Kilmacabea make amends for 2023 loss to take Carbery honours

Kilmacabea took over in the second half to end Diarmuid Ó Mathúna's double hopes.

Bandon Co-op Carbery Junior A Football final at Sam Maguire Park Dunmanway. Kilmacabea captain Diarmuid O’Callaghan with the Mick McCarthy Cup aloft following his team’s victory over Diarmuid O’Mathunas in the Bandon Co-op Carbery Junior A Football final at Sam Maguire Park Dunmanway. Picture: Martin Walsh.

Carbery JAFC final: Kilmacabea 1-12 Diarmuid Ó Mathúna 1-4

A swashbuckling second-half display saw Kilmacabea deservedly claim the 2024 Bandon Co-op Carbery junior A football championship in Dunmanway on Saturday evening.

The winners eradicated the memory of losing to Barryroe in last year’s decider by seeing off Diarmuid Ó Mathúna’s.

A scrappy opening half preceded a second period dominated by the winners who had Ian Jennings (1-1), Damien Gore and Colin McCarthy (0-4 each) in terrific scoring form.

“We are over the moon,” Kilmacabea manager Donie O’Donovan beamed.

“Last year, it was down to a point in the end (losing to Barryroe). To be back here, nearly 12 months to the day, having taken our beating and licking our wounds, look, it is special, very special.” 

A first West Cork football title since 2020 means the Mick McCarthy Cup will reside in Leap for the fourth time in the club’s history.

As for Diarmuid Ó Mathúna’s, their season is far from over despite hopes of football and hurling ‘double’ ending. Next weekend’s Carbery junior A hurling final replay with Ballinascarthy offers Mathúna’s a second opportunity at lifting silverware.

The final immediately sprang into life with Mathúna’s Ted O’Leary netting a second minute goal after Damien Gore had scored at the opposite end.

Donnacha McCarthy and Jack O’Callaghan swapped white flags but, unfortunately for Mathúna’s, they would fail to register another score during the remaining 24 minutes of the half.

Kilmacabea assumed control and led 0-6 to 1-1 at the break.

Martin Collins and Sean Crowley scored at either end shorltly after the restart. It was Kilmacabea who found another gear and kicked for home during dominant third and fourth quarter displays.

Damien Gore (mark), Colin McCarthy (free and a 45’) and Liam McCarthy efforts made it 0-11 to 1-2 with 10 minutes remaining.

Kevin O’Donovan managed a point in reply but Mathúna’s couldn’t find a way past their opponent’s defence for a goal that might have kick-started a late comeback.

Instead, it was Ian Jennings who broke free and netted for a delighted Kilmacabea who ran out the most convincing winners. Next up for the West Cork champions is a Cork junior county championship encounter against Seandún’s representatives.

Scorers for Kilmacabea: I Jennings 1-1, D Gore (0-1 mark), C McCarthy (0-1 45’, 0-1 free) 0-4 each, D McCarthy, M Collins, L McCarthy 0-1 each.

Diarmuid Ó Mathúna: T O’Leary 1-1, J O’Callaghan, K O’Donovan, S Crowley (0-1 free) 0-1 each.

KILMACABEA: K McCarthy; L Tobin, D Whooley, D Tobin; O Tobin, D O’Callaghan (captain), R Hourihane; M Collins, I Jennings; D McCarthy, C McCarthy, E Shanahan; L McCarthy, D Gore, J Collins.

Substitutes: R Shanahan for E Shanahan (ht), D O’Donovan for J Collins (55).

DIARMUID Ó MATHÚNA: O O’Leary; E Mangan, S Crowley, G Aherne; A Draper, C O’Sullivan (captain), B Lordan; M Draper, C Mangan; R Lucey, K O’Donovan, R McCarthy; J Fleming, J Lucey, J O’Callaghan.

Substitutes: G O’Donovan for C Mangan (34), C O’Donovan for R McCarthy (43), N Hillard for B Lordan (52), J Fleming for J Lucey (52), M O’Sullivan for A Draper (55).

Referee: Ian McCarthy (Bandon).