Carraig na bhFear defeat Youghal to retain East Cork Junior A Football Championship
Carraig na bhFear celebrate the Michael O'Connor Motor Factors East Cork Junior A Football Championship final win over Youghal at Dungourney. Picture: Denis O'Flynn.
Carraig na bhFear retained the Jim Ryan Cup with a hard-earned win over Youghal at blustery Dungourney on Saturday.
There were plenty of heroes for the Michael O’Connor Motor Factors East Cork Junior A champions, with the Eamonn Ryan Man of the Match award going to Rob Sheehan. He finished with two points but his hold-up play, particularly in the second half, proved crucial.
Another vital cog was their 25th-minute substitute Colm Murphy, who kicked the last four points when his team needed inspiration.
Playing against a strong wind, Youghal managed to carve open a glorious goal opportunity in the third minute but Cian Cashman-Butler's shot went inches wide of the left post. A minute later, Carraig na bhFear opened their scoring account when Sean Whelan converted a 20-metre free.
Youghal battled hard but Carraig na bhFear registered their second point in the 11th minute from the boot of captain Tadgh O’Donoghue. O’Donoghue looked dangerous and split the posts outside the arc a minute later to push the favourites four points up.
The strength of the wind wasn’t helping Youghal as the champions nailed three unanswered points, before a darting run by Whelan saw him kick a monstrous two-pointer that put them in pole position.
Against the run of play in the 24th minute, a beautifully timed run by Youghal youngster Jamie Lenane saw him guide a stunning shot to the corner of the net but it was their only score of the half. Timmy Geaney's point made it 0-10 to 1-0 at the break.
Youghal were down by seven but had twice hit the post and clipped the crossbar, and their first-half wides tally was nine. A strong start with the wind of the second half was vital and they were men on a mission, registering four points without reply, including a stunning Brian Lynch two-pointer.
Credit to Carraig, they refused to panic and their ability to keep the ball and play smarter in possession proved crucial. Sean Whelan made it 0-11 to 1-4 in the 38th minute and Youghal went into a drought and failed to score for 13 minutes.
In the closing quarter, Carraig na bhFear hustled and harried for every ball and with the jewel in their crown Colm Murphy making his presence felt on the scoring front, they were able to match Youghal to prevail by four.
S Whelan 0-5 (1 2pt), C Murphy 0-4 (0-2 f), T O’Donoghue 0-3 (1 2pt f), T O’Donoghue, T Geaney, P Sheehan (0-1 each).
J Lenane 1-0, B Lynch 0-3 (1 2pt f), J Murray 0-3, M McCarthy, E Cronin, O Walsh 0-1 each.
A Ryan; D Foley, S Farrell, C Cooney; P Sheehan, M Ahern, T Geaney; A Bowen, C Hill; R Sheehan, E Flynn, J Ahern; S Whelan, T O’Donoghue, O Crowley.
Colm Murphy for M Ahern (inj 25), A Flynn for J Ahern (50), B Murphy for C Hill (50), C Hayes for O Crowley (57), Colin Murphy for R Sheehan (60).
C Savage; F Hill, S Lane, O Terry-Foley; M Desmond, B Nicholson, R McMahon; J Ormond, C Geary; J Murray, B Lynch, M McCarthy; J Lenane, C Butler-Butler, E Cronin.
O Walsh for C Coleman-Butler (45), O Hill for F Hill (49), N Roche for C Geary (50).
James Bermingham (Bride Rovers).
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