Cill na Martra overcome Milltown-Castlemaine in feisty Munster semi

The John Evans coached side upset the odds to defeat the Kerry champions

Cill Na Martra players Seán Ó Fóirréidh, Fionbarra Ó h-Éalaithe and Colm Mac Lochiainn suround Cillian Burke, Milltown during their AIB Munster GAA Club Intermediate football championship semi-final match at Cill na Martra, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Munster Club IFC semi-final: Cill na Martra (Cork) 0-13 Milltown-Castlemaine (Kerry) 0-10 

Cill na Martra upset the odds in their home ground on Sunday when the John Evans coached side defeated Milltown-Castlemaine in a feisty AIB Munster Club IFC semi-final.

In the end, it was 13-man Cill na Martra overcame 13-man Milltown-Castlemaine with referee Derek O’Mahoney issuing a number of second yellows and red cards in a frenetic closing 10 minutes.

For the winners, their captain Gearóid Ó Goillidhe received a straight red a minute from time, while Tadhg Ó Corcora got a second yellow in stoppages.

Kieran O’Carroll got a straight red for Milltown-Castlemaine also in stoppage time, and at this juncture they had also lost Anthony Kelliher to a black card.

The win was a major coup for Kerry native Evans, with Kingdom teams the dominant force in this competition. And be assured, victories like this taste so sweet, especially for the locals who turned out in force.

Maidhcí Ó Duinnín’s late scoring burst was a key factor.

Overall, Cill na Martra spared no effort in getting the desired result, showing so much spirit and desire, especially their rearguard who shaped up as a formidable unit with three of them getting on the scoresheet.

Cill na Martra led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

But Milltown-Castlemaine - who looked a bit out of sorts after their county final a week earlier - thundered into the contest with unanswered points from Gavin Horan, Éanna O’Connor, Cillian Burke and Cathal Moriarty to lead.

Twice the teams drew level, it was 0-9 each at the three-quarter mark.

Crucially the momentum swung with Cill na Martra.

Micheál Ó Deasúna was introduced at half-time and he kicked a couple of points.

Maidhcí Ó Duinnín got them up and running again. He scored three outstanding points on the home stretch - two at the death.

There were vital contributions too from Damien Ó hUrdail, who had to see out the final stages on the sideline, his black card allowing him back on deep in injury time.

It was 0-2 each after a tentative first quarter.

Cill na Martra built up a four-point interval lead through Seán Ó Fóirréidh, Tadhg Ó Corcora and Damien Ó hUrdail (2) with every player putting their shoulder to the wheel.

Cill na Martra now move forward to a provincial showdown next month with Mungret St Pauls of Limerick.

Scorers for Cill na Martra: D Ó hUrdail (0-2 frees) and M Ó Duinnín (0-3 each), M Ó Deasúna (0-1 45) and S Ó Fóirréidh (0-2 each), C Ó Fóirréidh, D Ó Conaill and T Ó Corcora (0-1 each).

Scorers for Milltown-Castlemaine: É O’Connor (frees) and C Moriarty (0-3 each), G Hora, B Casey, C Burke and C Spillane (0-1 each).

CILL NA MARTRA: P Ó Críodáin; C Mac Lochlainn, T Ó Corcora, F Ó Faoláin; D Ó Conaill, S Ó Fóirréidh, C Ó Fóirréidh; A Ó Cuana, G Ó Goillidhe (Capt); F Ó h-Éalaithe, D Ó hUrdail, M Ó Duinnín; C Ó Meachair, D Ó Duinnín, C Ó Duinnín.

Subs: M Ó Deasúna for C Ó Meachair (half-time), S Ó Duinnín for A Ó Cuana (54), G Ó Mocháin for M Ó Deasúna (62).

MILLTOWN-CASTLEMAINE: C Leane; G McKenna, P Wrenn, D Kelliher; D Roche, K O’Carroll, A Kelliher; D Dennehy, G Horan; B Casey, É O’Connor, D O’Neill; C Moriarty (Capt), C Burke, J O’Sullivan.

Subs: K McKenna for D O’Neill (38), B Delaney for K McKenna (50 inj), C Spillane for J O’Sullivan (55).

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).