Kanturk hold off Kilshannig rally to book SAFC semi-final spot

Kanturk 2-16 (2-4-8) 

Kilshannig 0-19 (0-7-5) 

The story side of this year’s club championships keep their football tale going, though Kanturk made very hard work of it in the end. They prevailed by three against Kilshannig at Kilbrin on Sunday, with 12 starters here from the 15 that took down Sarsfields a week prior.

By the 43rd minute, Kanturk were 2-15 to 0-8 clear, but the large attendance in Kilbrin would not be starved of a twist.

In the space of 90 seconds, Jack Twomey launched over two thunderous efforts from outside the arc to bring the margin down to nine.

Then, in the 46th minute, Kanturk gave away a third-straight orange flag, this one wrapped and gifted to Darragh O’Sullivan, who converted from outside the arc. It accounted for 0-2 of the 0-5 Kanturk conceded to Kilshannig from frees awarded for dissent.

Twomey finished off a quick Kilshannig move a minute later to leave the margin at six, 15 to go. After Bucinskas put the lead back out to seven with a free, Colin Walsh should have ended it three minutes later, but Gavin Creedon produced a superb save to deny a third goal.

Alan Walsh, who had been magnificent in the first half, saw a second yellow card on the hour mark, the most expensive instance of a habit they will need to break before their trip to Páirc Uí Chaoimh against Carbery Rangers.

Their opponents maintained the hunt. Éanna O’Hanlon, with the clock in red, marked his return from injury with a sixth Kilshannig orange flag, before Kieran Twomey added another to leave three between the teams, with two minutes of added time to go.

But the goal they needed never came. Kanturk, to their credit, saw to that.

None of this had looked remotely likely for the best part of 40 minutes. Alan Walsh set the tone early, the first of four long-range kicks in the opening half, this one after an incisive Brian O'Sullivan pass. O'Sullivan – once again – was the metronome in the middle third, while Tommy Walsh put in an excellent shift.

With Kanturk 0-3 to 0-2 ahead after eight minutes, Colin Walsh was denied a goal after an excellent goal-line clearance from Michael Murphy, but the gap would widen anyway.

Paul Walsh clipped two beauties from beyond the arc and Bucinskas converted a free from downtown. The 0-12 to 0-4 score was a fair reflection at the interval.

The second half opened the same way. Daniel O'Connell kicked two white flags either side of O'Sullivan's first score of the campaign. Kieran Twomey got Kilshannig going from distance, before Kanturk handed Darragh O'Sullivan a free from outside the arc, which he duly put away.

Then, on 39 minutes, Kanturk hit the goals that looked to settle it. Paul Walsh and O’Connell worked it through for Bucinskas to come diving in at the back post and finish to the net. They grabbed another four minutes on, Bucinskas finding Alan Walsh with a deep ball in, and he did well to find room to set up Mark Healy at the same back post.

At 2-15 to 0-8 they should have been home and hosed, but their opponents brought the heat in the final quarter.

Scorers for Kanturk: G Bucinskas 1-5 (1 tpf, 0-2 f), P Walsh 0-4 (2 tp), M Healy 1-0, A Walsh 0-3 (1 tp, 0-1 m), D O’Connell 0-2, B O’Sullivan, C Walsh 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilshannig: J Twomey (2 tp), D O’Sullivan (2 tpf, 0-1 f) 0-5 each, K Twomey 0-4 (2 tp), E O’Hanlon 0-2 (tp), E Healy, C O’Sullivan, D O’Doherty 0-1 each.

KANTURK: R Cashman; J McLoughlin, D Browne, L Cashman; M Healy, T Walsh, L McLoughlin; J Fitzpatrick, A Walsh; P Walsh, B O’Sullivan, D O’Connell; G Bucinskas, C Walsh, L O’Keeffe.

Subs: C Clernon for A Walsh (44), A Walsh for Fitzpatrick (51), B Healy for O’Keeffe (54), Fitzpatrick for C Walsh (60+4 inj).

KILSHANNIG: G Creedon; M Murphy, E Burke, S O’Connell; D Guiney, C O’Shea, E Healy; T Cunningham, J Twomey; C O’Sullivan, K O’Hanlon, A O’Connell; J O’Hanlon, D O’Sullivan, D O’Doherty.

Subs: K Twomey for C O’Sullivan (22 inj), D O’Sullivan for J O’Hanlon (HT), C O’Connell for Guiney (35), E O’Hanlon for A O’Connell (42), E O’Sullivan for Healy (44).

Referee: J Ryan (Macroom)