St Finbarr's stun Kilmurry late on to land Premier Junior Football title

St Finbarr’s: 3-6 Kilmurry: 1-11 

A late goal from sub Cian Madden was enough to propel St Finbarr’s second team to Bon Secours Hospital Premier JFC glory following an entertaining final with Kilmurry at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday afternoon.

It looked like Kilmurry were heading for back-to-back county titles as they led by two points, but Madden was the hero for the city side with a well taken goal after 59 minutes, which was the first time they led. St Finbarr’s make an immediate return to intermediate A football after suffering demotion in 2022. Heartbreak for Kilmurry, who looked the likely winners heading down the home straight.

It was a low key start with both teams finding each other out. There were very few scoring chances in the first five minutes, but St Finbarr’s did have a goal opportunity after three minutes when Ciarán Doolan played in Michael Shields, but the experienced player’s shot went across the face of goal and went out for a wide ball.

The first score arrived after seven minutes and it was worth the wait when Kilmurry’s Joe Ryan landed a peach of a point from long range. Seán Warren extended Kilmurry’s advantage with an easy free. The Muskerry side then raised a green flag after ten minutes, a slick team move resulted in Ryan setting up Warren and the latter smashed the ball into the back of the net, an unstoppable shot, 1-2 to 0-0.

The Barrs steadied the ship with two points from Olan Murphy and the evergreen Denis O’Brien, 1-2 to 0-2 after 13 minutes. The sides traded white flags before the city side levelled with a goal. It was an excellent team move involving Fionn Crowley, Olan Murphy and Shields which resulted in Adrian Murphy having a relatively easy finish, 1-3 each after 24 minutes.

Ryan converted a free for the Muskerry side after 27 minutes, their first score in ten minutes, which was quickly followed by a Padraig Berhanu white flag. St Finbarr’s opened up the Kilmurry defence once again, with Shields playing a prominent role, but James Kennefick’s shot was saved by Kilmurry netminder Jason McDonnell after 28 minutes. Kilmurry led 1-5 to 1-3 at half-time. St Finbarr’s ended up eight wides in the first-half.

The team in green and gold made a positive start to the new half when Liam Wall landed a point three minutes in. Despite all of Kilmurry’s good work, it was all square after 37 minutes when Doolan raised a green flag. The aforementioned Shields with the assist for the goal. Wall nudged Kilmurry ahead with a fine point, a goal could have very easily been on, 1-7 to 2-3 after 43 minutes.

Tomás Collins pushed the Mid-Cork outfit two points clear, but the game was very much in the melting pot heading into the last quarter. A magnificent free from O’Brien left the bare minimum between the teams. Three Kilmurry points, two from Wall and a Warren effort gave Kilmurry a four-point buffer after 55 minutes.

But points from captain Alan McCarthy and Shields kept the Barrs in touch, 1-11 to 2-6. And the city side went in front when sub Cian Madden billowed the back of the net from close-range after 59 minutes. The Barrs managed the remaining minutes very well as they won by a point.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: C Doolan, C Madden, A Murphy 1-0 each, D O’Brien 0-2 (0-1 f), O Murphy, A McCarthy, M Shields, C Walsh 0-1 each.

Kilmurry: L Wall 0-5, S Warren 1-2 (0-1 f), J Ryan 0-2 (0-1 f), P Berhanu, T Collins 0-1 each.

ST FINBARR’S: C Keane; M Russell, D Byrne, J Kennefick; A McCarthy (capt), A Lyne, C Steele; E Comyns, C Doolan; D O’Brien, C Walsh, F Crowley; O Murphy, M Shields, A Murphy.

Subs: E Keane for A Murphy, J Murphy for F Crowley (both h-t), C Madden for E Comyns (46), C O’Sullivan for O Murphy (51), C Buckley for D Byrne (63).

KILMURRY: J McDonnell; B Hinchion, K Barrett, W Ronan (capt); T Collins, G O’Mahony, D Cahalane; K Kelleher, James O’Mullane; L Wall, L Aisling, A Aisling; P Berhanu, J Ryan, S Warren.

Subs: R Duggan for D Cahalane (42), R Leahy for P Berhanu (49, inj), Joe O’Mullane for A Aisling (62).

Referee: Justin Murphy (Castletownroche).