Padraig Berhanu's two goals secure Mid Cork title for Kilmurry footballers

Kilmurry 3-10 Aghinagh 1-8

KILMURRY are the kingpins of Muskerry for the first time since 2017, following a comfortable win over last year’s champions Aghinagh in the Ross Oil Muskerry JAFC decider. 

In front of a large crowd at Coachford, the pitch had passed an inspection three hours prior to the game. 

Padraig Berhanu, the hero for Kilmurry in the 2016 Muskerry final, was also key in this one, with his two goals either side of half-time effectively putting the game beyond Aghinagh’s reach.

The prize on offer was huge, silverware and automatic promotion to the new Premier Junior grade for 2023, the same for all divisional winners this season. 

The first 25 minutes was very competitive, both sides were guilty of giving up possession and a number of poor wides, which resulted in a low-scoring opening half. Kilmurry held a slender 0-3 to 0-2 advantage just after the first quarter, but Liam Twohig, who was largely nullified throughout, kicked a great point for the Rusheen side to level matters.

Kilmurry, who were playing the better football, took a firm grip, when Berhanu slotted the ball into the net, following great work from Liam Wall and Joe Ryan. The winners never looked back after that, they landed three points on the trot before the short whistle, Berhanu (2) and a William Buckley free: 1-6 to 0-3 at half-time.

The game was all but over 48 seconds into the new half, Berhanu fisted the ball into the net from close range, Ryan playing another key role in the build-up to the goal. Kilmurry were totally dominant at this stage, and by the third quarter, the new champions had pushed ten points clear, 2-9 to 0-5.

Aghinagh sub Darragh McCarthy landed a super point, but two minutes later, Liam Wall pointed with the outside of his boot, the score of the game. 

Twohig pointed from a free for the losers and with five minutes remaining, they were awarded a penalty. 

Kilmurry netminder Jason McDonnell was judged to have taken too many steps in his own square. Twohig sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. 

Twohig sent over a free from close range for his team, but deep in injury-time, Wall coolly slotted the ball into the corner of the net, following a neat team move to put the icing on the cake.

Scorers for Kilmurry: P Berhanu 2-2, L Wall 1-3, W Buckley 0-2 f, J Ryan 0-1, J O’Mullane 0-1, R Leahy 0-1.

Aghinagh: L Twohig 1-5 (1-4 f), T Morgan 0-1, G O’Sullivan 0-1, D McCarthy 0-1.

KILMURRY: J McDonnell; B Hinchion, F Warren (J-C), G O’Mahony; T Collins, J O’Mullane, P Hinchion; K Kelleher, L Asling; R Duggan, L Wall, W Ronan (J-C); P Berhanu, W Buckley, J Ryan.

Subs: S Curzon for R Duggan (h-t), R Leahy for W Buckley (38), D Cahalane for L Asling (49), S Warren for P Berhanu (60), P Grainger for G O’Mahony (62, inj).

AGHINAGH: J McCarthy; D O’Riordan, D O’Callaghan, L O’Leary; D Corkery, D Barry, D Ambrose; G O’Sullivan (Capt), E Coughlan; M McCarthy, L Twohig, A Twomey; W Coakley, TJ Buckley, T Morgan.

Subs: S Kelleher for E Coughlan (19), M O’Brien for G O’Sullivan (h-t, inj), A O’Leary for M McCarthy (38), S Corkery for T Morgan (42), D McCarthy for TJ Buckley (43).

Referee: Brendan Barry-Murphy (Aghabullogue).