Cork county final 2024

Watergrasshill 2-16 Carrigaline 0-19

Unlikely champions. An unbelievable success story.

The story of Carey’s opponents this weekend has been that of a remarkable turnaround by a team who went through the past two years in the Cork Intermediate Championship without winning a single game.

Up to this season, Watergrasshill hadn’t won a championship group game since August 28, 2020. Before this season, the new Cork Intermediate Champions sole victory in three years was a relegation play-off.

From going three successive seasons without a single win, to winning this season’s campaign outright is some turnaround. Going into this season the odds of them winning their first ever Intermediate title seemed remote to say the least, but that is exactly what they did, and it was their first title in any grade in twenty years.

Speaking after their county final win over Carrgaline team captain Séan Desmond was understandably elated “That group inside there in the dressing-room are special. I’ve no other words for them. We are a bunch of best friends that go out and enjoy playing with each other.

“When things get tough during games, we have had big fellas step up, and it has been an amazing year.”

In the match report in the Cork Examiner the reporter was high in praise for their centre half back Daire O’Leary “Standing up on Sunday was Daire O’Leary. Immense at centre-back. Impossible not to see him getting League game-time with Cork next spring.

And possibly championship game-time along with it. Beside him in the half-back line, Michael O’Driscoll was a force.

Moving up the field and there was no greater attacking force than Adam Murphy. He won frees, converted frees, and clipped three from play.

Murphy, who hurled with Bandon last year, transferred back to Watergrasshill in 2024. He finished the campaign as their top-scorer with 1-39.

“Our luck wasn’t really with us over the last few years and we were probably lacking that small bit,” Desmond continued. “Adam Murphy coming back from Bandon, he is an absolute beast of a man for us to have in the club. You saw what Adam did for us throughout the year.

“He comes up with big moments, his scoring is off the wall. There is a massive relief for us when you have players like Adam that can get them over the bar and get goals, it makes it easier for everyone.”

Murphy, unlike his Premier Senior final exploits with Imokilly, was not among their goal-getters here. He did provide the assist for their first in the third minute, his sideline cut deftly flicked to the net by Padraig O’Leary.

Their second was the more important major, part of a fourth quarter burst that turned the tide and the result.

From the 45th to the 56th minute, Watergrasshill reeled off 1-5 without reply. From behind by the minimum to seven in front. A 0-15 to 1-11 scoreline reshaped to read 2-16 to 0-15.

That second goal was provided by Desmond. Collecting an Ian O’Callaghan delivery, he shook off the challenge of two Carrigaline defenders before shaking the net.

While admitting afterwards that “it wasn’t my best day at the office”, it has been some year at the office. Premier Senior and Premier Intermediate county medals within a month of each other.

Desmond was integral to the Imokilly cause. Three points in the county final, 2-12 overall. Their second highest scorer from play.

Imokilly lifted him and the six other Watergrasshill men part of Denis Ring’s panel.

“Eddie [Enright, manager] is unreal for that. The minute he came in, we had a discussion about playing for Imokilly, he was very obliging to us.

“To have seven lads from Watergrasshill with Imokilly and win a Premier senior, we’d never heard of that before in the club, not to mind having four or five of us on the pitch at the one time.”

To Carrigaline. In front by 0-12 to 1-8 at the break. Three quarters of an hour in, the double chase was still on course. They did not die easily after being hit for 1-5.

Brian Kelleher and Eanna Desmond conjured a four-in-a-row to pare the margin to a goal. David Griffin continued to rain in ball from centre-back. They almost found an equalising goal, their injury-time effort repelled by corner-back Dylan Roche.

Watergrasshill’s year. A year unlike those that came before. Celebrations first, then a provincial swing against Wolfe Tones of Clare this Saturday at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Scorers for Watergrasshill in Cork county final – A Murphy (0-8, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ’65); S Desmond (1-1); B Lehane (0-3); P O’Leary (1-0); A Foley (0-1 free), M O’Driscoll, S O’Regan, C O’Leary (0-1 each).

Watergrasshill: A Foley; S Field, D McCarthy, D Roche; M O’Driscoll, D O’Leary, K O’Neill; A Sprigggs, S O’Regan; C O’Leary, S Desmond, L Foley; B Lehane, A Murphy, P O’Leary.

