Haven make penalty experience count to take Munster spoils 

Blasting home two penalties, saving one and perhaps doing enough to unsettle Geaney before that final shot, Cahalane was the ultimate hero on a pig of a day when there were several on both sides. 

IN THE BLOOD: Damien Cahalane of Castlehaven, centre, who stood in goal for the penalty shoot out, celebrates with his mother Ailish and brother Jack Cahalane, after the AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Final. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Munster SFC final

Castlehaven (Cork) 0-13 Dingle (Kerry) 0-13 

Castlehaven won 4-3 on penalties

In one truncated celebration, the ecstasy and the agony of this remarkable Munster final was summed up.

Arms aloft and wheeling away after Mikey Geaney failed to match his converted penalty in sudden death, goalkeeper Damien Cahalane’s delight turned to pain as he had to retire to the soaked sod.

To say Cahalane was makeshift would be unfair on the Cork hurler; there had been method in Castlehaven’s madness putting their full-back into the nets for the shoot-out. "He's a big boy, you could see he was making his presence felt,” said manager James McCarthy. 

“I think it was a bit of a mind game as well and he's good at that, part of the job as well.” 

Blasting home two penalties, saving one and perhaps doing enough to unsettle Geaney before that final shot, he was the ultimate hero on a pig of a day when there were several on both sides. 

For Castlehaven, there were giants in Brian Hurley, Mark Collins and Cathal Maguire, whose two late points forced extra-time. 

For Dingle, Barry Dan O’Sullivan and Niall Geaney stood tall.

Having won and lost county semi-finals on penalties to St Finbarr’s inside the space of 13 months in 2020 and ‘21, Castlehaven weren’t going to be daunted by the novelty of the deciding phase.

And yet it was they who first appeared to be on their way out courtesy of it. 

After Dylan Geaney’s driving shot spanked the crossbar, Conor O’Driscoll’s shot was kept out by Gavin Curran as was the next, Rory Maguire denied as he had been so crucially in the 2021 semi-final defeat to The ‘Barrs.

Up stepped a worn Tom O’Sullivan with the chance to win it but his strike was dealt with easily by Cahalane who wasted no time in bulging the net as he had done with his first. And when Geaney blazed wide to the right, Castlehaven had emulated their predecessors of 1997.

Ten years after their last final appearance when Dr Crokes were far too good for them, the group had spoken in the build-up of seizing the moment. 

“We wanted to make this count,” said McCarthy. 

“We were gone a couple of times, we were down three points twice. It looked like it was gone but that's the hunger and composure. We didn't lose the rag coming to the end in ordinary time and extra-time. We just kept the head and kept tapping away at them.” 

A Castlehaven victory looked less likeliest in the embers of the second half of extra-time when their great Brian Hurley’s body was failing on him. Two points down going into the additional minutes, it was Cathal Maguire who stepped up to kick his third and fourth points. 

“Was he man of the match? very close to it,” McCarthy remarked. 

“He was superb all day, taking the game to them playing wing-back.” 

Those points were two of three Haven managed in the second half to match the three Dingle posted when they had the elements backing them in the first period. 

As essential as it was to have the wind, the cross-field nature of it meant targets were outside the posts. 

Paul Geaney had to jump into his point from 53 metres at the start of extra-time. Scoring Castlehaven’s first of the second 10 minutes, Collins aimed 20 metres outside the posts to ensure it drew between the posts.

Against the wind, football was almost impossible and best summed up by a Jack Cahalane shot in the 22nd minute. Raising his fist, he seemed to think his shot was good only for the gale to blow it back in towards the 13-metre line.

Underfoot conditions were no better. In-form Michael Hurley had to be replaced after winning a free from an innocuous foul by Tom O’Sullivan, who later turned his ankle in a puddle under the Mackey Stand but played on.

Only up a point at half-time of normal time (0-6 to 0-5), Dingle would have figured they’d be further ahead given the wind advantage. Kicking four wides and skying a couple of efforts was par for the course on a brute of an afternoon, though.

The scoring was opened in the 10th minute by Conor Flannery coming from deep to split the posts. Maguire cancelled it out with a mark and the pattern of scores was tit-for-tat until Paul Geaney backed up a fine Matthew Flaherty point with a free in the 24th minute.

Castlehaven outscored Dingle two points to one for the remainder of the half but Dingle were three points ahead five minutes after the resumption. 

Castlehaven remained calm, though and were within one again by the 43rd minute.

The margin was two when a goal looked on for Hurley in the 53rd minute but his shot was deflected for a 45, which he converted. However, they then lost Jamie O’Driscoll to a second yellow for a high foul on Tom O’Sullivan.

Undeterred, the Cork champions ploughed on and levelled in the penultimate minute of normal time as Conor Flannery was forced into overcarrying. Conor Geaney won and sent over Dingle’s 10th point but there was time for Hurley to penalise a foot-block and send the game into extra-time.

For a final never mind one played on a day when ducks would have looked for shelter, it seemed penal to send them out again for more football and ultimately penalties where Dingle found no safe Haven.

Scorers for Castlehaven: B. Hurley (0-7, 4 frees, 1 45); C. Maguire (0-4, 1 mark); M. Collins (0-2).

Scorers for Dingle: C. Geaney, P. Geaney (0-4, 3 frees each); C. Flannery, D. Geaney, M. Flaherty, N. Geaney, T. O’Sullivan (0-1 each).

CASTLEHAVEN: D. Cahalane; J. O’Regan, R. Maguire, R. Walsh; T. O’Mahony, R. Maguire, C. Maguire; C. Cahalane, C. O’Sullivan; J. O’Neill, M. Collins (c), S. Browne; B. Hurley, M. Hurley, J. Cahalane.

Subs for Castlehaven: J. O’Driscoll for M. Hurley (inj 25); A. Whelton for C. Cahalane (30+2); C. Cahalane for S. Browne (37); C. O’Driscoll for C. O’Sullivan (52); M. Maguire for J. O’Neill (60+2); R. Minihane for C. O’Sullivan (e-t h-t); R. Whelton for J. O’Neill (78); M. Maguire for J. O’Regan (80+2).

Red card: J. O’Driscoll (second yellow, 55).

DINGLE: G. Curran; T.L. O’Sullivan, C. Flannery, T. O’Sullivan; D. O’Sullivan, B. O’Connor, N. Geaney; B.D. O’Sullivan, B. O’Connor; M. Flannery, P. Geaney (c), M. Flaherty; M. Geaney, C. Geaney, D. Geaney.

Subs for Dingle: C. O’Sullivan for D. O’Sullivan (46); T. Browne for M. Flannery (53); P. Devane for C. Geaney (inj 69); B. Devane for M. Flaherty (74); B. Kelliher for B. O’Connor (80+2).

Referee: D. O’Mahoney (Tipperary).