Castlehaven and Nemo set up repeat of 2013 county final

Castlehaven are through to a fourth county final in five seasons after overcoming near-neighbours, O’Donovan Rossa, in an exciting semi-final at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday.

Castlehaven 1-13 O’Donovan Rossa 1-10

Edward Newman, Páirc Uí Rinn

Inspired by Cork senior, Brian Hurley, Haven led 1-6 to 0-1 after ten minutes, and, over the hour, possessed too much experience for a young Rossa team that fought like tigers to the finish.

The Skibbereen outfit might have snatched victory at the death but it would have been an injustice against a team that was better-balanced and possessed more firepower up front.

Hurley’s 6^th minute goal was crucial and it arrived in a period when Haven didn’t put a foot wrong with Michael and Stephen Hurley and Sean Dineen impressing.

Skibb showed determination and resilience to reduce the margin to four minutes before the break - Kevin Davis, Dónal Óg Hodnett and Daniel Hazel particularly impressive.

Another brilliant score from Brian Hurley just before half time saw the Haven retire 1-8 to 0-6 in front – though they had a wind to their backs during this half.

Skibb’s fight-back never materialised and, while they chipped away at the scoreboard, Haven’s class told. Ryan Price’s penalty save on 40 minutes kept Rossa in the hunt and a goal from Conor McCarthy two minutes from time left just three points between the sides.

But, in a stop-start second half where referee Kevin Murphy was forced to dish out five black cards, Haven hung on and now face Nemo Rangers in the final.

Scorers for Castlehaven: B Hurley (1-5, 0-2f); P Hurley (0-2, 1f, 1 45); S Dineen, M Hurley, S Hurley, D Cahalane, S Nolan and M Collins (0-1 each)

Scorers for O’Donovan Rossa: C McCarthy (1-1); D Óg Hodnett (0-4, 1f); K Davis (0-2, 1f); D Hazel, P Crowley and T Hegarty (0-1 each).

CASTLEHAVEN: P Hurley; J O’Regan, D Limrick, T O’Leary; R Whelton, Damien Cahalane, C Hayes; M Collins, S Dineen; S Collins, S Hurley, S Cahalane; S Nolan, B Hurley, M Hurley. Subs: Darragh Cahalane for S Hurley (44); D Hegarty for Nolan (52); D Hurley for S Cahalane (black card, 59).

O’DONOVAN ROSSA: R Price; D Hazel, P Nealon, E Nealon; M Collins, J O’Sullivan, P Crowley; S Carmody, C McCarthy; R Long, K Davis, T Hegarty; D Óg Hodnett, D Shannon, S O’Brien. Subs: S Fitzgerald for Long (15); D Hourihane for Davis (ht); R Hodnett for Carmody (48); R Long for R Hodnett (black card,49); O Collins for Collins (black card, 55).

Nemo Rangers 1-11 Carbery Rangers 0-13

Tony Leen, Páirc Ui Rinn

Earlier, Castlehaven edged out Carbery Rangers in the other  semi-final.

Nemo were hanging on in the final minutes, as the Rosscarbery side chipped away at a seven-point interval deficit in the second half.

And Carbery were fuming afterwards about a penalty shout in the final minutes when John O’Rourke hit the deck as they powered forward in search of salvation.

The Rosscarbery men gave everything they had to overturn a 1-7 to 0-3 interval deficit - John O’Rourke even returning to the field after having a dislocated shoulder popped back into place - but there will be a lot of looking in the mirror today after a very disjointed first period by last year’s beaten finalists.

Their problems started early - 28 seconds in, to be precise, when a raking delivery from Luke Connolly was caught over the head of the full-back Brian Shanahan by Paul Kerrigan, who capitalised with the game’s only goal.

It was a different Carbery Rangers that emerged for the second half, and a string of points from brothers John and Seamus Hayes had them 1-10 to 0-10 behind with ten minutes left.

Nemo’s savious was Luke Connolly, just returned from a length spell out with a wrist injury. he scored six points, the last of which steadied the ship in the final minutes.

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: L. Connolly (0-6, 2 frees, 1 45), P. Kerrigan (1-1), J Masters (0-3, 1 free), A O’Donovan (0-1).

Scorers for Carbery Rangers: J Hayes (0-5, 3 frees), S Hayes (0-3), B Shanahan (0-2, 45’s), J. O’Rourke (0-2), K McMahon (0-1)

NEMO RANGERS: M Martin; A Cronin, A O’Reilly, C O’Shea; K Fulignati,T O Se, J Donovan; D Niblock, A O’Donovan (0-1); C O’Brien, B O’Driscoll, L Connolly; J Masters, P Kerrigan, C Dalton.

Subs: M Dorgan for Dalton (40 mins), C Horgan for Masters (49), P Morgan for O’Brien (51); O’Brien for O’Donovan (55)

CARBERY RANGERS: P Shanahan; R Kiely, B Shanahan, A Roche; T O’Rourke, P Hodnett, S Murray; M Mennis, J Fitzpatrick; A Jennings, D Hayes, K McMahon; J O’Rourke, J Hayes, S Hayes.

Subs: G O’Brien for Roche, M Kelly for T O’Rourke (half-time); K Fitzpatrick for Mennis (36); S O’Neill for J O’Rourke (Blood sub, 37); S O’Neill for J O’Rourke (59).

Referee: C Lane (Cork)