Aghabullogue weather late Mitchelstown storm to secure historic double
DREAM COME TRUE: Aghabullogue captain Paul Ring (right) and vice captain John Corkery raise the trophy after defeating Mitchelstown in the Bon Secours Cork IAFC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Pic: Eddie O'Hare
A historic double for Aghabullogue.
They added the Bon Secours Cork IAFC title at Páirc Uí Chaoimh today to the IAHC honours they achieved two weeks earlier with the majority of players lining out in both codes.
Back in the final 12 months on from losing to Kilshannig, this contest was primarily decided by their outstanding first-half display against the wind when they dispatched two goals to the net.
That said, this game concluded in a welter of excitement with Mitchelstown kicking the final 1-2 in stoppage to leave just a bounce or the ball between these two fine teams who both came into the final unbeaten.
The win for the Muskerry side puts past final disappointments behind them, having come up short in 2013, 2018 and 2022.
Mitchelstown were looking to atone for previous losses too - 2017, 2020 and 2021 deciders - but they found their form too late.
A very proud and deserving captain Paul Ring was on hand to accept the John ‘Lock’ O’Sullivan Cup, while the man-of-the-match award went to warrior John Corkery.
Before any ball was kicked, the big news from the Mitchelstown camp was the unavailability of Cork senior Cathail O’Mahony due to injury.
The attacker is most unfortunate suffering from persistent injuries, and this latest blow came after he bagged five points in their semi-final victory over Adrigole.
The wind blowing straight into the Blackrock end favoured Mitchelstown, and they were quick to make use of it with Seán Walsh pointing after a mere 30 seconds - the tall number nine started in the full-forward line.
Aghabullogue proved to be just as sharp with Ryan Dennehy replying in the third minute.
It was two points apiece when the mid Cork side made their first decisive move. A sequence of accurate movements - started by a Brendan O’Sullivan turnover in his own backline - resulted in Cialan O’Sullivan finding the net in the eighth minute, the final pass provided by his brother Aaron.
The Green and White couldn’t have dreamt of a more productive start, this despite losing Adam Murphy to a shoulder injury in the fifth minute.
It got better five minutes later when John Corkery set up David Thompson for a second green flag. By the 20th minute, they led 2-5 to 0-2, and their supremacy could have been greater but dThompson was happy to fist over for his point.
Their speed of mind caused all sorts of problems for the north Cork side.
A dramatic reaction saw the introduction of three Mitchelstown substitutes - Darragh Flynn, James Sheehan and Cormac Hyland - the latter steadying the ship upon his arrival with their first score in 24 minutes.
They raised three consecutive white flags to reduce the gap to seven points.
However, in the seven minutes of first-half additional time, two Aaron O’Sullivan minors against one from Joseph O’Sullivan, left the Muskerry side in a commanding 2-8 to 0-6 position.
Ten minutes after the restart, the difference remained the same after a tap over free from Michael Walsh was cancelled by a brilliant effort from Corkery.
But as their scoring rate dropped, Mitchelstown tore into the contest. Five points without reply from Mark Keane, Seán Walsh, Shane Beston (2) and Seán O'Sullivan reduced the arrears to three at the three-quarter stage.
Soon after Thompson kicked a valuable Aghabullogue point to put them four ahead, Mitchelstown failed to take advantage of a goal opportunity when Beston was superbly denied by goalkeeper Ian O’Sullivan.
Corkery and Aaron O’Sullivan gave Aghabullogue much-needed breathing space, 2-12 to 0-12, before Mitchelstown saw another wonderful goal chance go amiss - this time Seán Walsh blasted inches wide of the left post.
As the game petered out, Aghabullogue were 2-13 to 0-13 to the good.
But in a dramatic finale, during which they lost Hyland to a black card, Mitchelstown reeled off 1-2 - the goal from the penalty spot by captain Shane Cahill.
Aghabullogue held out by the minimum.
D Thompson (1-2), A O’Sullivan (0-4, 0-1 free), C O’Sullivan (1-0), M Bradley (0-3, 0-1 free), J Corkery (0-2), L Casey (free) and R Dennehy (0-1 each).
S Beston (0-4), S Cahill (1-0 pen), S Walsh, S O'Sullivan, D Reidy Price and M Walsh (0-1 free) (0-2 each), C Hyland, J O'Sullivan and M Keane (free) (0-1 each).
I O’Sullivan; B O’Sullivan, S Tarrant, B Casey; A Murphy, P Ring (Capt), C Smith; R Dennehy, C Gillespie; J Corkery, M Bradley, A O’Sullivan; D Thompson, E O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan.
M Dennehy for A Murphy (5 inj), T Long for B O’Sullivan (27 inj), B Dineen for B Casey (44), L Casey for C O’Sullivan (52), P O’Sullivan for M Bradley (56).
L Hanna; L Finn, F Herlihy, K Roche; J O’Sullivan, M Keane, P Magee; R Donegan, S Walsh; S O’Sullivan, D Reidy Price, M Walsh; D Dineen, S Cahill (Capt), S Beston.
C Hyland for P Magee, D Flynn for R Donegan (both 24), J Sheehan for D Dineen (26), S Kenneally for J Sheehan (34 inj).
Brian Coniry (Crosshaven).
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