News Story

JOHN BOHANE | Wednesday 11 July 2007

By John Bohane

Dohenys 0-14
Castlehaven 0-11

Dohenys produced a wonderfully controlled and measured
second half performance to edge out Castlehaven by
three points after a gripping fourth round senior
football championship clash at Wolfe Tone Park,
Bantry, last Sunday.
Dohenys maintained their record of having never been
beaten in senior championship action by Castlehaven,
to record a hard-fought victory over a gallant Haven
outfit. Dohenys went in trailing by one point at half
time, and with Dermot Hurley and Bernie Collins
commanding around the middle of the field, Castlehaven
looked set to clinch their place in the last eight
after scoring the opening two points of the second
half to establish a three-point lead.
Heart
However, Dohenys rallied and showed plenty of heart
and determination to eke out a deserved win in this
passionate and keenly contested West Cork derby. At
the start of the second half Dohenys produced a master
stroke bringing Donal O’Sullivan out from corner
forward to form a three man midfield with Michael Farr
and Pat Collins thus limiting Bernie Collins’ and
Dermot Hurley’s dominance and influence on the game.
This tactical ploy worked to perfection as Dohenys
swamped midfield, won the vital breaks and starved the
potent Haven forward line of meaningful possession.
Ger McCarthy, also came to the fore with a superb
individual performance, kicking crucial points from
play and from placed ball.
The game was nip and tuck all through, and the sides
were level with eight minutes to go before Dohenys
scored four consecutive points to secure a well
merited victory, as the Haven challenge ran out of
steam and petered out in an enthralling climax to the
game that had the large crowd absorbed over an hour of
football finesse of the highest order. In an incident
packed and nervous finish to the game Castlehaven
surged forward at will but a well disciplined Dohenys
rearguard held firm to clinch a quarter final spot.
Dohenys, beaten finalists in last year’s county final,
are a well organised outfit with a strong spine
throughout their team who will quitely fancy their
chances of claiming the Andy Scannell Cup this year.
In Daragh Farr, they possess a reliable and dependable
goalkeeper, while the full back line of Conor Collins,
Paul Deane and Alan Murray provide great cover and are
tight and tenacious markers.
Conor Collins performed a wonderful marking job on
Cork under-21 player Seanie Cahalane, to nullify his
attacking threat and keep the ace forward scoreless, a
feat not achieved by a defender in a long time.
Michael O’Donovan was a vital link at centre back,
winning breaks and joining in attacks up the field.
Michael Farr and Pat Collins were outplayed in the
first half but Donal O’Sulliivan’s subsequent move to
midfield reaped dividends and tilted the balance of
play in Dohenys’ favour.
Patrick McCarthy, David Nyhan and Denis Healy combined
well to cause the Haven defence endless problems but
the undoubted star of the show was Ger McCarthy, who
is surely worthy of inclusion in the Cork senior set
up. McCarthy who was top scorer in last year’s
championship campaign, continued his recent vein of
good form to kick eight points in a superb individual
performance.
Castlehaven, who had four of their much vaunted
under-21s on the starting fifteen, are a young team in
transitional mode, with only one player (Colin
Crowley) over thirty years of age. This augurs well
for the future and with patience and plenty of
nurturing this is a team that will be challenging for
ultimate honours in the not-too-distant future.
The game started off at a breathtaking pace with no
quarter being asked or given by either side, in a free
flowing entertaining encounter. Patrick McCarthy,
showing no ill effects of a long term injury, kicked
the opening point after five minutes after he seized
on a Derek Tobin clearance and held off an attempted
challenge from Mark Cahalane to fire over from
distance. Castlehaven’s reply was immediate with
Paudie Hurley, playing a one-two with David Burns from
a quickly-taken free kick before firing over with
aplomb.
surging
Bernie Collins who was orchestrating matters from
central midfield, scored a fine point from 30 yards
after a surging run past two defenders. There was
never much to separate either teams, as the game
developed into a fascinating slugging match between
two heavyweights. Michael Milner levelled the game
after ten minutes, after David Nyhan punched the ball
into Milner’s path, who made a determined run from his
left half back position, before composing himself and
shooting over.
Castlehaven reinstated their one-point advantage after
Shane Hurley who was doing trojan work at right half
forward, winning the breaking ball and starting
attacks, played a deft pass to Paudie Hurley who
swivelled and shot over. Dohenys, who were surviving
on limited possession, were defending in numbers and
taking full advantage of what few opportunities came
their way in the first half. Ger McCarthy converted a
placed ball after he was fouled.
Bernie Collins, who was an integral figure in
