'We'll give it a crack' - Ray Keane excited for Aghabullogue's Munster IFC final showdown with An Ghaeltacht
RAY'S KEEN: Ray Keane leads Aghabullogue into Munster IFC final against An Ghaeltacht.
Ray Keane deemed the performance irrelevant compared to the landmark result as Aghabullogue advanced to a Munster IFC final against An Ghaeltacht.
The Cochford club required a closing four-point flurry to shake off the determined challenge of Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan.
Their tally of missed goal chances rose as high as seven for a finish, although ABK also had their share of opportunities. John Buckley’s hard-earned seventh clean sheet in eight games proved vital to their success.
Keane reflected: “The reality is, and it’s probably well broadcast at this stage, that ultimately we're the 24th or 25th best team in Cork versus the 9th or 10th best team in Kerry, who actually played Dingle, who won the County Championship a few weeks ago, and beat them.
“There's very little between a lot of the teams in Kerry. But we'll give it a crack and we'll see where it'll take us. This time of the year, anything could happen, so we'll just go at it.”
Keane characterised the missed goal chances as “a first-world problem”, while conceding his side would need to be far better against the Kingdom outfit in a fortnight.
ABK outscored Aghabullogue by 0-8 to 0-3 between the 23rd and 49th minutes to level at 0-10 apiece before Matthew Bradley kicked the settling two-point free, bringing his total to 0-9.
“When we came to this job 19 months ago, if you'd have said to any of the lads inside in the dressing room or the people involved that you'd be a senior club in 19 or 20 months, let alone heading for a Munster Club final against arguably one of the best teams in the country, you'd think we're off our head,” said Keane.
“But we're there. We've two weeks to prepare, get the bodies fresh if we can, and I'm just delighted for the players and the people in the parish.
“There's people that brought football into that parish and fought for it and kept going when times would have been tough. People don't realise what it means to those people who are not involved at all now.”Â
After toasting their Intermediate A hurling title last weekend, the Cork representatives looked sharp from the throw-in. Bradley booted a brace inside two minutes before Breandán O’Sullivan laid on scores for John Corkery and Evan O’Sullivan. All that into a strong wind blowing in over the City End.
Danny Neville opened ABK’s account from their third attempt, but Bradley’s dazzling form continued with two points, the latter of which was a goal effort palmed over by Jamie Dolan.
ABK got in for a goal chance when Paul O’Shaughnessy spun his marker. The full-forward’s shot cannoned back off the post and ricocheted out for a 45, which Dolan converted. Bradley’s fifth point from play made it 0-7 to 0-2.
With an effective kick-out press, the Treaty team got on top for the remainder of the half. Backed by the breeze, they needed two-pointers, but missed their four efforts from beyond the arc.
They still had a pep in their step going into the changing rooms, thanks to two Joey Rushe frees and a Neville score. While ending the half with a greater shot count (Aghabullogue’s 10 to their 14), ABK trailed 0-7 to 0-5 at midway.
A Rushe free extended ABK’s streak to four unanswered points before Aghabullogue reeled off three on the trot in response through Luke Casey and two Bradley placed balls. Pádraig O’Sullivan and Casey had potshots at goal deflected away by Luke Gammell and Patrick Moran.
Remarkably, ABK rallied to level via Pádraic Murphy, two Rushe frees, and Neville.
With the game in the balance, Bradley, Casey, and David Thompson sent goal chances wide, while corner-back John Fitzsimons produced a brilliant double-block on his goalline from Casey and Thompson. At the other end, Murphy’s blast was brilliantly saved by Buckley.
But Aghabullogue got over the line through Bradley’s orange flag, followed by insurance scores from Thompson and Colm Gillespie.
M Bradley (0-9, 1tpf, 1 free, 1 45); C Gillespie, J Corkery, E O’Sullivan, L Casey, D Thompson (free) (0-1 each).
J Rushe (0-5, 5 frees); D Neville (0-3); J Dolan (45), P Murphy (0-1 each).
J Buckley; C Smith, D Merrick, P Dilworth; P Ring, S Tarrant, B O’Sullivan; C Gillespie, A Murphy; P O’Sullivan, J Corkery (capt), A O’Sullivan; M Bradley, E O’Sullivan, L Casey.
C O’Sullivan for P O’Sullivan (48), D Thompson for E O’Sullivan (52), OisĂn O’Connell for A O’Sullivan (57).
J Dolan; B Casey, J Fitzsimons, N Barry; L Gammell, P Moran, S Colgan; S Gallagher, A McGrath (capt); J O’Meara, D Neville, P McMahon; J Rushe, P O’Shaughnessy, P Murphy.
S Whelan for Gallagher (52, inj), C O’Flaherty for O’Shaughnessy (58), J O’Sullivan for McMahon (60), S Hallinan for Fitzsimons (60).
N Quinn (Clare).
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