O’Sullivan the ace as Carbery craft pays dividends
Last season they scorched their way through the junior campaign and, at a splendid Fermoy venue yesterday, they added the intermediate title to their list of achievements, outplaying Gaultier with a slick moving game the Waterford champions couldn’t match.
No question, the championship defeat in Cork by Nemo Rangers still rankles. But it was clear from an early stage yesterday that Carbery were in no mood for reflection. And although Gaultier put up a much stronger challenge in the second-half, really the damage was done in the first period when the West Corkmen swept them off their feet, leading 0-9 to 0-1 at the break.
It was a victory that pleased Carbery selector James Hubbart. “We’re delighted, our first ever intermediate success and hopefully this team will have a taste for more now. The lads showed a fair bit of skill in the first-half and although we warned the players the job wouldn’t be complete until the final whistle, understandably, I suppose, they faded a little in the second period. Luckily for us, their goal came at a time when it really didn’t do us any damage.”
From the moment the magical Micheal O’Sullivan set up Seamus Hayes for a class point after only 10 seconds, the West Corkmen signalled their intentions. Even without Kevin McMahon, they proceeded to light up the contest with some devastating, sweet flowing football. Hayes was a good target man and, although it took the full-forward another seven minutes to get his second, after great work by Brian McCarthy and Maurice Moore, they were looking really tasty.
In fairness Gaultier’s approach play looked very good, but up front they were both woeful and wasteful, Wayne Hutchinson missing a good chance. However, they did get on target in the 11th minute when Paul Foley converted a free, their sole point of the half. With O’Sullivan lording it at midfield, the Waterford side were torn apart by swift Carbery raids and precision passing. Moore pointed, John Hayes finally landed a free, and Carbery were comfortable with their 0-4 to 0-1 lead after the opening quarter. It got worse for Gaultier in the second quarter. With Moore and Maurice Moloney working their socks off and Sean Hayes so comfortable at centre-back, John Murphy soon added to Carbery’s total and, in the final 10 minutes of the half, they tore Gaultier apart.
O’Sullivan pointed, then Niall and John Hayes, followed by Murphy again with a free and Carbery were comfortably ahead at the break.
When Moore stretched Carbery’s lead three minutes into the half, taking over the free duties from the injured John Hayes, it looked odds on a hiding for Gaultier. But, in fairness, the Waterford men raised their game and though they were over physical at times - Thomas Dunphy and Gearoid O’Connor went into referee Pat Sheehy’s notebook - they showed Carbery they could play a little too.
Anthony Fitzgerald was now making his presence felt and, after missing two earlier attempts, he finally slotted over a point in the 39th minute. Substitute Paul Fitzgerald added another but leading 0-11 to 0-3 entering the final quarter, Carbery were in no danger.
Anthony Fitzgerald got Gaultier’s fourth point with free but then came the score of the match in the 50th minute, fittingly from O’Sullivan, who kicked a masterful point after good work by Moore and Seamus Hayes.
Moore then tacked on two more points and they were only just denied a goal by the width of an upright.
The game was well and truly over now, the Risteárd Ò Cuimìn Cup on its way to Rosscarbery. But not without one last hurrah from Gaultier. Anthony Fitzgerald pointed, then wing forward Gearóid O’Connor blasted home a great goal in the 55th minute.
But the goal really came too late to make a difference. They bombarded a defiant Carbery defence in the closing minutes in search of another goal, but to no avail. Carbery were the masters.
: Carbery Rangers: M. Moore 0-4 (0-1 free), S. Hayes, J. Hayes (0-1 free), J. Murphy (0-1 free), M. O’Sullivan 0-2 each, N. Hayes and D. Hayes 0-1 each. Gaultier: G. O’Connor 1-0, A. Fitzgerald 0-3 (0-1 free), P. Fitzgerald, P. Fahy (free) 0-1 each.
: K. Santry; S. Murray, A. Roche, E. Murphy; G. Ryan, Sean Hayes, J. Murphy; M. O’Sullivan, B. McCarthy; J. Hayes, N. Hayes, M. Moloney; D. Hayes, Seamus Hayes, M. Moore. Sub: M. Ronan for John Hayes.
: P. Murphy; P. Carroll, G. Molloy, E. Fitzgerald; R. Croke, S. Cullinane, A. Kirwan; T. Dunphy, A. Moloney; E. Kirwan, B. Mullane, G. O’Connor; W. Hutchinson, A. Fitzgerald, P. Foley. Subs: P. Fitzgerald for Kirwan, D. Tiernan for Foley.
: P. Sheehy (Kerry).
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