Ian Jennings kicks four two-pointers as Kilmacabea edge St Mary's to retain Carbery crown

Kilmacabea 0-15 (0-4-7) St Mary’s 0-10 (0-2-6) 

Captain and man-of-the-match Ian Jennings was the hero of the hour for reigning champions Kilmacabea when they got the better of a gallant St Mary’s in the Bandon Co-op Carbery Junior A Football final.

Amid blustery conditions in Skibbereen and with his side trailing by four points at half-time, Jennings took the game by the scruff of the neck in the third quarter when he kicked three glorious two-pointers in a row from play in the space of five minutes to give his side the lead for the first time.

Again, with the game in injury time and Kilmacs hanging on to a two-point lead against a resurgent Mary’s, Jennings kicked his fourth two-pointer, followed by a single white flag, to puncture the ambitions of the Enniskeane/Ballineen men. It was back-to-back titles for Kilmacs and a fifth title in nine years.

“The wind was very strong and you could see that it wouldn’t take a whole pile to send over a two-pointer,” said Jennings. “I just thought I’d have a lash and for once they went over. I was trying a few before the game in the warm-up and had a good feel for the wind. It was sweet to get them.

"We weren’t worried at half-time as we knew the wind was very strong and that they would find it difficult to score against it in the second half. We have the experience of winning finals and that definitely helped, we never panicked at any stage.”

This was far from a one-man show for the winners. Against the wind and a lot of pressure from Mary’s in the first half, Martin Collins was outstanding at centre-back, well flanked by Owen Tobin and Diarmuid O’Callaghan.

Two two-pointers, from Niall Kelleher and Brian McCarthy, plus three opening points from Darren O’Donovan and another from wing-back Jack Eady had St Mary’s on eight points at the break. Although very closely marked, Damien Gore, with two frees and one from play, replied for Kilmacs. Goalkeeper Colin McCarthy pointed a superb 45 into the wind to make it 0-8 to 0-4 at the break, with both sides missing good goal chances.

The third quarter produced only three scores, all two-pointers from Jennings, as Kilmacs surged into the lead.

The last quarter produced real championship fare in front of the large crowd. Veteran Donncha McCarthy and Keith Whelton swapped scores with Niall Kelleher and Darren O’Donovan. 

It was Kilmacs with their noses just in front until battling St Mary’s, in search of game-saving scores, got caught on the break for Jennings’s final two-pointer, which he followed with a point to land the centenary title for Kilmacs.

Scorers for Kilmacabea: Ian Jennings (4 2pt) 0-9, Damien Gore (0-2 f) 0-3, Donncha McCarthy, Keith Whelton, Colin McCarthy 0-1 each.

St Mary’s: Darren O’Donovan 0-4, Niall Kelleher (0-1 f, 1 2pt) 0-3, Brian McCarthy (1 2pt) 0-2, Jack Eady 0-1.

KILMACABEA: C McCarthy; L Tobin, D Whooley, D Tobin; O Tobin, M Collins, D O’Callaghan; O Kerrisk, I Jennings (c); D McCarthy, D McCarthy, K Whelton; E Shanahan, J Collins, L McCarthy.

Subs: D O’Donovan for L McCarthy (h-t), R Hourihane for J Collins (58), C Whelton for O Kerrisk (63).

ST MARY’S: P. Daly; Mk O’Driscoll, R Scannell, W Hennigan; J Eady, D Curtin, R O’Connor; C McGillicuddy, E Cullinane; Ml O’Driscoll, D O’Donovan, G Harrington; N Kelleher, B McCarthy, J Hurley.

Subs: J Collins for C McGillicuddy (38), S Keohane for G Harrington (40), A O’Driscoll for Ml O’Driscoll (45), P McMeninman for Mk O’Driscoll (54), E Keohane for E Cullinane (58).

Referee: Jimmy O’Sullivan (St Colum’s).