Carbery beat Duhallow with a late James O'Regan free after a gripping PSFC final
Colm O'Driscoll lifts the cup for Carbery after beating Duhallow at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Denis Boyle
Carbery 0-16 Duhallow 0-15
CARBERY showed courage in abundance to claim a notable scalp in Duhallow and qualify for the quarter-finals of the Bon Secours county PSFC following a thrilling divisions/colleges section final at Pairc Ui Rinn on Sunday night.
An injury-time free from substitute James O’Regan decided a high quality affair though Donncha O’Connor almost forced extra-time, when his last-gasp free just missed the target.
Carbery were the better side in the second-half with Brian O’Driscoll leading the charge and his two scores in a four-point spell boosted their chances no end.
Aaron Hayes tied matters for the first of five times, 0-11 each, and another substitute Keith O’Driscoll edged them in front on the first occasion in the 49th minute.
It began a brilliant climax as the lead exchanged hands on a number of occasions, Darragh Cashman levelling for Duhallow and Ruairi Deane levelling again for the south-west combination.
Shane Hickey nudged Duhallow ahead once more, three minutes from the end only for O’Regan to tie it up again, via the crossbar, before landing the winner.
In the first-half, the scene was set from just 45 seconds after the throw-in, when Paul Walsh pointed and by the time referee Andre Whelan called time, 17 more scores accrued as Duhallow led by 0-10 to 0-8 following a terrific opening period.
They jumped 0-7 to 0-3 clear after the first quarter, opening up the Carbery defence with intelligent running into space and astute distribution.
Seamus Hickey’s ninth score could easily have been a goal as his thundering drive just carried the crossbar in a glowing example of Duhallow’s play up top.
Paddy O’Driscoll was showing up well for Carbery, too, helping himself to a couple of impressive points as he made it 0-4 to 0-3 almost immediately.
But, Duhallow then put on a scoring burst, three points in as many minutes with Jack Curtin, Hickey, again, and Luke Murphy obliging to open up a four-point gap.
The physical nature of the contest was reflected in the collision between the rival centre-backs in contesting a loose ball with Duhallow’s Kevin Cremin powering to possession ahead of Killian O’Brien which led to Curtin’s score.
Carbery, though had the better of the second quarter exchanges, when Brian O’Driscoll began to influence proceedings, finding the range off his left though Donncha O’Connor’s class was evident a minute later.
Substitute Keith O’Driscoll cut the deficit to 0-8 to 0-6 by the 22nd minute and yet Duhallow invariably responded, creating a second goal chance, as well, approaching the break, but Carbery keeper Cian Ryan did well to turn Walsh’s stinging shot around the post for a ’45.
Still, captain Colm O’Driscoll completed the scoring with a fine effort, leaving Duhallow holding a narrow two-point advantage on the resumption.
That stretched to three within a minute but then Carbery got a grip to run out deserving winners of an exciting hour’s football.
B O’Driscoll 0-5 (0-2 f), P O’Driscoll, C O’Driscoll, K O’Driscoll 0-2 each, J O’Regan 0-2 (0-1 f), S Daly, A Hayes, R Deane (f) 0-1 each.
D O’Connor 0-3 (0-1 m), J Curtin 0-3 (0-1 f), Seamus Hickey, Shane Hickey, M McAuliffe 0-2 each, D Cashman, P Walsh, L Murphy 0-1 each.
C Ryan (Ballinscarthy); B Everard (St Mary’s), B Murphy (St Colum’s), D Scannell (St Mary’s; R O’Connell (St Mary’s), K O’Brien (Gabriel Rangers), G O’Callaghan (Gabriel Rangers); S Ryan (Ballinascarthy), B O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaighs); P O’Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers), R Deane (Bantry Blues), O Scannell (Kilmeen); C O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaighs), c, A Hayes (St Jame’s), S Daly (Randal Og).
K O’Driscoll (Gabriel Rangers) for Scannell injured 11, R Hourihane (Kilmacabea) for O’Brien 45, J O’Regan (Gabriel Rangers) foe Daly 46, K Keohane (Kilmeen) for O’Connor 55, S Thornton (Bantry Blues) for O’Callaghan 60+3.
K Holland (Kanturk); S Curtin (Rockchapel), J McLoughlin (Kanturk), D Buckley (Boherbue); S Hickey (Millstreet), K Cremin (Boherbue), D Cashman (Millstreet); P Walsh (Kanturk), S Hickey (Rockchapel); C O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe), D O’Connor (Ballydesmond), G O’Sullivan (Boherbue); L Murphy (Cullen), J Curtin (Rockchapel), M McAuliffe (do).
E Murphy (Dromtarriffe) for O’Sullivan 44.
R Whelan (Aghada).
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