Junior Footballers make history!!
County Junior A Football Championship Semi Final:
Kilmacabea 1-17 Delanys 1-10
Report courtesy of Ger McCarthy:
“A late scoring burst sent Kilmacabea through to the 2018 Cork JAFC County final following a hard-earned seven point victory over Delanys in Bandon last Saturday afternoon.
Leading 0-15 to 1-9 with less than two minutes to go, a sluggish Kilmacabea dug deep and edged further ahead courtesy of a converted Daniel O Donovan free.
Delanys were down to 14 players at that juncture following a second yellow card for Vinny Keating before the excellent Ciaran McCarthy landed another free to leave a goal between the sides as full-time approached.
From the ensuing kick-out, the West Cork outfit patiently worked the ball through their hands from one end of the pitch to the other. Substitute Liam Thompson got on the end of that move and found the top corner to secure his club’s place in the county decider.
Delanys were the better team in the opening exchanges and led 0-3 to 0-2 before Kilmacabea enjoyed a purple patch and kicked five unanswered points. Two Daniel O Donovan (one free) long- range efforts, along with a pair of Damien Gore frees and a Richie O Sullivan point was appreciated by the large attendance.
Yet, a Delanys side that refused to go away throughout the semi-final tie, hit back with Roy Downey palming the ball into the net. Scores came thick and fast during the remainder of a fast- paced half before Kilmac changed ends a point to the good.
The eventual winners struggled to shake off their opponents and would go on to kick nine wides before Damien Gore and Daniel O Donovan settled nerves with a string of superb scores. Ian Jennings and Dan Lynch made their presence felt but Ciaran McCarthy’s ability from free kicks kept Delanys in touch before a grandstand finale and Liam Thompson’s killer goal sent Kilmacabea through.
It was far from pretty but Kilmacabea won’t care one iota as their objective of making up for the disappointment of exiting the JAFC at the same juncture last year was achieved. A vast improvement is needed if the West Cork side are to entertain thoughts of becoming county champions, though.
Kilmacabea’s substitutes’ bench made the difference last Saturday and may need to do so once again in the JAFC decider”
The team that reached the club’s first County JAFC Final was:
Matthew O Neill, Ciaran O Donovan, Niall Hayes, Darren Whooley, Donie O Donovan, Clive Sweetnam, Donnacha McCarthy, Daniel O Donovan, Martin Collins, Diarmuid O Callaghan, Richie O Sullivan, Joseph Collins, Timothy Nyhan, Damien Gore, Ian Jennings.
Subs: Declan O Sullivan, Dan Lynch, Ger O Donovan, Liam Thompson, Mark Jennings, Colin McCarthy
Scorers: Daniel O Donovan, (0-6, 0-5 from frees), Damien Gore (0-6, 0-3 from free’s), Liam Thompson (1-1), Ian Jennings, Richie O Sullivan, Donnacha McCarthy and Clive Sweetnam (0-1 each).
