Six-goal St Finbarrs knock champions Castlehaven out of Cork Premier SFC

BATTLE: Castlehaven's Andrew Whelton holds onto the ball ahead of Conor Dennehy and Brian Hayes of St Finbarrs. Picture: Howard Crowdy

St Finbarr’s 6-11 (6-1-9) Castlehaven 0-19 (0-2-15)

Castlehaven’s reign as McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC winners has been brought to an end by St Finbarr’s after a 10-point loss.

A large crowd flocked to Clonakilty for this quarter-final clash between the heavyweights. They had met at the semi-final stage for the last five seasons, but it was the Barrs who came out of this with a win having lost to the Haven in the last two years.

Brian Roche’s side were full value for their victory as they now meet Ballincollig or Duhallow in the last four in two weeks’ time.

Goals proved crucial here with the Togher outfit raising four green flags in the opening 30 minutes. The Barrs had a six-point buffer at the break and even though the margin was cut down to three points at one juncture, the Barrs always looked in control.

Steven Sherlock ended up with 3-3 including two penalties, but it was an excellent team performance.

The game started at a blistering pace with both teams not holding back. The back-to-back winners did land the first two points from Conor Cahalane and Andrew Whelton before the Barrs did get up and running with a Ricky Barrett effort after seven minutes.

Castlehaven's Brian Hurley about to be blocked by Dylan Quinn of St Finbarrs during the County Premier Senior Football Championship quarter final match in Clonakilty. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Brian Hurley kicked a sweet two-pointer for the Haven, but their opposition did goal after eight minutes. It didn’t come from Steven Sherlock, who hadn’t touched the ball yet.

Ian Maguire, following a driving run, stayed calm to slot the ball into the net, 1-1 to 0-4.

Brian Hayes did edge St Finbarr’s ahead with a point, but Castlehaven kicked three of the next four points to lead 0-7 to 1-3 after 11 minutes.

St Finbarr’s had shown promise in the forward line without clicking, but it came together with two goals in three minutes.

Sherlock billowed the back of the net after Maguire did brilliantly in the build-up. The second goal was from the penalty spot after Haven goalkeeper Darragh Cahalane pulled down Ethan Twomey.

The netminder received a black card as Damien Cahalane stepped in between the sticks for 10 minutes. The latter couldn’t keep out Sherlock’s unstoppable effort, 3-3 to 0-7 after 30 minutes.

The Hurley brothers, Michael and Brian, kicked points to reduce the deficit down to a goal, but a low block game plan was working a treat for the Togher side.

They scored a fourth goal three minutes to the interval when Conor Dennehy had a world of space to convert the ball to the net from close range, 4-3 to 0-9.

The teams exchanged white flags until Darragh Cahalane returned after the black card. St Finbarr’s 4-4 to 0-10 ahead at half-time.

A Sherlock 45 a minute into the new half was the perfect start for his team. It was followed though by a Brian Hurley two-point free to keep the reigning champions firmly in touch.

The same player kicked a point before the Barrs got their fifth goal after 36 minutes. Rory Maguire played the ball on the ground in the square. Sherlock duly converted the ball to the net from the penalty spot, 5-5 to 0-13.

The sides swapped points before a pair of Brian Hurley efforts, one from a free, kept the Haven within distance of their position.

Champions die hard and it was all Castlehaven now in terms of possession. A Michael Hurley effort left four points in it after 51 minutes, 5-6 to 0-17.

Conor Cahalane left three points between the teams, but William Buckley goaled for St Finbarr’s after 53 minutes when the Haven committed too many up and were exposed at the back.

It was followed by a Sherlock two-point free, 6-8 to 0-18.

The city men finished well as the crowd started to thin out in the closing stages. They kicked three of the last four points to prevail by 10 points.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: S Sherlock 3-3 (2-0 pen, 1 2pt f, 0-1 45), I Maguire 1-1, W Buckley, C Dennehy 1-0 each, B Hayes, R Barrett 0-2 each, J Burns, E McGreevy, J Wigginton-Barrett 0-1 each.

Scorers for Castlehaven: B Hurley 0-9 (1 2pt, 1 2pt f, 0-2 f), M Hurley 0-4, C Cahalane, J Cahalane 0-2 each, M Collins, A Whelton 0-1 each.

ST FINBARR’S: D Newman; S Ryan, D Quinn, A O’Connor; B Hennessy, J Burns, C Dennehy; B Hayes, C Doolan; I Maguire, E Twomey, W Buckley; J Wigginton-Barrett, R Barrett, S Sherlock.

Subs: L Hannigan for R Barrett, E McGreevy for J Burns (both 47), C Myers-Murray for J Wigginton-Barrett (54), B O’Connell for E Twomey (64).

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

Subs: M Maguire for R Minihane (h-t), S Walsh for S Browne (49), J O’Neill for C Maguire (56), S O’Connell for A Whelton, L McCarthy for J O’Driscoll (both 65).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).

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