Carrigaline through to SAFC final in dramatic win after penalties over Kanturk

Carrigaline's Ryan Delaney, was the undoubted hero of the shootout. He came on in the forty-fourth minute as an outfield player, but he wrote his name into Carrigaline folklore by saving four of Kanturk’s penalties while also burying his own effort.

Sat, 12 Oct, 2024 - 20:26

John Coleman

Cork SAFC semi-final: Carrigaline 0-17 Kanturk 0-17 (Carrigaline win 2-1 on penalties AET)

Cometh the hour, cometh the man and Ryan Delaney was the man in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening as Carrigaline bested Kanturk after penalties to set up a meeting with Knocknagree in the final of the Cork SAFC.

He was introduced at midfield with sixteen minutes of normal time remaining but when Carrigaline huddled up for penalties, he backed his experience as a soccer goalkeeper with Cork City to make a difference. According to Carrigaline manager, Michael Meaney, that ability was in the back of their minds leading up to the game.

“It was kind of mentioned on Thursday night, but we didn’t say much more about it then. In fairness to Ryan Delaney, what is he, nineteen or twenty? He turned around in the huddle there and said ‘I’m going in goal’. And you have to give credit to Callum Dungan, he was in goal for the full whack but he had no issue. Ryan stepped in and that was that, and that’s the type of fella Callum is.” Delaney went on to prove his worth, saving four of Kanturk’s penalties as well as converting one of the two Carrig scored. The decisive save came from Aidan Walsh as Kanturk exited the championship for the second year in succession on penalties.

That the game went into extra time was down to Walsh. His side trailed by 0-11 to 0-10 with time almost up when he had a crack from long range. It dropped short, but short enough for it to bounce over Dungan’s bar to force extra time.

It was Carrigaline who looked the more likely in extra times as Kevin O’Reilly caught fire. He was introduced after forty minutes, but in the twenty minutes of added time he kicked 0-4, with the last of those putting Carrigaline 0-16 to 0-14 clear with two to play. Ryan Walsh brought it back to the minimum but when Brian O’Driscoll fisted Carrig two clear again with time up, that seemed to be that.

Grantas Bucinskas clipped over a free when one would have though a goal was needed but from the kickout they worked one more free from fifty-five yards. Aidan Walsh’s effort was drifting wide, but Lorcán McLoughlin kept it alive, and a swing of Bucinskas’ left boot levelled the game for the eighth and final time.

Kanturk made the early running and Bucinskas free put them 0-6 to 0-4 to the good after twenty minutes but points from Éanna Desmond, Niall and Brian Coakley then put Carrig ahead for the first time. Crucially, they were never to be led again. Bucinskas made it 0-7 each going into the interval, but Carrig won the third quarter by 0-3 to 0-1 to lead by 0-10 to 0-8.

Bucinskas narrowed the gap again, Ian Sheerin made it a two-point game but as the Carrig wide tally mounted, Bucinskas and Walsh rescued Kanturk.

The reprieve was only temporary, however, as Carrigaline’s footballers now join their hurlers in preparing for county glory.

Scorers for Carrigaline: E Desmond (0-5, 0-4 frees), K O’Reilly (0-4, 0-1 mark), N Coakley (0-3, 0-2 frees), B Coakley (0-2 ’45), K McCarthy, B O’Driscoll and I Sheerin (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kanturk: G Bucinskas (0-8, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ’45), Aidan Walsh, T Walsh and I Walsh (0-1 free) (0-2 each), P Walsh, R Walsh and J Fitzpatrick (0-1 each)

CARRIGALINE: C Dungan; C O’Herlihy, N Quirke, K McCarthy; J McCarthy (c), D Griffin, K Kavanagh; B O’Driscoll, C Barry; D Greene, B Coakley, E Ryle; E Landers, N Coakley, É Desmond.

Subs: L Pope for Greene (h/t), K O’Reilly for Landers (40), R Delaney for B Coakley (44), C Barrett for Ryle (47), I Sheerin for Kavanagh (inj, 52), A Cohalen for Barrett (5 ET), Ryle for K McCarthy (13 ET), N O’Keeffe for Desmond (18 ET)

KANTURK: J Fullerton; J McLoughlin, R Walsh, L O’Neill; M Healy, T Walsh, B O’Sullivan; P Walsh, Aidan Walsh (c); Alan Walsh, C Clernon, D O’Connell; G Bucinskas, C Walsh, L McLoughlin.

Subs: I Walsh for Clernon (h/t), J Fitzpatrick for O’Neill (62), L O’Keeffe for C Walsh (inj, 10 ET)

Referee: John Ryan (Macroom).