Fifty-four scores as defiant Erin's Own outlast Kilshannig in Cork final thriller
THRILLER: Erin's Own captain James McMahon celebrating with his team-mates after their victory over Cobh in the East Cork JAHC final at Carrigtwohill.
Even after full-time has whistled by, the trophy cheered, and the heart rate settled, there are two statistics presented to Erin’s Own manager Eoghan O’Connor for analysis that gather the only acceptable reaction: “Wow!”
The first, Erin’s Own’s economy of shooting. The Caherlag clubmen arrowed over a near-perfect 1-30 from 33 shots. Having trailed for the first 59 minutes of this Cork JAHC final replay, they never hit a wide until stoppage time.
“Wow! That’s a fantastic ratio. It’s an unbelievable stat actually,” says O’Connor. “It shows we had to be economical to be level at the end of normal time.”
The second, Mark Collins’ personal tally, draws a double wow. No doubt Collins will be forgiven for his 61st-minute radar malfunction. He shot an almost perfect 0-19 (16 frees) from 20 attempts, including six points in an extra time period won by Erin’s Own 0-8 to 0-4.
“Wow! Wow! He was absolutely colossal today. He’s had a number of injuries, wasn’t fit enough to play senior hurling this year, but his commitment to this group, his leadership, and when you’ve someone who can score like that, he’s worth his weight in gold.”
This was Erin’s Own’s first county title at this grade, completing the set alongside their senior and intermediate successes. Shane Murphy was man of the match when Erin’s Own won their last senior title in 2007. At 39, he was next in line after Collins for that gong on Sunday after scoring their 59th-minute goal (from their only goal chance). For the first time, Erin’s Own led, but not for the last.
Level a remarkable 15 times in their 0-16 apiece draw a fortnight ago, this game was never level until Jack Kearney’s 63rd-minute equalising point for Kilshannig.
1-22 to 3-16 at full-time but in extra time, it was a different story. Erin’s Own’s momentum proved unstoppable. On the line, O’Connor had rejigged and rejigged and rejigged some more, digging deep into his panel of 36 until they got the formula right. The list of substitutes at the foot of this article will attest to that fact.
Kilshannig had set the tempo to full throttle. Their quick puck-outs signalled an intent to keep Erin’s Own’s elder statesmen on the move as the game was played at a breathless pace. But they hit 17 wides – 16 of those in normal time – as the East Cork men’s better hurling and greater experience endured longest of all.
It said something that O’Connor could say without contradiction: “In extra time, we had the legs on them. Experience counts for a lot at that stage of the game. And that experience [mixed] with the younger players is fantastic.”
Collins’ five frees and a Tom Foley point left it 1-28 to 3-18 at half-time in extra time. Collins and Cian O’Callaghan added two more from play in the second period as Tom Dillon scrambled away an Evan O’Sullivan shot and saved a Jack Twomey free.
Dillon’s best save of the lot to deny Twomey (2-7) a hat-trick in the 42nd minute proved crucial to keeping Erin’s Own within two scores. That set it all up. Collins ended the hour with 0-13, including two late catches from puck-outs; one pointed himself, the other laid on for Murphy.
Kilshannig had the better of the first half but Erin’s Own’s perfect shooting kept them within arm’s length. The North Cork side led 2-8 to 0-12 but Erin’s Own scored with all 12 of their shots while Kilshannig returned 10 scores from 20 efforts.
Kilshannig had the goals, however, from Twomey and Damien Murphy, and all of the goal chances too. When Twomey added his second in the 33rd minute, it was 3-9 to 0-12.
But experience, skill, and belief are a potent mix, and Erin’s Own’s wow factor, their incredible economy, carried the day.
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