SAFC: Dohenys make it a West Cork double with semi-final win over Knocknagree

Dohenys 1-19 Knocknagree 2-12

There will be increased West Cork representation in next year’s Cork Premier SFC as Dohenys set up a Bon Secours Hospital SAFC final meeting with Newcestown.

It took the Dunmanway side, automatic semi-finalists, time to get going at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening – they trailed last year’s beaten finalists Knocknagree by five points after 11 minutes. Ultimately, the twin sharpshooters Fionn Herlihy (eight points, all from play) and Colm O’Shea (six) were key in securing progression along with Mark Buckley’s goal early in the second half.

Having not led at all in the first half, the end of which they trailed by a point, Dohenys took command on the resumption.

First, Colm O’Shea, the scorer of four first-half frees, got his first from play to level matters. Then, wing-forward Adam O’Donovan managed to intercept the kickout and drove at the Knocknagree defence. While his goal effort was well-saved by Patrick Doyle, Mark Buckley was on hand to seize the loose ball and direct the ball home. When Buckley and Shane Barry combined to set up Keith White for his first point, they were four to the good and pushed on from there.

Earlier, Knocknagree had given themselves a dream start with a goal in the opening two minutes. When the ball was worked to Eoghan McSweeney close to the right corner, it looked first as if he might try to showcase his prodigious shooting ability but instead he picked out Anthony O’Connor with a perfectly arrowed pass. From just outside the small rectangle, there would not be any other outcome.

That strike ensured that they never trailed in that opening period – indeed, they were 1-3 to 0-1 ahead after a pair of lovely long-range points from Eoghan McSweeney and his brother Michael in quick succession.

With Michael Doyle operating well as a sweeper, cutting out intended deliveries inside for Dohenys, they retained the whip hand as a pair of O’Shea frees were answered, first with a dead ball from Anthony O’Connor and then Michael McSweeney’s second, set up by Daniel O’Mahony and Niall O’Connor.

Dohenys began to probe in a more focused fashion, though. Fionn Herlihy’s second point, following a good catch from Adam O’Donovan’s pass, was followed by his third after a searching low diagonal ball from midfield by Johnny Kelly.

While there was a let-off for Dohenys as Knocknagree’s Niall O’Connor couldn’t find the target with a low goal attempt, O’Shea’s frees and Herlihy’s ability to fashion and finish chances had them eating into the deficit.

The game was level, 0-9 to 1-6, when Herlihy had his fifth following good leg-work from wing-back Cathal Daly, but Knocknagree went in in front. Eoghan McSweeney was the man to get the point, working his way in from the right and fisting over – the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar, just too high for Anthony O’Connor to reach and end the half as he started it with a goal.

Had another green flag resulted, the second half could have been different but, instead, Dohenys – with centre-back Cullan Barry carrying the ball forward to good effect – were able to get on top and stay there.

By the three-quarter mark, they heled a 1-13 to 1-8 advantage thanks to Herlihy’s sixth point of the game. The loss of O’Shea to injury might have proven troublesome, especially as Knocknagree corner-back Timmy O’Connor cut the lead with a point.

Dohenys weren’t fazed, however. White restored the five-point lead before Herlihy’s seventh, a beauty.

Knocknagree never gave up but increasingly they were forced into deliveries goalwards in the hope of generating goal chances. That left space at the other end and Dohenys continued to build their score – Herlihy might have had a late goal but for a superb Daniel O’Mahony tackle.

At the death, Knocknagree’s pressure did result in a Denis O’Connor goal but Dohenys were not to be denied.

Scorers for Dohenys: F Herlihy 0-8, C O’Shea 0-6 (0-5f), M Buckley 1-2 (0-1f), K White 0-3 (0-1f).

Knocknagree: A O’Connor 1-2 (0-2f), M McSweeney 0-3, Denis O’Connor 1-0, E McSweeney 0-2, N O’Connor, J Dennehy, P Doyle (0-1 45), T O’Connor, T O’Mahony 0-1 each.

DOHENYS: S Daly; S Daly, J Farrell, D Rice; C Daly, C Barry, B O’Donovan; J Kelly, R Coakley; S Barry, C O’Shea, A O’Donovan; K White, F Herlihy, M Buckley.

Subs: E Lavers for S Barry (38), B Murphy for B O’Donovan (48), A Mannix for O’Shea (48, injured), Declan Collins for Daly, Darragh Collins for A O’Donovan (both 60).

KNOCKNAGREE: P Doyle; G O’Connor, M Mahoney, T O’Connor; M Doyle, D O’Mahony, K Cronin; David O’Connor, M McSweeney; J Dennehy, E McSweeney, D Moynihan; Denis O’Connor, N O’Connor, A O’Connor.

Subs: D Cooper for Dennehy (half-time), T O’Mahony for Cronin (55).

Referee: D Murnane (Macroom).