restore the advantage to his side. Barry Walsh and Aidan O’Leary added a point apiece to make it 2-13 to 2-10 after 49 minutes.

Back came Inniscarra with two points from Aidan O’Mahony frees, but Colm O’Leary pointed for Cloughduv to open up a two-point gap as the game headed for time-added.

Darragh O’Shea reduced the margin between the teams to the minimum again and in the dying seconds, Inniscarra did not avail of their golden chance of victory or at least a draw.

Scorers

Cloughduv: C O’Leary 1-6; A O’Leary 0-4; D Kelly 1-0; D Shanahan, C Ahern, K Walsh, B Walsh 0-1 each.

Inniscarra: A O’Mahony 0-8; K Keohane 2-1; M Burke, D O’Shea 0-2 each.

Cloughduv: David Brennan (captain); Luke McCarthy, James Verling, Rory Lehane; Conor McDonald, Pádraig O’Driscoll, Euan Coughlan; Aaron Elliot, Darragh Walsh; Dylan Shanahan, Ciarán Canty, Colin Ahern; Colm O’Leary, Cathal O’Driscoll, Aidan O’Leary.

Subs: Darren Kelly, Kevin Walsh, Fionn Kelleher, Barry Walsh.

Inniscarra: Daniel O’Connell; Seán O’Brien, Kevin Burke, Bryan O’Mahony; John O’Callaghan, Liam Ó Riain, Colman Ahern; Jack O’Dwyer, Michael Burke; Aidan O’Mahony, Ronan Dineen, Paul Farmer; Daniel Murray, Shane Linehan, Kieran Keohane.

Subs: Michael Murphy, Darragh O’Shea, Pa Moloney, Seán O’Sullivan, Conor Gould.

Referee: Colm Walsh (Ballinora).

Sophie Charrington (Talbot Hotel Cork) presents the cup to Cloughduv captain David Brennan. Also included is Muskerry chairman Ed Warren.

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Uibh Laoire 3-8

Cill na Martra 1-6

Uibh Laoire qualified for the final of the Ballincollig Credit Union Muskerry Junior B Football Championship following victory over Cill na Martra in the semi-final on Saturday afternoon.

Cill na Martra had home advantage following a coin toss for the venue, but it was Uibh Laoire who got off to the perfect start when Liam Kearney gathered a long ball and found the back of the net within 45 seconds of the throw-in.

Cill na Martra settled into the game with scores from Conall MacSuibhne and Kyle Ó Cróinín and the sides were level 1-1 to 0-4 midway through the first half.

Uibh Laoire scored four unanswered points before half time, however – including a two-pointer from Adrian O’Dea – to lead 1-5 to 0-4 at the break.

A second Uibh Laoire goal from Shane Hodman two minutes into the second half gave them a comfortable advantage which they maintained for the rest of the contest.

Finbarr McSweeney added a third goal in the 51st minute, which was answered immediately when Dara Ó Súilleabháin shot low past Darragh Hodman in the Uibh Laoire goal. The sides traded points before the final whistle to leave Uibh Laoire victorious 3-8 to 1-6.

Uibh Laoire: Darragh Hodman; Daniel Creedon, Mick Lucey, Conor O’Brien; Finbarr McSweeney, Adrian O’Dea, Kevin Jones; Oisín Herlihy, Josh Pickering; Shane Galvin, Shane Hodman, Niall Creedon; James O’Donovan, Liam Kearney, Tim Sweeney.

Subs: Seán Lehane, Richie Manning, Conor O’Donovan.

Cill na Martra: Antóin Ó Conaill; Eoghan Ó Céilleachair, Cillian MacSuibhne, Luke Ó Laighin; Marc Ó Goillidhe, Jerh Ó Loingsigh, Mattie Ó Loingsigh; Fionnbarra Ó hÉalaithe, Conall MacSuibhne; Dara Ó Súilleabháin, Donagh Ó Tuama, Seán Ó Cróinín; Liam Ó Tuama, Kyle Ó Cróinín, Alan Ó Mocháin.

Sub: Máirtín Ó Conchúir.

Referee: Brendan Barry-Murphy (Aghabullogue).

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Blarney 1-11

Macroom 1-9 (aet)

Macroom made the journey to Blarney, no neutral venue available and having lost the toss for home advantage. Macroom played the final quarter, and all of extra time, a man short – second yellow card – but still put it up to the championship favourites before having to concede victory after a very entertaining Ballincollig Credit Union JBFC semi-final.

The first half was a very tight affair with the score at 0-2 each as the half went into injury-time, but in that added period Blarney landed 1-1. A well-taken goal from Declan Hanlon coming from the last kick of the 33 minute half left Blarney 1-3 to 0-2 in front at the interval.

On the restart Blarney had two more points to one for Macroom, but in the 39th minute Jack O’Shea brought Macroom right back into contention with a smashing goal. A minute later Fintan Goold landed a two-pointer to level the scores at 1-5 each.

Macroom joy turned to dismay after 44 minutes when a second yellow card offence led to the dismissal of a forward, but the young Macroom side still held their own and in the 61st minute Macroom went in front from a Billy Murphy free.

In the 64th minute John Daniel Good saved Blarney with a point after a goalmouth scramble. The game needed extra time to decide who would face Uibh Laoire in the final.

Blarney were on top in the 20 minutes of extra time as their numerical advantage mattered. Cian Barrett scored an excellent goal after seven minutes, 2-8 to 1-6, and the home side added points to retain control until the final whistle.

Scorers

Blarney: C Barrett 1-1; D Hanlon 1-0; A McEvoy 0-3 (2f); M Coleman, D Rowley 0-2 each; S Barrett, JD Good, D McSweeney 0-1 each.

Macroom: J O’Shea 1-0; F Goold 0-3 (2pt, 1f); M Hunt 0-3 (f); B Murphy 0-1 (f).

Blarney: Alex Moynihan; Vince O’Mahony, Daniel Lordan, Callum O’Donoghue; Mark O’Leary, Patrick Crowley, Olan Hegarty; Cian Barrett, Stephen Mullane; Seán Crowley, Denis McSweeney, Declan Hanlon; Shane Barrett, Mark Coleman, Alan McEvoy.

Sub: Joe Cronin, John Daniel Good, Danny Rowley, Ben Ahern, Joey Dwyer, Luke Kendallan.

Macroom: Noah Koller; Bobby Murphy, Liam McSweeney, Robert Fitzgerald; Sam Leavy, Blake O’Gorman, Eoghan Healy; Ruadhán McKenna, Jack O’Shea; Shane Meaney, Jack Leavy, Cathal Neville; Mark Hunt, Fintan Goold, Colin Kelleher.

Subs: Billy Murphy, Thomas Hopkins, Cian O’Sullivan, Liam Holland, Darragh Kiernan, Robert Lucey.

Referee: Pat O’Leary (Kilmurry).

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In the junior C football semi-finals, Ballincollig beat Ballinora by 2-13 to 2-12, and Macroom defeated Aghabullogue, 2-12 to 2-7.

In the Ross Oil Mid Cork Junior A Football Championship final this Saturday, 24th, Aghinagh take on Kilmichael in Cloughduv at 7pm.