Strong finish from Barrs seals passage to knockout stage

Kanturk will prepare for a relegation decider against Glen Rovers.

Sun, 03 Sep, 2023 - 17:58

John Coleman

St Finbarr’s 0-29 Kanturk 1-18

A powerful closing seven minutes ensured that reigning champions, St Finbarr’s, progressed to the knockout stages of the Co-Op Superstores Cork PSHC from Group C on Sunday afternoon in Fermoy. Kanturk will have their regrets, as their radar waivered for a potential 1-7 from placed balls but overall, the Barr’s greater accuracy saw them through to a quarter-final tussle with Charleville. For Kanturk it’s a case of what might has been as they now face Glen Rovers in a fight for their survival in this grade.

The prime example of the Togher side’s efficiency was Ben Cunningham. The young star took 19 shots at the target, scored 18 of them and was faultless from placed balls.

The game was much closer before the Barr’s late rally. Darren Browne made it 0-22 to 1-18 with his second score of the game and though Jack Cahalane, superb in the final quarter, immediately cancelled it out, Brian O’Sullivan had a chance to reduce the margin to the minimum again. His free drifted wide, and the Barr’s punished them, accordingly, hitting the next six scores to secure their progress with Cunningham on target four more times, and his brother, Sam, hitting the other two.

Kanturk had the opportunities to hurt the Barr’s from the start, but they had three wides to the Togher side’s four points inside the opening ten minutes. The most significant of those misses came from 21 yards as Lorcán McLoughlin blasted a penalty wide after Alan Walsh had been fouled by Jamie Burns in the aftermath of claiming a long delivery from Ryan Walsh. Conor Cahalane opened the Barr’s account and Ben Cunningham slotted over three frees before Alan Walsh finally opened his side’s account.

It sparked an impressive spell for the Duhallow side as they hit four of the next five points through Aidan Walsh, Darren Browne, Ian Walsh and Brian O’Sullivan to make it 0-5 each at the end of the opening quarter, Cunningham with the Barr’s score, a superb individual effort. Brian Hayes then put the reigning champions back in front before Colin Walsh announced his presence in the game. He claimed the resultant puckout, slalomed through the Barr’s defence and planted the sliotar past Shane Hurley. He followed it up with a fine point and, in truth, Kanturk deserved their lead.

From there to the half the Barrs were able to eat into the Kanturk lead without ever drawing level, though Kanturk were thankful for Grantas Bucinskas who saved well from Brian Hayes. Ben Cunningham added another three frees and Jack Cahalane, Hayes and Ciarán Doolan all registered scores while for Kanturk Brian O’Sullivan and Walshes Ian, Aidan and Paul all scored to leave them leading by the minimum, 1-10 to 0-12 at the interval.

Cunningham’s brilliance soon saw the Barr’s in front, however, as four scores from him and Conor Cahalane’s second out did two points from O’Sullivan and another from Ian Walsh. They broke even over the next few minutes to leave the Barr’s leading by 0-19 to 1-14 going into the final quarter.

It was a precarious lead, but Cunningham, Doolan, and Jack Cahalane kept the scoreboard ticking over and while O’Sullivan, Aidan Walsh and Browne brought Kanturk close, but not close enough before the Barr’s kicked for home.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: B Cunningham (0-18, 0-16 frees), J Cahalane (0-3), C Cahalane, C Doolan and S Cunningham (0-2 each), B Hayes and W Buckley (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kanturk: B O’Sulliavn (0-7, 0-4 frees), C Walsh (1-1), I Walsh and Aidan Walsh (0-3 each), D Browne (0-2), Alan Walsh and P Walsh (0-1 each)

ST FINBARR’S: S Hurley; E Keane, J Burns, C Walsh; E Finn, D Cahalane, B Hennessy; C Doolan, E Twomey; B Cunningham, C Cahalane, P Buggy; W Buckley, B Hayes, J Cahalane.

Subs: C Steele for Walsh (blood, 18 to 19), S Cunningham for Doolan (48), J Wigginton Barrett for C Cahalane (58).

KANTURK: G Bucinskas; J McLoughlin, J Browne, C Mullane; T Walsh, D Browne, P Walsh; L McLoughlin, Aidan Walsh; C Walsh, R Walsh, B O’Sullivan; L O’Keeffe, Alan Walsh, I Walsh.

Subs: R Sheehan for R Walsh (51), M Healy for P Walsh (blood, 53-55).

Referee: David Copps (Ballyhea).