Carraig na bhFear U21’s make East Cork Final after late drama.
Carraig na bhFear 1-09 Bride Rovers 1-07.
Carraig na bhFear’s U21 footballers made it back to back East Cork Final appearances in the East Cork “C” Football Championship, after a dramatic last 10 minutes in their semi final versus Bride Rovers at a wet Rathcormac on Easter Sunday. This was a victory achieved through grit and sheer belief, but with also a small bit of “an t-adh dearg”!!.
The first half was very evenly contested. Carraig moved the ball well at times, with good play from Thomas Coleman, Diarmuid Mullins, Fionn Mulcahy and Jack Aherne. Carraig got on the score sheet with a free from Oisin Crowley, and a couple of scores from play through Brendan Murphy, Paul Sheehan and Thomas Coleman. However with the game very tight, Bride Rovers also profited from good forward play and they responded with some good scores of their own. Do bhi na foirne ar chomhscor ar an leatham; Carraig 0-4, Bride Rovers 0-4.
The second half saw an increase in the tempo as both sides tried to wrest supremacy over each other. Carraig got a huge break with a fine finish from Oisin Crowley which raised a green flag and suddenly the game tilted Carraig’s way. Do bhí Michael Aherne ar fheabhas ar uimhir a se, d’imir se mar cheannaire. Ar an line leatosaithe, do bhi Paul Sheehan agus Shane Farrell ag obair go dian. But back came the Rovers and they scored a goal of their own.
With ten minutes left, the score line was level at 1- 07 each. And then the Rovers worked a good move and were awarded a penalty. With our hands in our heads, we watched and hoped for some luck. Unfortunately for the Rovers, they missed the opportunity, and Carraig breathed again. But, in another piece of drama out of the “Twilight Zone”, Bride Rovers were awarded another penalty when Paul Sheehan hauled down their full forward in the small square. Paul was dismissed with a black card and do cheapamar go raibh ar phort seinnte. However, Bride Rovers again missed the spot kick and the wind was back in our sails. Carraig won the kick out and Jack Aherne won a great free. O Crowley kicked the pressure shot and we were a point ahead. Not happy to rest on their laurels, Carraig won the kickout and attacked with intent. The ball came to Shane Farrell and with typical aplomb, Shane kicked us two clear. The referee blew the end to proceedings and Carraig could finally celebrate. This team has overcome some major obstacles to make another U21 Football final, with great credit due to the team and the management. A really spirited and uplifting win that sets the club up for a big day out in a few weeks time!
Team: C Hayes (0-01), D Mullins. G Geaney, D Sweeney, T Coleman (0-01) M Aherne, T Hegarty, J Aherne (0-01) B Murphy (0-02) S Farrell (0-01) P Sheehan (0-01) F Mulcahy, C O Brien, O Crowley (1-02), P O Brien.
Sarsfields 2-17 Carraig na bhFear 1-15.
In our first game of the East Cork JAH League, Carraig went down by 5 points to a youthful Sars team. The game was very even in the first half, with Martin Hickey, Timmy Geaney and Paul Murphy prominent for Carraig. Peter O Sullivan scored a goal for Carraig on the 15th minute, after making the most from a defensive error. Half time score, Carraig 1-09 Sars 1-08. Carraig got off to a poor start in the second half, conceding a goal straight from the throw in. Unfortunately the team lacked a certain intensity to their play in the second half and could not bridge the gap that Sars created. Sars were always a goal ahead until the last two minutes, when they added two more points to win by five points. A disappointing start, with much work to be done. Good performances from Daniel Coleman, Brian Hegarty, Paul Murphy and Martin Hickey.
Team: B Casey, T Sheehan, D Coleman, C Cooney, B Hegarty, T Geaney, J Forde, M Hickey, P Geaney, C Hill, P O’ Keeffe, B Murphy, P Murphy, P O’Sullivan, B Sheehan. Subs: C Hegarty for Casey, C Cronin for T Geaney, D Sweeney for C Hill, C O Reilly for B Sheehan, M Aherne for D Sweeney, J Aherne for P Geaney, C Hayes for P O’ Keeffe.
Carraig na bhFear 4-12 Inniscarra 1-06
As the Meatloaf song goes “two out of three ain’t bad” and that could be applied here as Carraig Adult club won their second game out of three over the Easter Weekend. Carraig have entered the Cork County Junior Football League for the first time and they met a strong and fit Inniscarra team on Easter Monday morning, in very damp cold conditions at Carraig College. Carraig played with good intensity and played some attractive football in the first half. Carraig garnered two goals through Oisín Crowley and Paul Murphy after good approach play from Shane Horgan and Aaron Dorgan. Half time score was Carraig 2-06, Inniscarra 1-03. Things continued to go Carraig’s way in the second half, with Paul O’Keeffe and Colm O’Reilly pulling the strings in the middle third. Carraig plundered two more goals through Brendan Murphy and Paul Murphy, after a great pass from Oisín Crowley for the latter. When the long whistle was sounded, do bhi bua ag Carraig agus do bhi lucht lanuna an sasta leis an taispeantas.
Team: C Hayes, C Cooney, S Casey, D Coleman, D O Driscoll, A Dorgan, C Cronin, J Aherne, S Horgan, T Sheehan, P O’Keefe, C Hill, P Murphy, O Crowley, C O’Reilly. Subs: M Aherne for T Sheehan, B Murphy for C Cronin.