Fired-up Castlehaven have all the answers

FOR the first time since 2003, Castlehaven will contest a Cork SFC final, bridging that eight year gap in dazzling fashion at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.

The pre-match expectations may have been of a fiercely contested West Cork derby, but those notions were shredded by the dominance Castlehaven exerted from an early stage.

Two years ago, Castlehaven had only three points to spare when they faced Carbery Rangers in the fourth round, but their highly disciplined defending and ruthlessness up front ensured the gap was 13 points this time. As a statement of intent, this was powerful stuff. Over the last few seasons, Castlehaven have suffered some agonising championship defeats but there is evidence this year that their team, largely framed around the county U21 winning outfits of 2007 and 2010, have absorbed those valuable lessons and matured significantly.