Premier SFC: Brian Hurley drives Castlehaven to impressive semi-final win over St Finbarr's
Castlehaven's Brian Hurley kicks a point against St FInbarr's. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Castlehaven’s bid for back-to-back titles remains alive following this four-point victory over St Finbarr’s in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC semi-final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday evening.
This latest instalment between these familiar foes was the fifth season on the trot that they have met at this last four juncture but this one never caught fire in truth as the winners dominated.
Brian Hurley was in sublime form, with the Cork footballer finishing with 0-11, seven coming from play. The Rebels captain was awesome. His brother Michael Hurley shot the lights out in this fixture last year.
Castlehaven were always in control of this encounter and never looked in bother in what was an excellent team display. The champions will now take on Nemo Rangers in the decider for the second year on the bounce.
Despite a four-week break since their last game, Castlehaven made the brighter start, with two attacks resulting in points from Jack Cahalane and Brian Hurley inside the first two minutes. St Finbarr’s, two weeks on from a difficult five-point win over Ballincollig, were slow out of the traps, but did settle and a pair of points from Steven Sherlock, one coming from a free, tied up matters after eight minutes.
Brian Hayes did briefly nudge the Barrs in front before three unanswered points from the holders gave them a 0-5 to 0-3 advantage. Seán Browne’s effort following a clever Cathal Maguire pass the pick of the scores.
St Finbarr’s were guilty of some poor decision-making and wayward shooting as the excellent Brian Hurley extended his side’s lead out to three points. The sides swapped white flags, 0-7 to 0-4, with nine minutes to the break. The Haven were far slicker at this juncture, moving the ball at pace, as a pair of points from Cathal Maguire and Brian Hurley gave the West Cork side a five-point buffer after 24 minutes, 0-9 to 0-4.
The sides shared the next four white flags until a close-range Sherlock free kept St Finbarr’s firmly in touch at the break despite being second best in the first half, 0-11 to 0-7.
The game could well have been pretty much wrapped up two minutes into the new half but St Finbarr’s netminder Darragh Newman made a wonderful reflex save to deny Jack Cahalane. It looked like a green flag would be raised.
It was down to a one-score game when the accurate Sherlock tacked on a free. It was back to four points when Brian Hurley converted a free after 39 minutes, their first score of the half. This second half wasn’t as free-flowing, but the Barrs were slowly improving as they hit two of the next three points, 0-13 to 0-10 after 43 minutes.
The teams swapped points as the game was still in the melting pot going into the last eight minutes. Castlehaven were always able to keep their opposition at arms-length and a Jack Cahalane effort restored his side’s four-point advantage.
That man Brian Hurley kicked a super point from a difficult angle, quickly cancelled out by an effort by St Finbarr’s sub Cillian Myers-Murray, 0-16 to 0-12 after 57 minutes.
The sides once more exchanged white flags before a Twomey effort left the Barrs to within three points of the Haven a minute into added time. Hayes did have a goal chance after 62 minutes to draw his side level but Johnny O'Regan produced an outstanding diving block.
A Jack Cahalane point was the insurance score for Seanie Cahalane’s outfit as they won by four points.
B Hurley 0-11 (0-4 f), J Cahalane 0-3, C Maguire 0-2, A Whelton, S Browne 0-1 each.
S Sherlock 0-6 (0-3 f), E Twomey 0-3, B Hayes 0-2, E Dennehy, C Myers-Murray, J Wigginton-Barrett 0-1 each.
Darragh Cahalane; T O’Mahony, J O’Regan, J O’Driscoll; J Walsh, J O’Neill, M Collins (c); A Whelton, R Maguire; R Minihane, C Maguire, J Cahalane; S Browne, B Hurley, M Hurley.
M Maguire for M Hurley (38), C Cahalane for R Minihane (41), C O’Driscoll for S Browne (54), Damien Cahalane for J Walsh (56), R Whelton for A Whelton (60).
D Newman; E Dennehy, A O’Connor, C Scully; C Lyons, J Burns, B O’Connell; I Maguire (c), E Twomey; E McGreevy, W Buckley, C Doolan; J Wigginton-Barrett, B Hayes, S Sherlock.
E Finn for E McGreevy (h-t), C Myers-Murray for B O’Connell (54).
David Murnane (Macroom).
App?
