Cill na Martra heading to Croke Park after nail-biting All-Ireland IFC win over Castlerea St Kevin's
Gearóid Ó Goillidhe sets up an attack for Cill na Martra against Jonathan Hester, Castlerea St Kevin's. Picture: Alf Harvey
CILL NA MARTRA are heading to Croke Park after overcoming the challenge of Roscommon’s Castlerea St Kevin’s in the All-Ireland IFC semi-final at Laois Hire O’Moore Park in Portlaoise on Saturday afternoon.
The Muskerry club struck for two goals early in the second half, and that ultimately proved crucial. They were hanging on towards the end, but they got over the line which sparked joyous celebrations.
Tadhg Ó Corcora was rock solid in defence, supplemented by the likes of Danny Ó Conaill and Séan Ó Forréidh. Captain Gearóid Ó Goillidhe led by example in the middle of the park. Micheál Ó Deasúna and Daniel Ó Duinnín led the attack effectively.
Backed by a huge and vocal following, Cill na Martra started this encounter brightly and it only took them 80 seconds to hit the front when Maidhcí Ó Duinnín raised a white flag. John Evans’ side had the lions' share of possession in the early stages but failed to add to their point. Castlerea St Kevin’s drew level after six minutes when Darren McDermott converted a free.
Cill na Martra went straight down the other end of the pitch resulting in Daniel Ó Duinnín bisecting the posts, a gorgeous point, the score of the game. The sides traded white flags, Cill na Martra’s score coming from a placed ball through Ó Deasúna.
An Adam McDermott free for the Roscommon side drew parity in a keenly contested opening quarter, 0-3 each. A Colm Mac Lochlainn white flag gave the Cork outfit the advantage before Castlerea St Kevin’s were reduced to 14 players for ten minutes after Michael Conroy received a black-card after 18 minutes. An Ó Deasúna free pushed Cill na Martra’s lead out to two points after 21 minutes.
Castlerea St Kevin’s had a great goal chance, but Cill na Martra netminder Pádraig Ó Críodáin made a point blank save to deny Pádraig Joyce. Castlerea St Kevin's landed two points on the bounce before they were back to their full complement. Damien Ó hUrdail kicked a much needed point for the Muskerry outfit after 30 minutes, their first score in nine minutes, but the teams were level at the break at 0-6 apiece when Shane Keenan pointed on the stroke of the short whistle.
On the resumption, Castlerea St Kevin’s went ahead for the first time when Adam McDermott split the posts from a free. But, in keeping with the game so far, Ó Corcora landed a long-range effort for the Mid-Cork side as the sides were deadlocked once more.
The sides then traded frees, but sandwiched between those points was a black card to Cill na Martra’s Antóin Ó Cuana after 36 minutes. A Darren McDermott free gave his side the lead, until Cill na Martra struck for two goals in the space of a minute in the 40th and 41st minutes respectively. Ó Deasúna and Daniel Ó Duinnín with the green flags, as the roof nearly came off the stadium such was the noise from the Cill na Martra supporters, 2-8 to 0-9.
Castlerea St Kevin’s added a point through Darren McDermott, until the Muskerry outfit were back to 15 players, 2-8 to 0-10 after 46 minutes. The Connacht club kicked two of the next three points as the game was in the melting pot after 55 minutes, 2-9 to 0-12. The sides exchanged white flags before the Cork side were down to 14 players after 59 minutes when Danny Ó Conaill was given a second yellow card.
Castlerea St Kevin’s did reduce the gap to a point, but the Muskerry side held on, as they will now face Armagh side St Patrick’s Cullyhanna in the All-Ireland final in the big house next Sunday.
M Ó Deasúna 1-3 (0-3 f), D Ó Duinnín 1-1, D Ó hUrdail 0-2, C Mac Lochlainn, T Ó Corcora, M Ó Duinnín, S Ó Duinnín 0-1 each.
D McDermott (0-4 f), A McDermott (0-5 f) 0-6 each, S Keenan 0-2, P Joyce 0-1.
P Ó Críodáin; C Mac Lochlainn, T Ó Corcora, F Ó Faoláin; D Ó Conaill, S Ó Fórréidh, C Ó Fórréidh; A Ó Cuana, G Ó Goillidhe (capt); D Ó Duinnín, C Ó Duinnín, D Ó hUrdail; M Ó Duinnín, M Ó Deasúna, F Ó Héalaithe.
S Ó Duinnín for M Ó Duinnín (52), D Mac Lochlainn for C Ó Duinnín (57), C Ó Meachair for D Ó hUrdail, G Ó Mochain for M Ó Deasuna (both 62).
D Farrell; E Creaton, J Keane, T Callaghan; P Joyce, S Joyce, D Quinn; J Hester, M Conroy (capt); S Keenan, E O’Connell, D Brennan; D McDermott, A McDermott, P Farrell.
M Kelly for M Conroy, N Connaughton for P Farrell (both 45), N Bligh for P Joyce, R Curran for D Brennan (both 49), S Stenson for J Hester (62).
Brendan Cawley (Kildare).
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