Michael Hurley delivers as Castlehaven beat Nemo Rangers
Castlehaven players after defeating Nemo Ranger's in the Bon Secours Premier SFC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture; Eddie O'Hare
CASTLEHAVEN are the kingpins of Cork football for the first time since 2013 following victory over defending champions Nemo Rangers in the Bon Secours Hospital Premier SFC final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday evening.
It’s third time lucky for the Haven since that triumph a decade ago after the West Cork side lost the 2015 and 2020 finals to Nemo Rangers. The team in blue and white have denied Nemo adding to their 23 county crowns. It’s only Nemo’s fifth final defeat in 28 appearances.
The Haven's big players stepped up when it mattered in the second-half with Michael and Brian Hurley playing a prominent role up front. Damien Cahalane continued his great recent form with another powerhouse performance in defence.
Castlehaven were the better team in the early stages. After hitting two wides, James McCarthy’s side hit the front after four minutes through a Michael Hurley point from an acute angle. The Haven moved the ball through the lines very well, which didn’t happen too often in the first half, which resulted in their second point after seven minutes when Brian Hurley split the posts from long-range.
Nemo, after registering two wides, got their first score after nine minutes when Luke Connolly, the star in the 2022 final, raised a white flag. Nemo were set up defensively, trying to cut out the supply to the Haven forwards, and it worked in what was a forgettable opening 30 minutes, as Haven led 0-2 to 0-1.
The match improved slightly. Nemo levelled up matters when Jack Horgan split the posts after a clever pass by midfielder Barry Cripps, 0-2 each after 20 minutes. Michael Hurley sent over a splendid point despite being put under pressure by the Nemo rearguard, only for the Trabeg side to go down the end of the pitch to draw parity courtesy of Barry O’Driscoll.
Seán Browne nudged the West Cork side in front before the first point from a free arrived after 28 minutes when Mark Cronin converted an easy free, 0-4 apiece at the interval.
Nemo went ahead for the first time in the decider a minute into the new half when Connolly bisected the posts. In a tit-for-tat encounter, Castlehaven drew level through Brian Hurley, which was their first point from a free. Cronin restored Nemo’s one-point advantage when Cronin pointed from a free, 0-6 to 0-5 after 34 minutes.
It was level once more when Brian Hurley landed a superb free. The game really needed a spark, but it didn’t like happening with 18 minutes remaining. Connolly converted a difficult placed ball as the reigning champions led by the bare minimum heading into the last quarter, 0-7 to 0-6.
Some of the shooting on both sides left a lot to be desired as the game was still in the melting pot after 53 minutes with still just a point separating the sides. A Michael Hurley point levelled up matters with six minutes to go. Nemo kicked two of the next three points, with Cripps’ long-range point the pick of the scores, 0-9 to 0-8 after 57 minutes. A Brian Hurley white flag, which was a mark, drew parity.
That man Brian Hurley landed a long-range free to give the team in blue and white the lead a minute into injury time. The Haven were reduced to 14 players when sub Conor O’Driscoll received a black card. The Haven got the insurance score when Michael Hurley pointed.
The final whistle brought unbridled joy from the winning camp as they won the Andy Scannell Cup for a sixth time.
B Hurley (0-3 f, 0-1 m), M Hurley 0-5 each, S Browne 0-1.
L Connolly (0-1 f), M Cronin (f) 0-3 each, J Horgan, B Cripps, B O’Driscoll 0-1 each.
Darragh Cahalane; J O’Regan, Damien Cahalane, R Walsh; T O’Mahony, R Maguire, M Collins (capt); C Cahalane, A Whelton; J O’Neill, C Maguire, S Browne; J Cahalane, B Hurley, M Hurley.
C O’Driscoll for S Browne (47), R Minihane for A Whelton (49), J O’Driscoll for J O’Neill (56), C O’Sullivan for T O’Mahony (60).
M Aodh Martin; K Histon, B Murphy, K O’Donovan; C Molloy, K Fulganati, S Cronin; B Cripps, A O’Donovan (capt); C Horgan, M Cronin, J Horgan; B O’Driscoll, L Horgan, L Connolly.
P Kerrigan for L Horgan (45), R Dalton for B O’Driscoll (47), G Sayers for C Molloy (49), C Kiely for C Horgan (56).
Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).
App?
