Sensational Castlehaven now the standard bearers with Cork title retained

Castlehaven inflicted unwanted history on their Nemo Rangers opponents.

HOW SWEET IT IS: Castlehaven’s Mark Collins lifts the trophy. Pic:INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Cork Premier SFC final: Castlehaven 0-16 Nemo Rangers 0-11 

For six years, Castlehaven and everyone else in Cork football looked on as Nemo Rangers and St Finbarr’s shared the Andy Scannell Cup and tussled amongst themselves for outright supremacy in the county.

Supremacy has shifted and stayed west. Of that there can be no doubt.

Castlehaven, as they did on the occasion of their last back-to-back 11 years ago, have firmly established themselves as the standard bearers of the Cork club scene. The exact same as last year, they bested the Barrs and Nemo to again climb the steps.

In besting Nemo for the second October in succession, Castlehaven inflicted unwanted history on their opponents. A first pair of back-to-back county final defeats for the famed black and green.

Castlehaven’s second half shutout was sensational. They limited Nemo to just one second-half point from play. They limited Nemo to just three second-half points in total. They limited them to no point at all from the 47th minute onwards.

Captain Mark Collins was superb in leading the shutout. He cut out attempted handpasses from Luke Horgan and Alan O’Donovan. Brian Hurley was found back inside his own 45 dispossessing Colin Molloy.

What all these turnovers fed were breakaways and counter-attacks. Nemo were stretched, Castlehaven were in full stride. The champions broke and kicked the last four points of a high-quality final.

Jack Cahalane was fouled for one of this quartet and finished another. Conor O’Driscoll was at the end of a play instigated by Collins’ defensive smarts. Another sub Micháel Maguire fisted the insurance score.

The 0-8 to 0-7 interval scoreline in favour of Nemo wasn’t very far off the 0-11 to 0-9 full-time scoreline from 12 months ago. That was as strong an example as any of just how vastly different this decider was to the turgid 2023 affair.

The 2023 final was a defender’s game. 2024 was far more amenable to those with two digits on their back.

The outstanding similarity to 12 months ago was the closeness of proceedings. The sides were level on six occasions in the opening half. Only once was either team’s lead more than a solitary point. That came on 26 minutes when Conor Horgan pointed after Stephen Cronin capitalised on a wayward Darragh Cahalane restart and promptly fed Horgan.

In the play prior, Paul Kerrigan curled over a beauty off the right. Five of Nemo’s starting six forwards were on the mark by the break. Leading the way was Ronan Dalton with three. He was narrowly wide with a fourth. Those scores and scorers dramatically dried up upon the restart.

At the far end, Michael Hurley, watched by Cork senior Kevin O’Donovan, matched Dalton’s three first-half points from play. His brother, Brian, watched by Briain Murphy, was far less influential on the scoresheet. A converted free was his sole first-half contribution in that respect. Two white flag attempts, from play, did not have successful outcomes.

Jack Cahalane, carrying excellent form as he did into the final, kicked a brace. Sean Browne was also on target.

Behind at the break, Castlehaven began the second half with a three-in-a-row to reclaim a lead they never relinquished thereafter.

Brian Hurley had his first from play on 35 minutes. Then came Michael's magnificent fourth. It turned a one-point interval deficit into a two-point lead.

Munster beckons once more. They go to Killarney for a Munster quarter-final against the Crokes on November 10. They go as Cork's undisputed market leaders.

Scorers for Castlehaven: B Hurley (0-3 frees), M Hurley (0-4 each); J Cahalane (0-3); R Maguire, S Browne, C Cahalane, C O’Driscoll, M Maguire (0-1 each).

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: R Dalton (0-3); M Cronin (0-1 free), P Kerrigan (0-1 free), B Hayes (0-2 each); K Fulignati, C Horgan (0-1 each).

CASTLEHAVEN: Darragh Cahalane; T O’Mahony, J O’Driscoll, J O’Regan; J O’Neill, R Maguire, M Collins; Damien Cahalane, A Whelton; R Minihane, C Maguire, J Cahalane; S Browne, B Hurley, M Hurley.

SUBS: C Cahalane for Damien Cahalane (HT); C O’Driscoll for Minihane (46); M Maguire for Browne (52); J Walsh for O’Neill (61); R Whelton for M Hurley (63) 

NEMO RANGERS: MA Martin; K O’Donovan, B Murphy, K Fulignati; C Molloy, E Nation, S Cronin; A O’Donovan, B Cripps; J Horgan, R Dalton, C Horgan; B Hayes, P Kerrigan, M Cronin.

SUBS: R Corkery for Hayes, L Horgan for J Horgan (both 44); C McCartan for K O'Donovan (54); A Cronin for B Murphy (62).

REFEREE: J Regan