Sweet deliverance for Castlelyons
With 12 minutes to go in the final of the Co-Op Superstores Cork PIHC in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday, Castlelyons would have been forgiven for offering up a few prayers to St Anthony. After losing two of the last three finals of this competition, this one felt like it might be slipping away from them too.
Kilworth had led since the fourth minute, and they now led by 0-15 to 0-12. Twice Castlelyons had brought the deficit back to one since half-time and twice Kilworth had responded with two-point bursts. Throw in the six frees that they hadn’t converted, a trio of unconverted goal chances, and the feeling of deja vu must have been strong deep in the pits of Castlelyons’ souls.
They kept going though, and two frees from Alan Fenton left just one between them again. And from there, they had their own St Anthony to bring them home. Anthony Spillane has been flying over and back from the Middle East to make a difference, and now he did so again. He finally brought Castlelyons level, and when Michael Sheehan put Kilworth back in front, he levelled it again.
Fenton’s missed frees must have been on his mind, but it was he who answered Brian Sheehan after he had once again edged Kilworth in front. Then, with the clock in the red, Fenton finally put his side ahead before Spillane popped up once more to banish all those demons.
Their captain, Colm Spillane, has lost two county finals by a point, and left another one early through injury, and he was relieved to have washed all the angst away.
“Yeah, a sweet way to win a game but I’d have taken any way at this stage, to be honest. We knew Kilworth would throw the kitchen sink at us, and they did. They’re the hardest-working team we’ve played against all year, and they made us work for every score. They led the whole game, but we just kept grinding. That hurt, that experience over the years; it’s hard to replicate it. And we had all of that. We just said, we’re not going to lose another county final. When we needed big plays in the end, fellas stood up, and that was the difference.”
It was Kilworth who stepped up in the early stages as they led by 0-5 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter. Eoin Carey was in the thick of things at midfield after a brief sojourn at the edge of the square and he was amongst their four scorers.
Both Spillanes found their range for Castlelyons, but two points from Michael Sheehan and one from Jamie Sheehan gave Kilworth a deserved 0-8 to 0-4 lead. Crucially, Leon Doocey popped up with two scores to leave his side trailing by two at the interval.
Doocey continued where he left off on the resumption with his third point, but Kilworth countered with three in a row from Liam Whelan, Carey and Michael Sheehan to take control of the game. They then nearly surrendered their advantage. Doocey, who else, popped a neat pass off to Colm McCarthy who bore down on goal. Killian Heggtevit saved well, however, before then saving brilliantly from Anthony Spillane’s effort on the rebound.
Fenton pointed the ’65 though, and further points from substitute Keith O’Leary and Doocey left one between them, 0-11 to 0-10. The game was opening up now as both sides jabbed and danced, searching for that knock-out punch.
Jamie and Michael Sheehan pushed Kilworth three clear, Fenton and O’Leary reeled them in again before points from Leo Coffey and Brian Sheehan left Kilworth leading by 0-15 to 0-12.
The questions had been asked of Castlelyons, but this time they proved that they had the answers as they found their rhythm when it mattered the most.
A Fenton (0-7, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ’65), A Spillane and L Doocey (0-4 each), K O’Leary (0-2), C Spillane, and O Hallihan (0-1 each).
M Sheehan (0-7, 0-6 frees), E Carey, B Sheehan and J Sheehan (0-2 each), L Whelan, J Saich, C Donnellan and L Coffey (0-1 each).
J Barry; L Sexton, N O’Leary, C Barry; C Spillane (c), D Spillane, J O’Leary; J Kearney, A Fenton; P Roche, L Doocey, C McCarthy; D Morrisson, A Spillane, O Hallihan.
B Murphy for Roche and K O’Leary for McCarthy (both 35), S Moroney for J O’Leary (41)
K Heggtevit; L Carey, K Lane, A O’Hara (JC); J Saich, D Twomey, M Gowen; L Whelan, J Saich; J Sheehan, N McNamara, W Condon; M Sheehan, C Donnellan, B Sheehan (JC).
L Coffey for Donneallan (h/t), R Jordan for Saich (47), P Riordan for Condon (62).
Wayne King (Banteer).
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