Walsh influence to the fore for Kanturk

LOOK WHAT I HAVE: Kanturk captain Aidan Walsh with his son Macdara about to raise the Billy Long cup after defeating Bantry Blues in the Bon Secours Cork County Premier IFC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

Kanturk 3-11 Bantry Blues 1-10

How ironic it was that the first Kanturk score not to be kicked by a Walsh proved the game-clinching one.

This Cork premier intermediate football final was 43 minutes old when Lorcán McLoughlin nailed Kanturk’s third goal.

It was a green flag that took them six clear. It was a green flag that took them out of Bantry’s reach. It was a green flag that made impossible a third consecutive premier intermediate final defeat. It was a green flag made but not finished by a Walsh.

There are seven Walsh’s on this Kanturk team. Captain Aidan is an older brother to half-back Tommy. The pair are first cousins of the other set of Walsh brothers, midfielder Paul and forward quartet Colin, Ryan, Ian, and Alan.

Paul started the move that finished with brother Ryan slotting home Kanturk’s opening goal in the 10th second. Another brother Ian was also involved in build-up. The latter was provider turned finisher for their opening point on 47 seconds. Supplying Ian for that opening white flag was another brother Colin.

Not even a minute gone and the Walsh family party was in full flow.

Arthur Coakley opened Bantry’s account in the fourth minute. It was brief respite. Kanturk and the Walsh’s were only pulling the curtains.

Ian, Aidan, and Colin Walsh floated over three-in-a-row. Kanturk six in front and just 12 minutes on the clock.

Bantry, already in danger of being cut adrift, required a lifeline. Step forward championship top-scorer Coakley on 13 minutes. The inside forward was at the end of a move involving Eoghan Minihane and Sean O’Leary. Goal Bantry.

Corner-back Seth Thornton and corner-forward Paddy Cronin followed with back-to-back points. The deficit cut to one. 1-4 to 1-3. Game on – at long last. But it was only briefly on.

Kanturk, as was the case all afternoon, had an answer. Aidan Walsh, within 40 seconds of Cronin’s point, had the ball in the Bantry net.

Midfield partner and first cousin Paul became the fifth Walsh to write his name on the scoresheet on 24 minutes. He should have been the sixth, his brother Alan having shook the post with a fifth minute goal chance.

It was one of four goal chances Kanturk left after them. They also kicked 13 wides. Their seven-point winning margin should have been so much greater.

While not all of these opportunities were squandered in the opening period, enough of them were to make it a wonder that Bantry were only two behind – 2-6 to 1-7 - at the end of a busy and bustling first half.

No closer did they come of their opponents upon the change of ends. They did have two goal chances in the third quarter to punish those Kanturk misses and turn the tide in their favour. A return of one point is all they got from the two goal openings.

The gap was three – 2-9 (supplied by the Walsh’s) to 1-9 – on 43 minutes when Ian Walsh picked out Cian Clernon. He, in turn, fed Lorcán McLoughlin for the game-sealing goal.

The McLoughlin’s, Lorcán and John, are another family feeding into this Kanturk team, as are the Browne’s, John and Darren. The latter was excellent in shadowing Ruairí Deane. Bantry’s on-field general did not score from play for only the second time this championship.

Having come off second best in last year’s delayed 2020 and 2021 deciders, Kanturk never gave the impression they were going to allow an unwanted three-in-a-row of final defeats materialise.

They never trailed their opponents. Their opponents never stood level with them. Their opponents got back within the minimum only once – and that lasted for all of 37 seconds.

The win represents a sixth Kanturk county title across hurling and football since 2011. There was also Munster and All-Ireland success during this glorious decade for the Duhallow club.

The now dual senior club are by no means finished yet.

Scorers for Kanturk: I Walsh (0-5, 0-1 free); Aidan Walsh (1-1); R Walsh, L McLoughlin (1-0 each); P Walsh, C Walsh (0-2 each); G Bucinskas (0-1).

Scorers for Bantry: A Coakley (0-5, 0-2 frees); P Cronin (1-2); R Deane (0-1 free), S Thornton, S O’Leary (0-1 each).

Kanturk: R Cashman; J McLoughlin, J Browne, L O’Neill; T Walsh, D Browne, B O’Sullivan; P Walsh, Aidan Walsh; C Walsh I Walsh, L McLoughlin; G Bucinskas, R Walsh, Alan Walsh.

Subs: C Clernon for R Walsh (24 mins, inj); J Fitzpatrick for L McLoughlin (58); L O’Keeffe for Bucinskas (60); M Healy for I Walsh (61).

Bantry: S Murray; S Thornton, T Cronin, C O’Brien; E Minihane, B Foley, E O’Shea; S O’Leary, D McCarthy; S Keevers, R Deane, K Coakley; P Cronin, A Coakley, D Murray.

Subs: K Casey for D Murray (HT); D Daly for K Coakley (47); C Power for O’Shea (58).

Referee: A O’Connor (Ballygarvan).