Dingle v Castlehaven - Three key factors

Damien Cahalane was the penalty shoot-out hero for Castlehaven.

Sun, 10 Dec, 2023 - 16:42

Maurice Brosnan

Cahalane the hero

Before the penalties kicked off, Castlehaven management made a beeline across the field to consult the referee and his officials.

They then returned to the huddle and soon after, Damien Cahalane took off his number six and put on the number one shirt.

Cahalane played as a goalkeeper for Cork soccer club Greenwood growing up and was part of the outfit that won the Barry Cup at U16, Ireland's premier trophy.

The midfielder not only stood in the nets but took two spot kicks, blasting both into the roof of the net. He also saved Tom O’Sullivan’s effort to force sudden death.

Castlehaven shoulder on

There are few crueller sights than the moment a hamstring snipper strikes in a big game. Michael Hurley strived to continue, going down and then getting back up.

He had kicked five points in the semi-final and the talk pre-match was this interrupted run of form. Midway through the first half the realisation set in. His day was done.

Conor Cahalane departed shortly after, although he would return and substitute Jamie O’Driscoll was sent off for a second yellow late on. The Cork champions shouldered on and forced extra-time.

By then, Castlehaven were visibly tiring. Ciarán O’Sullivan had been replaced seven minutes before the end of normal time yet was called upon again. Rory Maguire spent all of the spell between the two ten-minute periods on his back getting treatment.

Two points down, Cathal Maguire rattled off consecutive scores to force a shootout. They never led. They never gave in.

Goal chances go a-begging

This arm-wrestle never swung violently towards either side but they both had an opportunity to crack it open in each half. Dingle’s chance came first. A long ball broke between Tom Leo O’Sullivan and Darragh Cahalane.

O’Sullivan slid in and referee Derek O’Mahoney correctly deemed it an infringement just before Paul Geaney pulled on the ball and sent it into the top corner.

The Dingle supporters in the stand danced deliriously until they realised the error, which was greeted by a wave of ironic Haven jeers.

In the second half, Jamie O’Driscoll drove through the centre of the Dingle defence and offloaded to Brian Hurley just outside of him. Gavin H Curran was quick off his mark and closed the angle, forcing the low effort out for a 45. There was to be no separating them.