Castlehaven: 0-16 Nemo Rangers: 0-11
Author: Barry O'Mahony
The Haven’s big players stepped up when it mattered, similar to 12 months ago. They trailed by a point at the break, and aided by a strong enough wind for the second half, they pushed on.
Similar to last year, Nemo had their opportunities to take a firm grip on proceedings, but their inability to convert their strong spells into scores proved costly. A light drizzle throughout made the ball slippery which only added to the occasion played in front of a small crowd.
It was a lively start with the teams exchanging points inside the first three minutes. Michael Hurley slotted over for Castlehaven before a quick kick out from Nemo netminder Micheál Aodh Martin resulted in Mark Cronin gathering possession and slotting over as they were aided by the wind in the opening half. Cronin was having a crucial say in the early stages as he set up young Bryan Hayes to nudge the city side in front. A fine point.
Despite the holders adding points from Jack Cahalane and Michael Hurley, Nemo would have been pleased with how they were playing and a pair of efforts from Ronan Dalton gave Robbie O’Dwyer’s side a 0-4 to 0-3 lead after 13 minutes. Their aggressive press on the Haven kickouts was a contrast to last year’s decider.
The teams were level though for a fourth time when Seán Browne somehow pointed from a difficult angle. The sides traded points before Brian Hurley got his first score of the final after a relatively quiet opening 23 minutes by his high standards. The evergreen Paul Kerrigan thundered into the contest with a sweet point followed by Dalton and Conor Horgan efforts as the Trabeg-based outfit led 0-8 to 0-6 after 29 minutes.
Seanie Cahalane’s side were being frustrated by a well-organised Nemo defence, but Michael Hurley did get a much-needed score for his team right on the stroke of the break, a fine point. Their first in eight minutes, 0-8 to 0-7 at half-time.
The West Cork side were helped by the wind advantage for the new half, but they found it difficult in the early stages of the second half to break through Nemo’s defence. They did find an opening when Brian Hurley finally got away from Bríain Murphy to level the game.
The Haven were starting to gain an upper hand as they landed three of the next four points with Conor Cahalane’s effort the pick of those scores, 0-11 to 0-9 after 39 minutes. The sides traded efforts before a Cronin free left one in it.
The game was in the melting pot with Nemo using their experience and guile to dig in against the wind, but they lacked punch up front. A Brian Hurley free and an effort from sub Conor O’Driscoll opened up a three-point gap after 52 minutes.
The reigning champions managed the game superbly in the final 10 minutes, doing what Nemo normally do to teams albeit they missed chances to push further ahead as the game ticked into three minutes of added time.
A Jack Cahalane point was the insurance score for the team in blue and white followed by a Micheál Maguire effort as the Haven retain their title.
Scorers for Castlehaven: B Hurley (0-3 f), M Hurley 0-4 each, J Cahalane 0-3, C Cahalane, R Maguire, C O’Driscoll, M Maguire, S Browne 0-1 each.
Nemo Rangers: R Dalton 0-3, P Kerrigan (0-1 f), M Cronin (0-1 f), B Hayes 0-2 each, C Horgan, K Fulignati 0-1 each.
CASTLEHAVEN: Darragh Cahalane; T O’Mahony, J O’Regan, J O’Driscoll; J O’Neill, Damien Cahalane, M Collins (c); A Whelton, R Maguire; R Minihane, C Maguire, J Cahalane; S Browne, B Hurley, M Hurley.
Subs: C Cahalane for Damien Cahalane (h-t, inj), C O’Driscoll for R Minihane (46), M Maguire for S Browne (52), J Walsh for J O’Neill (61), R Whelton for M Hurley (63).
NEMO RANGERS: M Aodh Martin; E Nation, B Murphy, C Molloy; S Cronin, K Fulignati, K O’Donovan; A O’Donovan (c), B Cripps; C Horgan, M Cronin, J Horgan; B Hayes, R Dalton, P Kerrigan.
Subs: R Corkery for B Hayes, L Horgan for J Horgan (both 45), C McCartan for K O’Donovan (54), A Cronin for B Murphy (61).
Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).
Cork SFC final: Castlehaven 0-16 Nemo Rangers 0-11
Author: Denis Walsh
About 10 minutes after the cup was presented to Mark Collins, they started dimming the floodlights in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Over the public address they pleaded for obedience from the hordes of Castlehaven supporters, who had already ignored a stern order to stay off the pitch; cheekily; irresistibly.
