O'Donovan and Gore star as Carbery edge Duhallow in dramatic finish

Seamus Hickey, Duhallow, jostles with Olan Corcoran, Aaron Hayes and Killian O'Brien of Carbery. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Divisions/Colleges SFC semi-final: Carbery 3-18 (3-3-12) Duhallow 1-23 (1-6-17) 

A point in the dying seconds of injury time from Olan Corcoran was the difference as Carbery edged past Duhallow in the semi-finals of the McCarthy Insurance Group Divisions/Colleges SFC at Páirc Uí Rinn.

The West Cork side had been 11 points up with 12 minutes to go when their Duhallow rivals staged a comeback and levelled the game for the first time with the clock in the red.

Carbery had been cruising up until that point, with a performance that involved a spread of scorers all over the park.

Damien Gore topped the charts with 0-9, while Olan O’Donovan scored two goals and Ruairi Deane got one.

Carbery had been well in control, and their reward for this was a 0-13 to 0-6 advantage at the break.

Everything went the way of the West Cork side, beginning with a 0-4 to no score run that started with Corcoran slotting over. 

Ryan O’Donovan then split the posts from outside the arc and the forward added to this with a routine score from close range just seconds later.

Carbery were comfortable, despite Duhallow rallying late in the half with Kevin Crowley, Donncha O’Connor, and Seamus Hickey getting in to score for Duhallow.

This pattern continued after the restart as Carbery managed to outscore Duhallow 0-4 to 0-1, with Gore adding two more to his collection during this streak.

Then came the first goal, set up by Ryan O’Donovan and fired in by Olan O’Donovan in the 38th minute.

A second followed after a lull, with the forward once again getting in to score and that made it 2-16 to 0-11 in the 47th minute.

Duhallow eventually went for goals, and an effort that fell to Jack Curtin was blazed wide from the edge of the square.

Deane tried his luck at the other end from a similar position, and the shot had so much power it was turned in by Fachtna O’Connor in the 54th minute to make the scoreboard read 3-16 to 0-16.

Ewan Murphy, Duhallow, battles for aerial possession with Matthew Sheehan, Carbery. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Duhallow went for it with Donnacha O’Connor raising a white flag and Luke Murphy goaling, just before he nailed a two-pointer. A Donnacha O’Connor two-pointer levelled things up as the clubs drew level for the first time since throw-in with just 60 seconds left to play.

It came down to a breakaway point for Carbery that was fisted over the bar by Corcoran.

Scorers for Carbery: D Gore 0-9 (2 2pts); O O’Donovan 2-2, R O’Donovan 0-4 (1 2pt), R Deane 1-0; O Corcoran 0-2, L Hourihane 0-1.

Duhallow: L Murphy 1-12 (3 2pts, 3f); D O’Connor 0-8 (3 2pts); K Crowley, S Hickey, and H Linehan 0-1 each.

Carbery: D O’Sullivan (Ilen Rovers); L Hourihane (St. Colum’s), P Collins (Randal Og), J Collins (Ilen Rovers); A Hayes (St. James), K O’Brien (Gabriel Rangers), T Cronin (St. Colum’s); C O’Neill (Randal Og), M Sheehan (Goleen); S Connolly (Ilen Rovers), D Gore (Kilmacabea), O Corcoran (St. Mary’s); R O’Donovan (Barryroe), R Deane (Bantry Blues), O O’Donovan (Barryroe).

Subs: K Casey (Bantry Blues) for Connolly (24); L Shorten (Tadhg MacCartaigh) for Corcoran (47), S O’Donovan (Kilmeen) for Cronin (59).

Duhallow: F O’Connor (Cullen); K Crowley (Millstreet), K Cremin (Boherbue), D Buckley (Boherbue); C Murphy (Castlemagner), S Curtin (Rockchapel), C Curtin (Rockchapel); C O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe), P O’Callaghan (Kiskeam); G O’Sullivan (Boherbue), S Hickey (Rockchapel), E Murphy (Rockchapel); D O’Connor (Ballydesmond), L Murphy (Cullen), J Curtin (Rockchapel).

Subs: S Hickey (Millstreet) for E Hickey (39); H Linehan (Millstreet) for C O’Callaghan (45), B O’Carroll (Rockchapel) for P O’Callaghan (51).

Referee: Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).

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