Dohenys 0-8

Newcestown 0-6

TOM LYONS REPORTS

‘THIS win was vital for us tonight,’ explained Dohenys mentor Eltin Lehane after they captured the Bandon Co-op Carbery Junior B Football Championship title.

Amazingly, in a real arm-wrestle in Ahamilla on Friday night, Dohenys failed to score for 25 minutes in the first half, while Newcestown failed to raise a flag for 30 minutes in the second period, despite the absence of any breeze.

More amazing again, Dohenys emerged winners – and earned promotion to junior A for 2026 – having scored only a single point from play over the hour.

Newcestown's Podge Collins is challenge by Dohenys' Colm O'Shea.

‘We had a good minor team this year and it was important to provide those young lads with a proper platform by moving up the grades,’ Lehane said.

‘A strong second team is crucial in any senior club and hopefully we can bring those minors through in junior A now.

‘It’s been a long time since we won any trophy and this will be huge for the confidence of all the players and will definitely lift the whole club.’

One reason for Dohenys’ victory, and takeover in the second half, was the tactical move of bringing ex-senior Colm O’Shea out of goal and into the forwards, where his physicality and free-taking ability proved vital. He was the scorer of the only two-pointer in the game – from a free in the 44th minute – that gave Dohenys the lead for the first time in the game.

A strong second team is crucial in any senior club and hopefully we can bring those minors through in junior A now

Another two-pointer attempt came at the other end of the field with the last kick of the game. Newcestown, two points behind, held their breath as Eddie Kenneally’s effort sailed towards the posts but swung to the right and wide. Game over – and tough on Kenneally, who had done well to contribute four of Newcestown’s six points on the night.

‘Our aim was to stay in the game in the first half and we achieved that. Our plan for the second half was to bring Colm O’Shea out from goal and that really worked for us. Our defence really came up trumps for us on the night,’ Lehane added.

‘We have some great young lads coming through, very passionate. Throw in a few older guys and it’s a good mix. They’ve put in a huge effort this year. They’re a real, honest bunch of lads.’

Carbery GAA Chairman David Whyte presents the Clash Awards man-of-the-match trophy to Dohenys' Jack McCarthy.

With Andrew Shorten and the young Humphrey Canty dominating midfield and the veteran Eoin Kelly thriving as the playmaker up front, it was all Newcestown early on. Eddie Kenneally was the go-to man and in the opening seven minutes he had three points to his name, two from frees. It wasn’t looking good for Dohenys at that early stage as Fionn Keane, Ger Murphy and young Flor Kenneally backboned a defence that completely closed down the Doheny attack.

Strangely, after those three early points, Newcestown slowed down their game, and this allowed the Doheny defence to find their feet. There was a scoreless ten-minute spell before Andrew Shorten and Eoin Kelly found the target to stretch the lead to five points by the 20th minute, Dohenys yet to score.

Incredibly, in view of their supremacy, Newcestown weren’t to score again until the 60th minute. Just when it seemed Dohenys might go the whole half without a score, they raised a white flag in the 25th minute when Euan Lehane pointed a free. One minute later, hard-trying midfielder Ian Bryan doubled their total. Those two scores were vital as the half-time gap was a manageable three points, 0-5 to 0-2.

Dohenys' Josh Burke closes in on Newcestown's Humphrey Canty during the Bandon Co-op JBFC final at Clonakilty on Friday night.

Most of the excitement was packed into the second half as Dohenys, in a different mood, set about retrieving the game. Colm O’Shea converted his first free and Ray Jennings, from an acute angle, added another to close the gap to a single point by the 40th minute.

Spurred on by Tadhg O’Leary, Padraig O’Mahony, Ellis Farrell and Jack McCarthy in defence, Dohenys hit the front for the first time in the 44th minute when Kerry native O’Shea converted a superb two-point free.

It was all Dohenys now. O’Shea, Daniel McSweeney, Euan Lehane and Ray Jennings were all prominent, as Jennings and O’Shea converted frees to stretch the lead to three entering the closing minutes.

Dohenys captain Jack McCarthy raises the Liam Nolan Cup.

Newcestown, with the game slipping away, got a second wind and went in search of their first score of the second half. It arrived in the form of a pointed free from Eddie Kenneally in the 60th minute.

Dohenys had to do some fierce defending in injury time to prevent a winning Newcestown goal, with Padraig O’Mahony and Colm O’Shea both receiving black cards. That goal never arrived, but Newcestown did get the last-gasp chance to level the game from a two-point free just outside the arc – which was missed.

There was great rejoicing as the cup was presented to outstanding captain Jack McCarthy by chairman of the Carbery Board, David Whyte, and Bandon Co-op manager, Michael O’Driscoll.

OUR STAR: The Clash Awards man-of-the-match went to outstanding Doheny captain and wing back Jack McCarthy.

Scorers

Dohenys: Colm O’Shea 0-4 (2f, 1 2pf); Ray Jennings 0-2f; Ian Bryan, Euan Lehane (1f) 0-1 each.

Newcestown: Eddie Kenneally 0-4 (3f); Eoin Kelly, Andrew Shorten 0-1 each.

Dohenys: Colm O’Shea; Tadhg O’Leary, Josh Burke, Padraig O’Mahony; Gavin Dullea, Ellis Farrell, Jack McCarthy; Ian Bryan, Nathan McCarthy; Darragh Collins, Niall Hurley, Daniel McSweeney; Ray Jennings, Seán Murphy, Euan Lehane.

Subs: Killian Vassallo for G Dullea (ht), Aidan O’Donovan for N Hurley (47), Niall Hurley for I Bryan (52).

Newcestown: Daniel Twomey; James Burrows, Flor Kenneally, Ger Murphy; Cathal Wilson, Dan Flanagan, Fionn Keane; Humphrey Canty, Andrew Shorten; Oisín O’Sullivan, Padraig Collins, Eoin Kelly; Ronan McSweeney, Eddie Kenneally, Ciarán O’Donovan.

Subs: Mark Courtney for O O’Sullivan (40), Murt Kenneally for R McSweeney (40), Ciarán Hurley for A Shorten (50), Darragh McSweeney for H Canty (55).

Referee: James Kingston (Carbery Rangers).