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DOHENY GAA NEWS - (Number of times read: 1428)
PRO | Monday 27 July 2020
It was just one of those games for the Doheny Senior footballers where they never got into their stride. They were second to every ball, second in every collision and basically were well beaten by a very well organised Fermoy outfit in the Senior A football championship in Coachford last Sunday. The players know it themselves that they didn’t play to the required standard. Preparation and performances were good leading into to this championship fixture so there’s no excuses. The Dohenys men just have to dust themselves down, learn from the experience and prepare well for their next championship encounter with Bandon.
Fermoy registered the first score of the game after a minute’s play. Dohenys responded positively with two points in quick succession one from the boot of Johnny Kelly, one of Dohenys top performers on the day, and the other by the lively Mark Buckley. This in fact was the only time in the game that the Dohenys got their noses in front. Fermoy and Dohenys traded points, Buckley scoring again from a dead ball situation, but it was Fermoy who led 4 points to 3 at the 15 minute water break. Upon the resumption of the game Dohenys suffered a hammer blow when Fermoy snuck through the Doheny rear-guard to register a major. Fermoy with their tails up quickly tagged on another score. Dohenys reduced the deficit to a goal with points from Buckley (free) and a well worked score from Keith White. Again points were traded between both sides with Fionn Herlihy pointing for the men in green but it was Fermoy who finished the half the stronger and lead at half time 1-07 to 0-06. Dohenys luck was out as they lost tight marking Donal Rice to injury just before halftime. Dohenys hadn’t taken the advantage of the elements and the perceived scoring goal in the first half. Some wayward shooting and misplaced passing proving costly. The second half was always going to be an uphill battle for the Dunmanway men against a very dogged Fermoy defence but their case wasn’t helped when centre forward Bill Murphy received a straight red card 3 minutes into the 2nd half. Fermoy really powered on against 14 men Dohenys for the remainder of the game and although Dohenys chipped away with a number of frees from Mark Buckley and Cullan Barry there was always going to be one winner in this contest. Dohenys ran from deep through the hardworking Eoin Lavers and Barry O’Donovan etc. but they couldn’t breach Fermoy’s blanket defence. Fermoy in turn exploited the spaces let in their forward line and they picked off scores at will. It could have been worse from Dohenys only for a few fine saves by Stephen Daly. Fermoy ran out deserved victors in the end on a score-line of 1-15 to 0-10.
Team: 1. Stephen Daly 2. Jerry O’Farrell 3. Sean Daly 4. Donal Rice 5. Barry O’Donovan 6. Eoin Lavers 7. Darragh O’Connor 8. Cullan Barry (0-01F) 9. Johnny Kelly (0-01) 10. Niall Hurley 11. Bill Murphy 12. Gareth Crowley 13. Keith White (0-01) 14. Fionn Herlihy (0-02) 15. Mark Buckley (0-05 (0-04F)) Subs Used: Kevin Cotter for Donal Rice (injured), Cathal Daly for Darragh O’Connor, Jerry McCarthy for Niall Hurley and Rhys Coakley for Gareth Crowley.
Doheny spirits were lifted in Castletownkenneigh Sunday evening with the Junior footballers beating near neighbours Clann na Gael 10 points to 9 after extra time. With the senior footballers using 19 players in their game earlier in the day the feeling before the junior match was one of pessimism but fear not. A spirited team performance from players 1 to 15 and from the subs, who had a positive impact upon introduction, ensured a memorable victory for the men from Dunmanway. Although the game was a low scoring affair and conditions on the night weren’t conducive to fast open football nonetheless the game was very entertaining. The Drimoleague men started brightly kicking the opening 2 points. Dohenys responded with points from Brendan McCarty and man of the match Stephen O’Donovan (2) to lead at half time 3 points to 2. It was a backs night for sure! Similarly to the opening half Clann na Gael started the second half the brighter kicking 3 unanswered points and to compound matters worse Dohenys had veteran Paul Deane black carded just before the 2nd half water break. Dohenys used the break to regroup and although at a momentary numerical disadvantage it was the Dohenys that came thundering back into the game. Wing forward Brendan McCarthy got a lovely score upon the resumption to reduce the deficit to one. Dohenys thought they had level matters from a fine solo effort from Stephen O’Donovan but the umpire thought differently and waved it wide. Clann na Gael went the length of the field in the next attack and extended their lead to 2 points. Credit to the Dohenys men they never threw in the towel and drove forward in waves in the final moments of regulation time to set up two fine scores for Stephen O’Donovan and Brendan McCarthy to level matters and force extra time. Dohenys maintained their dominance in the first half of extra time scoring 3 unanswered points to lead at half time 9 points to 6 points. Clann na Gael reduced the deficit to 2 points just after half time of extra time but the impressive Alan Brickley bagged his second point of the match to extend the lead again to 3 points. Clann na Gael laid siege on the Doheny’s men goal for the remainder of the match and although they got to within the slenderest of margins the Dohenys men held out to claim victory. While it was a good team victory a few players need to be mentioned. Tadgh O’Leary was rock solid in his defence. Declan Collins is rediscovering the form prior to his serious leg injury last year. Padraig O’Mahony and in particular Darragh Collins put in a massive shift in the middle of the park. The Dohenys half forward line all deserve mention with Dan McSweeney covering every blade of grass, Aidan O’Donovan linking play excellently and Brendan McCarthy kicking over some fine points. Stephen O’Donovan was a constant torn in the Drimoleague side whilst Pa McCarthy was dominant winning primary ball in the full forward line. Young guns Alan Brickley and Eilis O’Farrell had an extremely positive impact off the bench.
Team: 1. Darren Kelly (0-01 (45) ) 2. Paul Deane 3. Tadhg O’Leary 4. David O’Farrell 5. Ross Crowley 6. Eoin Murray 7. Declan Collins 8. Darragh Collins 9. Padraig O’Mahony 10. Brendan McCarthy (0-03) 11. Aidan O’Donovan 12. Dan Mc Sweeney 13. Ray Jennings 14. Pa McCarthy 15. Stephen O’Donovan (0-04 (0-01F)) Subs Used: Alan Brickley (0-02), Eilis O’Farrell, Tom Murphy, Aaron O’Donovan
Attention now turns to the small ball. The Doheny Junior A Hurlers are in championship action against reigning West Cork Champions Ballinascarthy at 4pm in Enniskeane on Sunday next, August 2nd.