Munster Club FC Semi-finalAn Ghaeltacht 2-10 Castlehaven 0-9 Castlehavan left the Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, yesterday wondering what they had done to upset the gods as An Ghaeltacht came from behind to secure a Munster football championship final slot with a devastating late scoring surge.
It looked for a long time like the Cork champions, and their miracle man Niall Cahalane, would prevail as An Ghaeltacht were not firing on all cylinders and had Castlehavan been more clinical in front of goal, the result might have been different.
The game was deadlocked at 0-8 each with just eight minutes remaining and the contest was finely balanced with Castlehavan never having trailed An Ghaeltacht up to that point.
Then in an explosive finish An Ghaeltacht, driven forward by Tomás Ó Sé, made the decisive break in the 53rd minute.
Ó Sé broke the ball forward from a Castlehaven kick-out and it fell kindly for wing forward Tomás Ó Conchúir, who split the Cork side's defence with an incisive run. Having drawn the cover he passed to the inrushing Rob Mac Gearailt, who unleashed a venomous drive to the Castlehaven net.
Niall Cahalane dug deep as he found Colin Crowley with a great delivery a minute later and the Cork senior player fired over his sixth point of the game.
At that stage though An Ghaeltacht had the bit between their teeth and with Darragh Ó Sé sweeping up at centre back and Cathal Ó Dubhda running at the Castehaven defence, the Kerry men finished the stronger.
It was Tomás Ó Sé who lit the fuse as he combined with Rob Mac Gearailt and Ó Conchuir, to send Conall Ó Cruadhlaoich through for a point.
This restored An Ghaeltacht's three-point cushion but they needed an insurance score and they got two when Tomás Ó Sé pointed and then, deep in injury time, delivered a ball into the Castlehaven square for Aodán Mac Gearailt to fist into the goal
AN GHAELTACHT: P Ó hÉalaithe; F Ó Sé, M Ó Sé, S Mac Sithigh; D Mac Gearailt (0-1), T Ó Sé (0-2), B Breathnach; D Ó Sé , P Ó Cuinn; T Ó Conchúir (0-1), R Mac Gearailt (1-0), A Mac Gearailt (1-1); C Ó Cruadhlaoich (0-3), D Ó Cinnéide (0-2, frees), C Ó Dubhda. Subs: R Ó Flatharta for Ó Cuinn.
CASTLEHAVEN: L Miles; T O'Leary, L Collins, P Loughnane; A Sheehy, R Cahalane, D Cahalane; D Hurley, N Cahalane; F Cahalane (0-1), S Connolly, A Crowley; C Crowley (0-6), B Collins, P Hurley (0-2, one free). Subs: D Burns for F Cahalane, S Hurley for P Hurley, B Deasy for Crowley.
Referee: P Russell (Tipperary).