Subs: A Cronin for Foley (44); I O’Callaghan for Field (45-47, temporary); I O’Callaghan for Spriggs (55); P Cronin for O’Leary (58).

Munster Club semi-final

Watergrasshill 2-20 Wolfe Tones (Clare) 2-13

Their victory in the Cork final set up a meeting against Clare champions Wolfe Tones of Shannon, home club All Ireland winning Clare manager Brian Lohan….and what a game it turned out to be. Despite conceding a goal in the opening minute Watergrasshill hit back to lead by 1-11 to 1-05 at half time.

They again conceded early at the start of the second half but they soon steadied the ship and soon stretched their lead. There was controversy when Wolfe Tones were awarded a penalty in last ten minutes, but after consultation with the linesman the decision was reversed and the Cork champions pushed on to win in the end by seven.

Munster Club final

Watergrasshill 1-21 Cashel King Cormacs 0-14

The Cork side held the upper hand against Tipperary champions Cashel King Cormac in the Munster final which was played in Limerick

Centre-forward Adam Murphy was the star of the show for Watergasshill, scoring in the first minute of the game. He went on to hit 1-12 overall, 1-05 of it from play.

Managed by 2001 Tipperary All-Ireland-winner and All-Star Eddie Enright, the Cork champions had the better of a tight first half, and their ability to strike back right away after every Cashel score helped them to a 0-10 to 0-08 lead at half time.

During the third quarter the Cork champions began to stretch the gap, but Cashel stayed in touch through the accurate free taking of Devon Ryan, until the mercurial Murphy struck with the only goal of the game which gave them a 1-15 to 0-11 lead. From then on it was plain sailing for the men from the Rebel county who were ten ahead at the final whistle.

Andersonstown Social Club – Intermediate Hurling Championship Final

Carey Faughs 1-19 Oisins Glenariffe 0-15

Saturday October 19

Brendan McTaggart reports from Healy Park, Loughgiel

A strong end to either half and a goal from Conlith McKinley ensured the Intermediate Hurling championship would return to Ballyvoy on Saturday afternoon for the second time in three years.  Seven points separated the sides at the end of the hour, perhaps a slightly unfair on the Oisin’s on the overall balance of play but there’s no doubting that Carey were worthy winners.

They were much more direct in their play and clinical when it mattered in comparisons to Glenariffe who will rue the number of missed chances they had over the 60 minutes.  Several missed frees and perhaps guilty of overplaying, the Oisin’s accuracy let them down.  Well into double figures in wides and with every missed chance, the Faugh’s made them pay at the other end. 

Conall McGlynn top scored with six of his seven points coming from placed ball while Conor McBride excelled.  He would end the hour with five points beside his name with McKinley adding a further two points along with his goal. 

Defensively, the Ballyvoy side had the answers to anything Glenariffe could throw at them.  Sean McBride and Patrick Gillan were excellent in the full back line while Michael McVeigh was superb.  Shea Hunter was in the thick of it all and a real threat while ‘Rocket’ James Black got my vote for man of the match.  On an occasion when you need your big players to stand up to be counted, Rocket was that man for Carey.  His aerial ability and use of the sliotar time and again in both attack and later in defence, Rocket excelled.

Glenariffe had top performers in Conor Patterson, Oliver Kearney and Brogan O’Connor.  O’Connor with four points over the hour while the work rate of Orrin O’Connor, Alex O’Boyle, Niall Magee and Phelim Ward could never be faulted.  They threw everything they could at Carey in the closing stages but got no change from a brilliant Carey defence.

Playing with whatever wind advantage there was to be had at Healy Park, it was Seanie McIntosh who opened the scoring.  Converting a ’65 in the third minute of the game.  Despite that, it was Carey who looked to have settled much more quickly into their game plan.  Callum Cane and Conor McBride edged them ahead while Conal McGlynn went close for goal soon after.  Paul McMullan was equal to his effort from an acute angle.

McGlynn and McBride would extend the Carey lead to three before the tenth minute as Glenariffe’s profligacy in front of the target had already begun.  Three wides in the same space of time gave energy to the Faughs and they were making the most of the let off.

A super score from McIntosh from wide on the right and under pressure got the Oisin’s firing again before Ciaran McKendry split the uprights.

Glenariffe went close to scoring the opening major of the game soon after with Phelim Ward denied by a heroic piece of defending by the Carey defence.