Castlehaven’s dominance, scored his second point of
the game after Stephen Connolly was afforded too much
time on the ball and he threaded a neat through ball
to Collins to shoot over with consummate ease.
Dohenys response was instant and a lovely passing move
unlocked the Haven defence. David Nyhan, O’Donovan and
O’Sullivan, all combined to play in Ger McCarthy, who
rounded Haven keeper Derek Tobin, only to be tripped
by the keeper, making his championship debut,
resulting in a clear penalty. Daragh Farr stepped up
but his piledriver of a shot was brilliantly palmed
wide by Tobin. From the resultant 45, Denis Healy
gathered a loose ball and pointed from close range to
tie the scores with half time approaching.
Castlehaven restored their one-point lead when Paudie
Hurley converted a free. David Nyhan who was posing
problems for the Haven defence at centre forward
kicked a nice point after lovely interchange of play
involving Michael Milner and Healy who released Nyhan
into space to shoot over from an acute angle.
Castlehaven regained the lead on the stroke of half
time when Colin Crowley who struggled to get into the
game overall, pointed after good build up play
involving Mark Cahalane and Paudie Hurley set up
Crowley to nonchalantly strike over and enable
Castlehaven to hold a slender advantage at the
interval.
successive
Castlehaven started the second half brightly scoring
two successive points from a Paudie Hurley free and a
lovely curling effort from Shane Hurley from the right
wing to establish a three point lead. Dohenys who were
now packing the midfield sector in a bid to squeeze
the play, with Donal O’Sullivan sitting deep, showed
great drive and hunger to score four points in a
blistering seven-minute spell.
Ger McCarthy, converted a free after a driving run
from Patrick McCarthy was halted. Michael O’Donovan,
joined his attack to round off a great move with a
fine point after patient build up play from Donal
O’Sullivan and Pat Collins, to set an unmarked
O’Donovan up to strike over from 25 yards as Dohenys
upped the ante. Ger McCarthy levelled the game for the
sixth time with a tremendous kick despite being off
balance after a Pat Collins pass.
Dohenys were now in control and attacking in their
droves against an over exposed Castlehaven defence.
Ger McCarthy was coolness personified to point from a
free to give Dohenys a one point lead with a quarter
of the match to go. Castlehaven steadied the ship with
a point from a Paudie Hurley free but the pendulum had
swung in Dohenys’ favour as they showed more desire
and enthusiasm in the closing stages.
Ger McCarthy who was giving a virtuoso performance as
one of the two man full forward line for Dohenys,
which afforded him the space and the license to run at
the Castlehaven defence restored the Dohenys lead with
a superb point, from out on the touchline after Donal
O’Sullivan’s pass. Paudie Hurley replied for
Castlehaven to tie the scores from a free after Bernie
Collins was fouled to set up a gripping finale.
Dohenys held their nerve and showed their class to
shoot four points in a devastating ten minute salvo to
finally break free of dogged Castlehaven resistance.
Ger McCarthy slotted over from a free, before Ronan
O’Sullivan outsprinted a tiring Haven defence to run
on to a Denis Healy through ball. O’Sullivan, was
through one on one with Tobin, but he sensibly opted
to fist over the bar as Derek Tobin came out to narrow
the angle.
ASCENDENCY
Dohenys were in the ascendency, with their midfield
trio in complete control at midfield, forcing the
Haven forwards to live on scrapes. Ger McCarthy kicked
two further points to establish a four point lead for
the Dohenys with time running out.
Castlehaven showed their never say die spirit in
injury time as they tried valiantly to rescue the game
but they only had a solitary consolation point from
Liam Collins to show for their efforts as the Dohenys
held on to secure a massive victory and set up another
mouthwatering West Cork derby with Ilen Rovers, in the
quarter-final.
Scorers – Dohenys: Ger McCarthy 0-8, 0-5 frees,
Patrick McCarthy, Denis Healy, Ronan O’Sullivan,
Michael Milner, David Nyhan, Michael O’Donovan 0-1
each. Castlehaven: Paudie Hurley 0-6, 0-4 frees,
Bernie Collins 0-2, Colin Crowley, Shane Hurley, Liam
Collins 0-1 each.
Dohenys: Daragh Farr, Conor Collins, Paul Deane, Alan
Murray, Timmy O’Donovan, Michael O’Donovan, Michael
Milner, Michael Farr, Pat Collins, Patrick McCarthy,
David Nyhan, Denis Healy, Donal O’Sullivan, Daniel
O’Donovan, Ger McCarthy. Subs: Ronan O’Sullivan for
Michael Milner, Noel Collins for Timmy O’Donovan,
Denis O’Mahony for Daniel O’Donovan.
Castlehaven: Derek Tobin, Tomás O’Leary, Liam Collins,
Mark Leonard, Mark Cahalane, David Limrick, Diarmuid
Shanahan, Dermot Hurley, Bernie Collins, Shane Hurley,
Stephen Connolly, Paudie Hurley, Seanie Cahalane,
David Burns, Colin Crowley. Subs: Kieran Hegarty for
David Burns, Daniel Hegarty for Shane Hurley, Brendan
Hurley for Seanie Cahalane, Chris Hayes for Mark
Leonard.
Referee: James Dorgan, Nemo Rangers.

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