Castlehaven 0-13 Daingean Uí Chúis 0-13 (AET)
Castlehaven won 4-3 on penalties
It took extra time and a historic penalty shoot-out but Castlehaven were crowned Munster Senior football champions for the fourth time in the club's 101-year history thanks to a sudden-death penalty shoot-out victory over Kerry club champions Daingean Uí Chúis in a rain-swept and very windy TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Daingean Uí Chúis, making their historic provincial final debut, had taken a one-point lead into the half time break before Castlehaven, who were reduced to 14 men late in the second half, levelled with the last kick of the game to force two extra periods of 10 minutes.
The Kerry club champions opened up a three-point winning margin by half-time of extra-time, a lead Castlehaven turned on its head in the second half to bring the game to penalties – a historic shoot-out win to bring the O’Connor Cup back to the West Cork club for the first time since 1997.
Daingean Uí Chúis' wait for their first Munster Club SFC title in the club’s 132-year history continues.
The impressive Cork inter-county star Brian Hurley top-scored for the winners with 0-07 of his side's 13-point tally, while cousins Paul and Conor Geaney each scored 0-04 apiece for Daingean Uí Chúis.
Played in treacherous conditions on Limerick’s Ennis Road, it took until the 10th minute for the game’s opening point to come, albeit a well-taken effort from Daingean Uí Chúis centre back Conor Flannery.
Paul Geaney had found the net early on, but his soccer-style goal was ruled out after a foul on Castlehaven goalkeeper Darragh Cahalane in the buildup.
James McCarthy’s Castlehaven side responded well however and were on level terms less than two minutes later when Cathal Maguire kicked over a mark from out wide.
A superb solo run from Dylan Geaney, which resulted in a superb point, had Daingean Uí Chúis ahead again by the 13th minute. The rain got heavier, and the wind got stronger, but the game really started to come to life from here on in.
Both sides were level twice more inside the 20th minute, as Brian Hurley slotted over two frees either side of a Conor Greaney free.
Two Daingean Uí Chúis points – a Matthew Flaherty point and a Paul Geaney free – had the West Kerry men two points ahead with five minutes to go before the half time break.
However, points from Brian Hurley and Cathal Maguire put a sudden halt to Dingle’s momentum as both sides looked like they were going in level at half time. A late Conor Geaney free – his second of the afternoon – did however give Daingean Uí Chúis the narrowest of advantages at the break.
Daingean Uí Chúis, who qualified to represent Kerry in the Munster Club Championship following their Kerry Club Championship win over Kenmare on September 9th, had reached the Kerry Senior Championship semi-final, a competition won by East Kerry.
Castlehaven won the Cork SFC for the sixth time, overcoming Nemo Rangers with two points to spare.
The Cork champions, with the strong gale force wind behind them in the second half, failed to capitalise on the conditions and found themselves two points down midway through the second half – 0-9 to 0-7 in favour of Daingean Uí Chúis.
With just six minutes remaining, however, the deficit was reduced to one when a wind-aided Brian Hurley 45’ was kicked over into the city end terrace.
Castlehaven were reduced to 14 when Jamie O’Driscoll saw red – a second yellow for a high challenge - with just over five minutes to go.
The numerical disadvantage didn’t affect the Cork champions however, and when Hurley kicked over his sixth point of the afternoon – a close-range free – the sides were level for fifth time.
Pádraig Corcoran’s charges had other ideas, and a stoppage time free from out wide from the impressive Conor Geaney made it look likely that O’Connor Cup was heading to West Kerry.
When Castlehaven were awarded a close-range free with just 30 seconds left on the clock, Brian Hurley quickly stood over the ball and the 1,882 in attendance in the Ennis Road venue were left with no doubt that the game was going to extra time.
Boosted by the ever-increasing stormy conditions behind their backs, Daingean Uí Chúis took full advantage of the wind to take a third-point lead into half-time of extra-time with points from Paul Geaney (2) and Tom O’Sullivan sending the West Kerry men on their way.
Mark Collins and two late scores from Chris Maguire saw Castlehaven bring the game to penalties.
In what was the first ever penalty shootout in a Munster Club senior final, the Cork champions edged out to secure a 4-3 sudden-death shoot-out victory, despite having never held the lead throughout the regular game and during extra-time, in a game that both sides were level on seven separate occasions.
The historic win sees Castlehaven set up an All-Ireland semi-final against Connacht and Roscommon champions St Brigid’s in four weeks’ time.
Daingean Uí Chúis: Gavin H Curran; Tom O’Sullivan; Darragh O’Sullivan, Tom O’Sullivan (0-01); Niall Geaney (0-01), Conor Flannery (0-01), Brian O’Connor; Barry O’Sullivan, Billy O’Connor; Mikey Geaney, Paul Geaney (capt.) (0-04, 3f), Matthew Flaherty (0-1); Micheál Flannery, Conor Geaney (0-04, 3f), Dylan Geaney (0-01)
Subs: Conor O’Sullivan for Darragh O’Sullivan (47), Tadhg Browne for Micheál Flannery (52), Paul Devane for Conor Geaney (70), Brian Devane for Flaherty (74), Breandán Kelliher for Billy O’Connor (82)
Castlehaven; Darragh Cahalane; Johnny O’Regan, Rory Maguire, Ronan Walsh, Thomas O’Mahony, Damien Cahalane, Mark Collins (0-02); Conor Cahalane, Ciaran O’Sullivan; Jack O’Neill, Brian Hurley (0-07, 4f, 1 '45), Sean Browne; Cathal Maguire (0-04, 1m), Jack Cahalane, Michael Hurley
Subs: Jamie O’Driscoll for Michael Hurley (25), Andrew Whelton for Conor Cahalane (30), Conor Cahalane for Browne (37), Conor O’Driscoll for Conor Cahalane (52), Micháel Maguire for O’Neill (62), Robbie Minihane for O’Sullivan (70), Roland Whelton for O’Neill (77), Micháel Maguire for O’Regan (80)
Referee: Derek O’Mahony (Tipperary)