Carey were getting joy from delivering early ball into their forwards and McGlynn opened a two point lead with his second of the game and first from open play in the 15^th minute.  The Oisin’s were having the vast majority of the ball and despite points from McIntosh (free) and Brogan O’Connor, they recorded another three wides in the same period of time.  They were well placed going into the final 10 minutes of the first half with the scores tied on five points apiece but it was the Faugh’s who finished the half superbly.  Four unanswered points from Cane, Caolan McCaughan, Black and McKinley in just under five minutes put some daylight between the sides and while Brogan O’Connor fired over his second of the half, it was McBride who had the final say before the short whistle with his third point of the game to leave the half time score 0-10 to 0-6 in Carey’s favour.

Four points was far from insurmountable given the wind blowing and three points unanswered for Glenariffe in the opening exchanges of the second half saw them reducing Carey’s lead to the minimum.  A brilliant score from Brogan O’Connor and frees from McIntosh and O’Boyle for the Oisin’s.

A brace of frees from McGlynn at the other end of the pitch either side of McIntosh’s sixth point of the game (free).  The Oisin’s were playing with more fluency and were denied a major with some brilliant goal keeping from Stevie McGinn.  The Carey netminder would deny both Brogan O’Connor and Daniel Kearney in quick succession and another brace of wides looked to hurt their challenge.

Carey were playing second fiddle for the majority of that opening quarter of the second half but still held a one point lead.  They took full advantage of Glenariffe’s inaccuracy with the only goal of the game in the 45^th minute.  McKinley got on the end of a long delivery into the danger area and broke the sliotar into his own path.  He gathered the sliotar and fired his shot with his effort bouncing in front of Paul McMullan between the sticks for Glenariffe.

It was a massive score and gave Carey a shot of adrenaline at the perfect time.  Brogan O’Connor would split the uprights for the fourth time in the game before McGlynn’s fourth kept four between the sides.

Glenariffe continued to push and a brace of frees from O’Boyle cut the deficit to two going into the final ten minutes but the Oisin’s challenge was rocked moments later.  Michael Haughey’s game was ended with an off the ball incident involving Conall McGlynn to leave the Oisin’s down to 14 men and facing an uphill task.

A brace of points from Conor McBride got the Faughs firing again and while McIntosh’s sixth of the game left McKinley’s major between the sides with five minutes remaining, it would be Glenariffe’s last score of the game. 

Two pointed frees from McGlynn preceded a massive goal chance for Fiachra McVeigh.  The Carey substitute going close but was denied superbly by McMullan.  McKinley and McGlynn converted placed ball’s in injury time to leave Carey seven point winners at the end of the hour.

It was scenes of sheer joy at the final whistle before a banner was unfurled with the Faugh’s remembering their number 26, ‘Wee Joe’ Hegarty who passed away earlier this year.  A lovely touch from the players and club to remember one of their own amongst the unbridled joy that a championship win brings.

TEAMS

Carey: Stevie McGinn; Zach McCaughan, Sean McBride, Patrick Gillan; Michael McVeigh, James Black, Conall McGlynn; John McBride, James McCouaig; Conlith McKinley, Shea Hunter, Conor McBride; Caolan McCaughan, Paddy Butler, Callum Cane

Subs: Fiachra McVeigh for P Butler (HT)

Scorers: C McGlynn 0-8 (7fs); C McBride 0-5; C McKinley 1-2 (1 ’65); C Cane 0-2; J Black 0-1; C McCaughan 0-1

Glenariffe: Paul McMullan; Patrick McIlwaine, Conor Patterson, Niall Magee; Ciaran McKendry, Michael Haughey, Callum McIlwaine; Oliver Kearney, Odhran Gillan; Orrin O’Connor, Alex O’Boyle, Phelim Ward; Brogan O’Connor, Daniel Kearney, Seanie McIntosh

Subs: Connor Kerr for D Kearney (47)

Scorers: S McIntosh 0-6 (3fs 1’65); B O’Connor 0-4; A O’Boyle 0-3 (3fs); C McKendry 0-1; C McIlwaine 0-1

Referee: Colum Cunning (Dunloy)

FOR MORE PICS FROM THE FINAL CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/vrPuKVYnR9ZrKi

Paddy has added another album from yesterday’s final. To view click on the link below

https://myalbum.com/album/8eFe2tWvAKRnH7