Cill na Martra salvage draw after Knocknagree fightback

Cill na Martra 2-17 (2-3-11) Knocknagree 3-14 (3-1-12)

Ciarán Ó Duinnín’s late equaliser for Cill na Martra was the final act in a rip-roaring McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC opening-round clash at Clondrohid on Sunday night.

A game that could be neatly packaged into two parts – Cill na Martra’s dominant first half and Knocknagree’s impressive fightback – had an injury-time encore that brough mood whiplash before matters finished even.

As the clock struck 60, Cill na Martra’s lead had taken more than a few hits but it appeared that they might hold out to take the points. However, when Eoghan McSweeney’s long-range scoring attempt dropped short, Killian Cronin was able to divert the ball past goalkeeper Micheál Ó Deasúna – 3-11 to 2-12 for last year’s beaten finalists, the first time in the game that they had led.

At the end of the first half, Michael McSweeney’s point had left Knocknagree with a slightly more manageable deficit of 2-9 to 0-4 and there seemed a nice symmetry when he rounded off a good move to put them a goal in front. That was the 62nd minute and yet there was time for four more scores, of a combined value of seven points.

With Cill na Martra needing something special to claw their way back, Jason Mac Cárthaigh surged goalwards and tested Patrick Doyle, who saved at the expense of a 45. Rather than dropping it in for an equalising goal, Cill na Martra played it short and Ciarán Ó Duinnín, excellent throughout, kicked the game’s first two-point score.

The wisdom of that decision was shown as Mac Cárthaigh claimed a mark from the kickout and fed Cianie Ó Forréidh, who in turn passed to his brother Seán – another two-pointer and the lead back with the Muskerry men.

However, when Cill na Martra were penalised for not retreating after the concession of a free at halfway, goalkeeper Doyle came forward to send over the two-point free. That put them 3-14 to 2-16 in front but there was time for one last Cill na Martra attack and the ball was worked through the hands of Cianie Ó Forréidh, the ever-energetic Danny Ó Conaill, Criostóir Ó Meachair and Gearóid Ó Goillidhe before Ciarán Ó Duinnín pointed to give himself a personal tally of 1-6 and the sides one point each in the table.

If Cill na Martra would have taken such an outcome at the end of normal time, they surely wouldn’t at half-time, having established such an advantage. The Gaeltacht side had a dream start when Ciarán Ó Duinnín exchanged passes with Gearóíd Ó Goillidhe and drilled a low shot beyond Patrick Doyle. The same player added a point and was always dangerous in possession and was involved in points for Danny Ó Conaill and Seán Ó Forréidh as they reached a tally of 1-5 with Knocknagree still yet to register.

Even after Anthony O’Connor and Denis R O’Connor opened their account, Cill na Martra responded strongly and had another goal when Antóin Ó Cuana – influential at midfield – flicked Seán Ó Forréidh’s delivery to the net for a 2-6 to 0-3 advantage.

While it looked like Ciarán Ó Duinnín had added another, that was waved wide despite Cill na Martra protests but the number 11 followed that immediately with a point and Mac Cárthaigh gave them what proved to be their biggest lead of 12 points.

The restart brought a different scenario, with Knocknagree playing down the slope and Cill na Martra losing Ó Cuana to injury. After a trio of points and a disallowed goal, they found the net through Gary O’Connor to make it 2-9 to 1-6 and that was immediately followed by Gearóid Looney setting up Niall O’Connor for another green flag.

Bit by bit, they ate into the deficit and even the black-carding of Anthony O’Connor late on, when the margin was two, could halt the fightback. Cill na Martra had an answer, however.

Scorers for Cill na Martra: C Ó Duinnín 1-6 (1 2pt), S Ó Forréidh 0-3 (1 2pt), A Ó Cuana 1-0, D Ó Duinnín, J Mac Cárthaigh (2ptf), D Ó Conaill 0-2 each, D Ó hUrdail (0-1 f), A Ó Duinnín 0-1 each.

Knocknagree: Denis R O’Connor, A O’Connor (0-3 f) 0-4 each, N O’Connor 1-1, K Cronin, G O’Connor 1-0 each, M McSweeney, P Doyle (1 2ptf) 0-2 each, G Looney 0-1 each.

CILL NA MARTRA: M Ó Deasúna; F Ó Faoláin, C Ó Forréidh, D Mac Lochlainn; D Ó Conaill, S Ó Forréidh, C Ó Meachair; A Ó Cuana, G Ó Goillidhe; D Ó Duinnín, C Ó Duinnín, J Mac Cárthaigh; A Ó Duinnín, E Ó Conaill, S Ó Duinnín. 

Subs: D Ó hÚrdail for Ó Cuana (37, injured), A Ó Loingsigh for S Ó Duinnín (49, injured).

KNOCKNAGREE: P Doyle; M Mahoney, K Buckley, G O’Connor; D Mahoney, D O’Mahony, G Looney; T O’Mahony, K Cronin; David O’Connor, E McSweeney, M McSweeney; Denis R O’Connor, N O’Connor, A O’Connor. 

Subs: M Dilworth for T O’Mahony (half-time), T O’Connor for D Mahoney (52), D Twomey for N O’Connor (60+3).

Referee: A Whelton (Clonakilty).