Castlelyons knock out Na Piarsaigh after epic 26-penalty shootout
Na Piarsaigh's Gordan Joyce and Castlelyons' David Morrison tussle for the sliotar during the Co-Op Superstores SAHC QF at Pairc Ui Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
The Premier Intermediate champions of last year are one hour from a Senior A final appearance. Promoted Castlelyons continue to push themselves up the Cork ladder. Successive promotions remain a possibility after they survived an extraordinary penalty shootout that saw 26 shots on goal before white smoke emerged.
Penalty No.26 was struck by Anthony Spillane. It was his third of the shootout. His first hit the net, the second was saved. He found the net with number three. And given Gordon Joyce had driven wide just before him, Spillane’s conversion was the decisive one.
It had finished two converted penalties apiece after the initial five takers. Na Piarsaigh goalkeeper Luke Donovan made a superb save to deny Niall O’Leary and move the shootout onto sudden death.
Daire Connery, Castlelyons goalkeeper Jack Barry, Ross O’Sullivan and Alan Fenton stepped up and delivered one after the other. Then Joyce was wide, but Spillane was unable to win it as his shot was saved by Donovan.
When it came around to Spillane for a third time 10 penalties later, he obliged under immense pressure.
Penalties were called for when Alan Fenton, from the 20-metre line and in the fifth minute of injury-time at the end of the second period of extra-time, shook the Na Piarsaigh net with the last puck of the game to bring Castlelyons level.
The first period of extra-time had brought no daylight. Two Padraig Guest placed-ball efforts were sandwiched by a Fenton free and Keith O’Leary’s fifth. 2-22 apiece at the quick turnaround.
Ross O’Sullivan and Guest brought daylight. A Fenton free reduced the gap to the minimum. But white flags from Kelvin Forde and Guest’s eighth free had Na Piarsaigh three to the good.
Surely that was enough. But no, Fenton and Castlelyons weren’t finished. A foul on Spillane, a free that just about found a gap amid a sea of goal line bodies.
Na Piarsaigh will be so disappointed not to get the job done at the end of extra-time and the end of the second-half.
Extra-time was the end result of a fairly exhilarating closing act to the second half.
When Craig Hanifin, Kevin Moynihan, and Guest (65) reeled off three-in-a-row to move Na Piarsaigh 1-20 to 1-16 in front on 56 minutes, a northside semi-final derby looked inevitable.
Castlelyons had only managed four second half points in 26 minutes. Their play had gone flat. And then, from nowhere, they caught fire.
Keith O’Leary struck his fourth of the quarter-final to begin a most unlikely 1-3 burst. The goal, on 57 minutes, was a superb length-of-the-field play. Colm Spillane to Niall O’Leary, the Cork corner-back’s run taking him deep into opposition territory. He offloaded to David Morrison, a pass inside to sub Leon Doocey, and a pulled finish.
Alan Fenton followed with a pair to bring his tally to eight and Castlelyons to two in front, 2-19 to 1-20.
The Na Piarsaigh response was immediate. Craig Hanifin whipped to the net. The northsiders back in front and the hour mark fast approaching.
Three minutes of injury-time were signaled. Nine seconds from the end of the third minute, Fenton punished Na Piarsaigh’s inability to move possession out of their half and out of danger. 2-20 apiece.
The opening half doesn’t take much explaining. Na Piarsaigh opened sprightlier and were 0-6 to 0-3 ahead 10 minutes in. Included in that was a five-in-a-row sequence from the fifth to the 10th minute courtesy of Luke Sheehan, Ross O’Sullivan (0-2), Guest, and Kelvin Forde.
Na Piarsaigh were the architects of the pendulum shifting. An Adam Dennehy mistake allowed David Morrison in for a 13th minute goal. Castlelyons grew from there and grew quickly. From the 13th to the 28th minute, Castlelyons outscored their city opponents by 1-7 to 0-2 to turn a once three-point deficit into a six-point, 1-12 to 0-9, lead.
Alan Fenton was to the fore in raising white flags. He finished the half with five pen strokes beside his name. James Kearney and Keith O’Leary both sniped a pair, while Anthony Spillane, who should have whipped in their second goal late in the half, also contributed to their overtaking movement. 1-12 to 0-10 at the interval.
The game started at 7.15pm. The game finished at 9.45pm. Castlelyons move on. Glen Rovers are next for them.
A Fenton (1-11, 1-4 frees, 0-2 65s); K O’Leary (0-5); L Doocey, D Morrison (1-0 each); J Kearney, B Murphy, A Spillane (0-2 each); E Maye (0-1).
P Guest (0-12, 0-8 frees, 0-2 ‘65s); C Hanifin (1-3); L Sheehan (1-1); R O’Sullivan (0-4); K Forde (0-3); S Forde, K Moynihan, C Hogan (0-1 each).
J Barry; D Spillane, C Barry, O Hallihan; N O’Leary, C Spillane, L Sexton; J Kearney, A Fenton; A O’Sullivan, B Murphy, K O’Leary; E Maye, D Morrison, A Spillane.
: C McCarthy for Maye, L Doocey for Sexton (both 48); J O’Leary for D Spillane (51); L Sexton for A O’Sullivan (60); B Spillane for Morrison (79); E Maye for Murphy, D Spillane for C Barry (both 85).
L O’Donovan; P Murphy, G Joyce, A Dennehy; D Connery, C Buckley, K Moynihan; C Haifin, D Lee; S Forde, E Sheehan, L Sheehan; R O’Sullivan, K Forde, P Guest.
C Hogan for E Sheehan (22 mins, inj); G Healy for D Lee (HT); Eoin Sheehan for Dennehy (60); SP Cooke for C Hogan (79).
C Lyons.
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