Castlehaven Munster SFC winners for the first time since 1997 after an epic decider with Dingle

Castlehaven: 0-13 

Dingle: 0-13 

(AET) 

Castlehaven win 4-3 on penalties 

CASTLEHAVEN have been crowned Munster SFC winners for the first time since 1997 after beating Dingle in an epic final at the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday afternoon.

The West Cork side eventually won on penalties, 4-3 in awful weather conditions. 

It’s the Haven’s fourth Munster title after winning the championship in 1989, 1994 and 1997. There was scenes of joy on the pitch when the game was eventually decided. The Haven were singing in the rain.

In difficult underfoot conditions, both sides passed up scoring opportunities in the early stages as Dingle had the bulk of the possession.

The first score arrived after nine minutes when Dingle’s centre-back Conor Flannery found space to kick a point from distance, but the teams were level three minutes later when Cathal Maguire landed a free which was a mark following a brilliant catch. Dylan Geaney pointed for the Kerry side but a beautiful point from an acute angle from Brian Hurley tied up matters after 14 minutes, 0-2 each.

The two evenly matched teams exchanged frees, Conor Geaney converting Dingle’s point and Brian Hurley raising a white flag for the Haven before Matthew Flaherty pushed Dingle back ahead once again until the Haven suffered a blow when they lost Michael Hurley through injury after 24 minutes. A Paul Geaney free gave his side a two-point advantage, but Brian Hurley bisected the posts in what was a close and cagey affair, 0-5 to 0-4 after 29 minutes.

The Haven thought they were going into the dressing room all square when Maguire fisted the ball over the bar from an impossible angle, but a dubious free was awarded to Dingle and Conor Geaney popped the ball over the bar, 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval.

Castlehaven were now wind assisted in the second-half, but it was a slow burner in the new half, the first score took five minutes to come when Paul Geaney converted an easy free. The Haven were boosted by Conor Cahalane coming onto the pitch after 37 minutes having looked very likely that his day was done when he picked up an injury in first-half stoppage time.

The sides swapped white flags as Dingle led 0-8 to 0-6 after 40 minutes. A long-range Brian Hurley free cut the gap to the minimum as the game was firmly in the melting pot. A Conor Geaney effort that looked like going wide tailed in at the last second which gave the Kerry outfit a 0-9 to 0-7 lead with 13 minutes remaining. A Brian Hurley 45 reduced the margin to a point until the Haven were reduced to 14 players when Jamie O’Driscoll received a second yellow card after 55 minutes.

An easy Brian Hurley free levelled the contest after 58 minutes but it was short lived when Conor Geaney kicked a free. The game was sent to extra time when the aforementioned Brian Hurley converted a free.

Castlehaven were now back to their full complement but were against the wind in the first period of extra time. Dingle made the most of it, kicking three consecutive points, 0-13 to 0-10 at half-time. Mark Collins kicked a point for the Haven two minutes into the new half with the help of the wind, before a pair of Maguire white flags sent the game to penalties. Incredible.

Damien Cahalane went in goal for Castlehaven. He took the first penalty and made no mistake, as the Haven led for the first time. In the end, the Haven won 4-3 on penalties when Mikey Geaney missed the last penalty.

The Haven had done it. 

Scorers for Castlehaven: B Hurley 0-7 (0-4 f, 0-1 45), C Maguire 0-4 (0-1 mark), M Collins 0-2.

Dingle: P Geaney (0-3 f), C Geaney (0-3 f), 0-4 each, N Geaney, C Flannery, M Flaherty, T O’Sullivan, D Geaney 0-1 each.

CASTLEHAVEN: Darragh Cahalane; J O’Regan, Damien Cahalane, R Walsh; T O’Mahony, R Maguire, M Collins (capt); C Cahalane, C O’Sullivan; J O’Neill, B Hurley, C Maguire; S Browne, J Cahalane, M Hurley.

Subs: J O’Driscoll for M Hurley (24, inj), A Whelton for C Cahalane (31, inj), C Cahalane for S Browne (36), C O’Driscoll for C O’Sullivan (52), M Maguire for J O’Neill (62), C O’Sullivan for C O’Driscoll (ET, 1), R Minihane for C O’Sullivan (H-T, ET), R Whelton for J O’Neill (ET, 18), M Maguire for J O’Regan (ET, 21).

DINGLE: Gavin H Curran; Tom Leo O’Sullivan, D O’Sullivan, Tom O’Sullivan; N Geaney, C Flannery, B O’Connor; B O’Sullivan, B O’Connor; M Geaney, P Geaney (capt), M Flaherty; M Flannery, C Geaney, D Geaney.

Subs: C O’Sullivan for D O’Sullivan (46), T Browne for M Flannery (52), P Devane for C Geaney (ET, 9), B Devane for M Flaherty (ET, 14), B Kelliher for B O’Connor (ET, 22).

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).