Premier IHC: Michael Cahill's late, late goal gives Cloyne derby win over Dungourney
Michael Cahill of Cloyne (right) scored the late winning goal as they beat Dungourney. Picture: Howard Crowdy
Michael Cahill’s 64th-minute goal for Cloyne capped an unlikely comeback as they edged Dungourney in Sunday’s Co-op SuperStores Premier IHC clash at Clonmult Memorial Park.
The opening seven minutes saw Dungourney score an unanswered 1-4; by half-time, they had edged further clear, retiring with a 1-9 to 0-4 advantage.
That lead could have been greater, with Dungourney shooting ten first-half wides, but the fact that Cloyne had 11 was indicative of the overall performance levels. However, in the second half, Cloyne avoided falling any further behind and a run of five points on the trot between the 40th and 46th minutes brought them within a goal – a green flag might have materialised but for a good save by Paul Flynn to deny Diarmuid Byrne.
While both sides’ wides tallies expanded further in the closing stages, Dungourney looked to have steadied the ship as a Jack Leahy free and a nice John Ahern score – his fourth, all from play – left them 1-16 to 0-14 in front with four minutes of normal time left.
Cloyne needed something big and they got it as sub Keith Dennehy was fouled for a 20m free following good work by Noel Cahill. Captain Brian O’Shea, who had landed three fine second-half points, went for goal and was rewarded.
Into injury time, Cloyne’s belief grew in tandem with Dungourney’s nerves and Ian Cahill might have got the go-ahead goal but he pulled wide after a scramble.
O’Shea’s free cut the deficit to the minimum for the first time since the opening score but Leahy’s seventh of the night, a free, provided a sliver of breathing space again for Dungourney.
Still Cloyne came, though: Paudie O’Sullivan helped to effect a turnover and wing-back Dylan Healy launched a delivery – when it went unclaimed, Cahill was able to nip in and divert the bouncing ball to the net, sparking wild celebrations.
It was an outcome nobody could have foreseen given how disparate the two sides’ starts had been. A minute and 36 seconds were on the clock when O’Callaghan caught Shane Hegarty’s ball in and used his strenght to good effect before firing home.
With Hegarty excellent in midfield and the defence repelling early Cloyne efforts, the scores began to flow for Dungourney, with Kelvin Coady Byrne and John Ahern shining.
Cloyne had Paudie O’Sullivan operating in a deep-lying playmaker role as Éanna Motherway dropped back to mark Leahy, but they struggled to make headway further up. They didn’t open their account until a James O’Brien free in the 12th minute and they didn’t register from play until O’Brien’s third on 23. That left it 1-8 to 0-4 and they might have snafffled a goal just after that as O’Sullivan’s inviting ball afforded Ian Cahill a chance but Flynn did well to save and O’Callaghan’s fine point sent Dungourney in with that eight-point lead.
It could have mushroomed to 11 on the restart as O’Callaghan’s driving run was almost followed by a pass to give Leahy an easy chance but Motherway made a vital intervention and when O’Shea forced a turnover at the other end and pointed, there was just seven in it.
From there, Cloyne reduced the margin bit by bit and conjured something special to win it at the death.
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