With Castlehaven, these pop-up post-match gatherings always feel like the top and tail of them, as if nobody is missing. It might be a thousand people, or fewer than a thousand, but they are united by their passion for this more than anything else they share. The lights flashed. They took their time.
It was another red-letter day. Their team has been part of the elite in Cork for the last quarter of a century, but this was just the second time in their history that they had won back-to-back titles. A game that had been hard to call at half-time was drained of mystery by the final 10 minutes.
In an authoritative second half, Castlehaven turned the screw on Nemo Rangers, raising the volume of everything. It was as if they had decided at the break that the first half been too nice: a bit like tag rugby. Plenty of pretty running but only accidental hitting.
Castlehaven had executed just one turnover in the first half and that was the most telling measure of what changed. The champions hunted Nemo in their own half and tackled in twos and threes, with guerrilla precision. The lead had changed hands six times in the first half, but when Brian Hurley put Castlehaven in front two minutes after half time they never trailed again.
“Finals are strange,” said Collins. “Everyone is afraid to make a mistake. It’s nervy. No matter how many times you’ve played in them, there’s a lot of pressure and no one wants to lose. In the first half, we played a bit like that – whereas in the second half, we threw the shackles off and had a go.
“We just didn’t get enough contact on [in the first half]. We were very standoffish and didn’t put Nemo under enough pressure. That was something we targeted, to get in their face, more contact, and drive on from there.”
Eamon Fitzmaurice, a prominent member of Jim Gavin’s FRC, was in the crowd as a member of the UCC team being honoured at half-time for the county they won 25 years ago. For a game that is under siege and undergoing surgery, it was a pleasing spectacle.
Both teams were programmed to attack, within recognised limits, and both teams pushed up on the opposition’s kickouts, which led to some contests for the ball and some spills. Frees were scarce in the first half, and 10 points had been scored before either team had a shot for a point from a dead ball. In the second half, 10 points were kicked before either team committed a wide.
It felt vibrant, and if neither team tested positive for risk, at least they exhibited some symptoms.
Nemo played with the breeze in the first half, although it only amounted to air conditioning in comparison to the gale that disfigured the hurling final a week earlier. The city team had less of the ball, but they were cute in possession and explosive at times.
Young Bryan Hayes was lively and kicked a towering first half point. Alongside him, Ronan Dalton kicked three beautiful first half points and Paul Kerrigan, chasing his 11th county medal, kicked a sweet point from the wing. Nemo, though, never led by more than two points and failed to turn a good first half into a commanding position on the scoreboard. They led by just one at the break, 0-8 to 0-7.
Damien Cahalane, with his left calf wrapped tightly, like contraband, played a libero role in the first half, spraying kick passes to the flanks without breaking out of a trot. He didn’t come out for the second half, though, replaced by his brother Conor, who had broken his wrist a week after the All-Ireland hurling final.
He injected pace and directness to Castlehaven’s attacks and kicked a terrific point to put them two clear, 10 minutes into the second half. Both teams emptied their benches as the second half wore on, but the champions harvested three points from their replacements and that made a significant difference.
Michael Hurley, who had been man of the match in the final a year ago with five points, kicked just one point less this time, while his brother Brian finally kicked into gear in the second half.
Nemo bombarded the Castlehaven goal in the closing stages, and forced one smart save from Darragh Cahalane, but Castlehaven scored the last four points of the game and Nemo had no answer.
Castlehaven: Darragh Cahalane, J O’Regan, Damien Cahalane, T O’Mahony, J O’Neill, R Maguire (0-1), M Collins, A Whelton, R Minihane, J O’Driscoll, B Hurley (0-4, three frees), S Browne (0-1), C Maguire, J Cahalane (0-3), M Hurley (0-4). Subs: C Cahalane (0-1) for Damien Cahalane h-t; C O’Driscoll (0-1) for Minihane 46 mins; M Maguire (0-1) for Brown 52 mins; J Walsh for O’Neill 60; R Whelton for M Hurley 60+3 mins
Nemo Rangers: M Martin, E Nation, B Murphy, C Molloy, S Cronin, K Fulignati (0-1), K O’Donovan, A O’Donovan, B Cripps, J Horgan, R Dalton (0-3), C Horgan (0-1), B Hayes (0-2), M Cronin (0-2, one free), P Kerrigan (0-2, one free). Subs: R Corkery for Hayes 45 mins; L Horgan for J Horgan 45 mins; C McCartan for O’Donovan 54 mins; A Cronin for Murphy 60 mins
Referee: James Regan
Click on link to read article on publication.