Kanturk stir at the death to reel in Dohenys
Alan Walsh and Grantas Bucinska of Kanturk tackle Doheny's Jerry Farrell in the McCarthy Insurance Group Senior A Football Championship clash at Kilmurry, Co. Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Right on the hour in Kilmurry, Stephen Daly – Dohenys’ goalkeeper – stepped up to arrow over his second two-point free and leave the Dunmanway men four ahead. It looked to have settled matters, and have Dohenys emerge unlikely winners.
Kanturk had managed only two second-half points at that stage. They needed only to survive additional time. They couldn’t.
Kanturk, dormant for much of the past half hour, found life right at the perfect time. Paul Walsh emerged to rifle to the net, cutting arrears from four to one. A minute later, sub Cian Clernon was on hand to kick the leveller after he was set up by another sub, Lorcán McLoughlin.
They were level for the sixth time. Level for the final time.
Now, with one round of group fixtures left to go, two points separate first from last in Group 1 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Senior A Football Championship. Each of the four teams remain in the hunt for a quarter-final spot.
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A goal from Kanturk’s Grantas Bucinskas shortly before interval had put them three up, and when Colin Walsh tacked on the first score of the second half, it looked as though Kanturk may live up to the pre-match billing and power ahead. But Dohenys’ efforts ensured they did anything but.
Dohenys had already put up a good fight, but in the latter period they were far more competitive. Keith McCarthy zipped around everywhere, one of several players to put in a superb shift. It was he who assisted Seán Murphy for a low palmed finish to leave a point in it after 36 minutes.
Keith White got them on level terms again, before Cork footballer Paul Walsh nudged Kanturk ahead with 15 to go. They could have added another goal when Alan Walsh was fed at the back post by Daniel O’Connell, and while he stretched to get a leg on it, his effort nipped wide.
A let off for Dohenys, who continued to probe but couldn’t find a way through the Kanturk defence. Until the 54th minute.
Daly kicked an excellent two-point free to take Dohenys from one behind to one ahead. From the next kickout, Rhys Coakley and McCarthy forced a turnover, and Donal Rice fed Murphy, who split the posts. Two-point lead.
Then, on the hour mark, Daly roamed forward to convert his next two-point free. They seemingly had it won, and within two minutes it looked like they might have even lost it.
Parity seemed the fairest outcome – both hit seven wides – but Dohenys will felt they could, and should have won it.
Still, the north Cork men had started better in the first half, kicking the first three points. Dohenys would be level at 0-4 apiece after 15. By the half hour mark they would remain deadlocked – 0-7 each – until one sweeping team move gave Kanturk the first green flag.
Brian O’Sullivan, Liam O’Keeffe, Paul Walsh and Alan Walsh were all involved, as the latter handpassed to the back post for Bucinskas to palm home.
There would be further twists to come, though.
G Bucinskas (1-4, 0-2 f), P Walsh (1-2), C Clernon, C Walsh, L O’Keeffe, T Walsh (0-1 each).
S Murphy (1-2), S Daly (0-4, 2 tpf), K White (0-3), G Farr (0-2, tp), F Herlihy, K McCarthy (0-1 each).
R Cashman; J McLoughlin, D Browne, C Mullane; M Healy, T Walsh, J Fitzpatrick; P Walsh, R Walsh; B O’Sullivan, C Walsh, D O’Connell; G Bucinskas, A Walsh, L O’Keeffe.
C Clernon for Fitzpatrick, L O’Neill for Mullane (both 40), I Walsh for O’Keeffe, B Healy for Browne (both 46), L McLoughlin for Healy (55).
S Daly; E Farrell, E Lavers, J Farrell; D Rice, J Collins, S Barry; A O’Donovan, R Coakley; I Bryan, F Herlihy, G Farr; S Murphy, K White, K McCarthy.
B O’Donovan for Lavers (30+2 inj), C Daly for Farr (41), P Crowley for Herlihy (46), E Lehane for Murphy (57 inj).
P O’Leary (Kilmurry)
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