St Finbarr’s 3-16
Castlehaven 3-16
(St Finbarr’s win 5-4 on penalties)
A COUNTY SEMI-final in Cork where two forwards dazzled throughout as they engaged in a shootout, was ultimately decided by a goalkeeper as John Kerins filled the role of hero to enable St Finbarr’s to triumph against Castlehaven after an epic game.
A stunning contest concluded with the teams tied at 3-11 apiece after normal-time and 3-16 apiece after extra-time.
Brian Hurley and Stephen Sherlock were the stars of the show. Hurley hit 2-9 overall, including the pointed ’45 in the 65th minute that rescued Castlehaven and sent the game to extra-time.
Then after Castlehaven went 3-16 to 3-13 in front in the second half of extra-time, Sherlock stepped up with three points in a row to save St Finbarr’s. The first two were floated over from play before he was fouled and held his nerve under immense pressure from a free to point and ensure a shootout was needed.
That necessitated a penalty shootout, remarkably for the second season in succession between this pair at this stage of the championship, Castlehaven winning the semi-final in October 2020.
The standard of penalty-taking was excellent some thumping efforts despatched to the net, but Rory Maguire saw his effort brilliantly tipped away by Kerins for the fourth Castlehaven kick. Then after Sherlock and Michael Hurley both exchanged goals, it fell to Kerins to net past his opposite goalkeeper Anthony Seymour, and spark scenes of celebration for St Finbarr’s.
It was a remarkable game which produced a huge amount of talking points to digest. The displays of Sherlock and Hurley at opposite ends illuminated the match. Damien Cahalane took up Sherlock and Sam Ryan policed Hurley, both enjoying some big defensive moments in the match-ups, yet both teams were constantly trying to service their danger men.
Sherlock smashed home a goal off either foot in the first half to leave St Finbarr’s ahead 2-7 to 1-7 at the interval. Michael Hurley had raised the green flag for Castlehaven with an excellent finish.
Then Brian Hurley caught fire in the third quarter, firing home twice with his left foot for goals that pushed Castlehaven 3-9 to 2-8 clear by the water break. St Finbarr’s needed a response and they were inspired by Down senior Conor McCrickard who grabbed their third goal and his 61st minute point left them 3-11 to 3-9 clear, seemingly on the cusp of success.
But Hurley dug Castlehaven out of a hole with points from a free and a’45 to send the game to extra-time. The teams were tied 3-13 apiece at the midway mark of that period before Shane Nolan, Cathal Maguire and Hurley pointed to put Castlehaven on the brink of victory.
Then Sherlock stepped up as the St Finbarr’s hero with his point-taking and Kerins shone in the shootout to set up a final date with Clonakilty.
Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Stephen Sherlock 2-10 (0-4f), Conor McCrickard 1-2, Cillian Myers-Murray, Cian Walsh, Brian Hayes, Denis O’Brien 0-1 each.
Scorers for Castlehaven: Brian Hurley 2-9 (0-3f, 0-2 ’45, 0-1 mark), Michael Hurley 1-1, Conor O’Driscoll, Shane Nolan 0-2 each, Mark Collins, Cathal Maguire 0-1 each.
St Finbarr’s
1. John Kerins
2. Sam Ryan, 3. Jamie Burns, 5. Colin Lyons
17. Billy Hennessy, 6. Alan O’Connor, 7. Colm Scully
8. Ian Maguire, 12. Brian Hayes
10. Denis O’Brien, 21. Enda Dennehy, 13. Colm Barrett
11. Conor McCrickard, 14. Steven Sherlock, 23. Cillian Myers-Murray
Subs
9. Eoin Comyns for O’Brien (39)
15. Eoghan McGreevey for Myers-Murray (40)
22. Michael Shields for Enda Dennehy (46)
24. Cian Walsh for Barrett (61)
25. Darragh Callanan for McCrickard (inj) (68)
20. Bill O’Connell for Scully (inj) (70)
18. Luke Hannigan for Lyons (75)
Castlehaven
1. Anthony Seymour
2. Johnny O’Regan, 6. Damien Cahalane, 4. Ronan Walsh
5. David Whelton, 3. Rory Maguire, 7. David McCarthy
8. Jamie Walsh, 9. Mark Collins (captain)
10. Cathal Maguire, 11. Brian Hurley, 12. Conor Cahalane
13. Conor O’Driscoll, 14. Jack Cahalane, 15. Michael Hurley
Subs
20. Roland Whelton for Maguire (38)
19. Robbie Minihane for Walsh (52)
17. Andrew Whelton for Michael Hurley (58)
18. Shane Nolan for O’Driscoll (61)
25. Darragh Cahalane for Conor Cahalane (70)
15. Michael Hurley for Jack Cahalane (79)
Referee: John Ryan (Macroom)
