Barrs blow Imokilly away to storm into Cork Premier SHC semi-finals
Brian Hayes started his first game of the campaign for St Finbarr's in their Cork SHC quarter-final victory over Imokilly. Pic: David Keane.
Cork Premier SHC quarter-final: St Finbarr’s 3-16 Imokilly 1-12
The champions are gone. Given the age-profile of their most loyal servants, the fallen champions could be gone for a while yet. The fallen champions were outworked, buried under an avalanche of blue aggression.
An utterly dominant 10-point dismissal of the 2024 winners represented the Barrs’ outstanding county championship display since they themselves climbed the steps three years ago.
“It is hard to disagree with that,” said delighted boss Ger Cunningham.
“We have had ups and downs. But great credit is due to those players. Coming down to play the county champions is never easy. Playing them in the heart of their division is also a challenge.
“We took on that challenge and were ready for today. We wanted to back up what we did against Kanturk because that was a big victory for us, and we did back it up. Some of the hard work today was outstanding.”
The scoreline, for the first time in too long, reflected the weight and calibre of player running right through the Togher team sheet. The talent has always been there. Translating that talent into consistent showings has been a problem unsolved since the all-conquering ‘22 campaign.
With Brian Hayes starting his first game of the current campaign and the wreckage that ensued from his towering presence reinstated at full-forward, the Barrs forward unit overpowered and overwhelmed Imokilly for a second-half 2-6 into the wind.
It was an Imokilly defence minus Ciarán Joyce for that troublesome second period. The Cork centre-back, clutching his left hamstring, departed injured six minutes before the break. He was one of five East Cork starters lining out for the second time this weekend. The tired bodies elsewhere were apparent.
It was the returning Hayes who delivered a crucial Barrs goal two minutes into first-half stoppages for a 1-10 to 1-5 interval lead. A massively necessary green flag such was the strength of the elements. Turning around only two in front would have left Ger's charges firmly on the backfoot.
Hayes should have doubled his major count 23 seconds upon the restart. Goalkeeper Eoin Davis produced a superb save. The green flag didn’t sit idle for long.
On 37 minutes, Hayes wrestled a Ben Cunningham delivery. His strength left his opponent on the floor. A pass inside to Jack Cahalane. Goal Barrs. Their lead out to seven.
Their third arrived at the start line of the final quarter. The ever-toiling Jack O’Kelly stampeded towards the Imokilly goal. The lay-off to John Wigginton-Barrett. The finish low beyond Davis. The gap stretched to nine. 3-12 to 1-9. Game over.
The initial delivery for goal number three came from Damien Cahalane. The same as the win over Kanturk a fortnight ago, Cahalane was virtually impenetrable at corner-back. In his duel with Jack Leahy, no judges' decision was required.
That pairing was a microcosm of the Barrs battles won right across their rearguard. Bar goalscorer Seamus Harnedy, who had Conor Cahalane on his laces throughout, no Imokilly forward came remotely close to breaking even with their opposite number, never mind taking the verdict. The many household names in Denis Ring's attack cut subdued and swallowed figures.
In the 23 minutes after half-time, and the wind behind them, Imokilly managed a meagre four white flags. Harnedy was their sole forward to score from play in the second half. Their top-scorers from play in that second period were corner-back Timmy Wilk and 37-year-old midfielder Bill Cooper.
“Our workrate in the 10 minutes after half-time was exemplary. We fought for everything. We tackled, we hooked, we blocked. You look at the work Jack O'Kelly got through, Jack Cahalane working back, John Wigginton-Barrett too. The defence, also, were excellent," Cunningham continued.
Midleton was the scene of their premature 2024 group stage championship exit at the hands of 14-man Fr O’Neill’s. Midleton is now the scene of their return to the business end.
“Last year, we came down here and didn't perform. This year, we have won three and lost one. Delighted with the group, delighted with the performance, and we’ll look forward now to the semi-final.”
The scoreline suggests a triumph of Barrs flair. This was a Barrs triumph of relentless fight. Sars are forewarned.
B Cunningham (0-7, 0-4 frees); J Cahalane (1-2, 0-1 free); J Wigginton-Barrett, B Hayes (1-1 each); W Buckley (0-2); D Cahalane, C Cahalane, J O’Kelly (0-1 each).
S Harnedy (1-2); J Leahy (0-4, 0-2 frees, 0-2 65s); T Wilk, B Cooper (0-2 each); E Davis (free), D Healy (0-1 each).
S Hurley; D Cahalane, J Burns, C Walsh; C Cahalane, C Doolan, B Hennessy; E Twomey, J Wigginton-Barrett; J O'Kelly, J Cahalane, B Cunningham; W Buckley, B Hayes, S Cunningham.
E Keane for Walsh (19 mins, inj); R Barrett for O’Kelly (52); C McCarthy for B Cunningham (59); C O’Connor for S Cunningham (61); A Barry for Buckley (63)
E Davis (St Catherine's); T Wilk (Cobh), C O'Brien (St Ita's), J McCarthy (Dungourney); M Russell (Aghada), C Joyce (Castlemartyr), J Cronin (Lisgoold); S Hegarty (Dungourney), B Cooper (Youghal); B Lawton (Castlemartyr), D Healy (Lisgoold), S Harnedy (St Ita's); B Harnett (Russell Rovers), M Kelly (Castlemartyr), J Leahy (Dungourney).
O Fitzgerald (St Catherine’s) for Joyce (24 mins, inj); C O’Callaghan (Dungourney) for Lawton (43); J Stack (Castlemartyr) for Hartnett (48).
I McCarthy (Bandon).
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