Holders Castlehaven move straight to Premier Senior semi-final by beating Carbery Rangers
Jack Cahalane, Castlehaven, about to score under pressure from Jerry O'Riordan, Carbery Rangers, in their McCarthy Insurance Premier Senior Football Championship match in Leap. Picture: Dan Linehan
Castlehaven reinforced their McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC favourites tag thanks to victory over local rivals Carbery Rangers in Leap on Sunday.
The Castlehaven juggernaut shows little sign of slowing down as Seanie Cahalane’s charges accelerated into this year’s Premier SFC knockout stages.
A third consecutive Group 2 win, this time at the expense of Carbery Rangers, maintained the defending county and provincial champions’ perfect record.
This latest outing also underlined why any club looking to get their hands on the Andy Scannell Cup will most likely have to topple the Union Hall-Castletownshend outfit.
Andrew Whelton, Jack Cahalane, Damien Cahalane and Rory Maguire were the pick of the best performers. As for Carbery Rangers, a relegation play-off with Éire Óg awaits following their second loss in three outings.
The latest instalment of this local derby was played out amid warm and sunny conditions. Both sides got numbers behind the ball from the start, but it was the current Premier SFC champions who settled quickest.
Rory Maguire and Jack O’Neill efforts handed the Haven an early two-point lead before Patrick Hurley replied.
Micháel Maguire and Brian Hodnett swapped scores but it was Castlehaven who dominated possession and dictated the tempo for the remainder of the half.
Brian Hurley (free), Jack Cahalane, Rory Maguire and Micháel Maguire stretched the leaders’ advantage, 0-8 to 0-2.
John O’Rourke landed a badly need Rangers free. Rory Maguire responded with his third score from a tight angle shortly after. Jerry O’Rirodan kicked Carbery’s third from open play prior to Jack Cahalane and Mark Collins white flags making it 0-11 to 0-4 at the interval.
Seamus Hayes made three changes at the break and they had the desired effect. John Hodnett and John O’Rourke (free) scores reduced the deficit.
Rory Maguire continued his forays forward however, and the centre-back floated over his fourth point to make it 0-12 to 0-6 after 38 minutes.
Another Brian Hurley free made it a seven-point game once again and although Jerry O’Riordan replied, the Haven were comfortable leaders with 10 minutes to go.
John O’Rourke watched an attempt deflected over the crossbar but it was a rare goal chance in a scrappy second half.
A late second yellow card and subsequent red for Jerry O’Rirodan only added to Rangers’ woes. Brian Hurley’s late score edged his side six clear and even though there was still time for John O’Rourke to respond at the opposite end, Castlehaven ran out the most convincing of 0-14 to 0-9 winners.
R Maguire 0-4, B Hurley (0-2 f), J Cahalane 0-3 each, M Maguire 0-2, J O’Neill, M Collins 0-1 each.
J O’Rourke 0-4 (0-2 f), J O’Riordan 0-2, P Hurley, B Hodnett, J Hodnett 0-1 each.
Darragh Cahalane; J O’Regan, Damien Cahalane, T O’Mahony; J O’Neill, R Maguire, M Collins (c); A Whelton, R Minihane; J O’Driscoll, J Cahalane, J Walsh; C Maguire, B Hurley, M Maguire.
R Walsh for D Cahalane (52), C Nolan for C Maguire (55), M Hurley for J Walsh (59).
P Shanahan (c); K Eady, J O’Riordan, D O’Dwyer; J O’Riordan, T O’Rourke, J Kevane; J Fitzpatrick, M Maguire; C McCarthy, B Hodnett, J Hodnett; J O’Rourke, D Hayes, P Hurley.
P O’Rourke for M Maguire (ht), B Shanahan for D O’Dwyer (ht), M Hodnett for J Fitzpatrick (ht), P Hodnett for P Hurley (49), K Scannell for T O’Rourke (58).
Alan Long (Argideen Rangers).
App?
