Clonakilty Dig Deep for Third Win in a Row
On Friday April 3rd, Clonakilty Junior A Hurlers played their 3rd 2026 Carbery Jnr A hurling league match in Dunmanway versus The Dohenys. Conditions were dry and cold but there was a significant breeze that favoured Clon in the 1st half.
Clon started well and Brian White scored their first point from a free in the 3rd minute. Tim McCarthy who was playing his first match of the season at midfield then got on on the scoring act with two well taken points. Fionn McCarthy then set up Brian for a lovely point. 0.4 to nil to Clon after 10 mins. Dohenys got their first point from a free after 12 minutes. Scores were proving difficult to come by and Clon hit 2 wides before Fionn scored a point after good work by Ciaran Coakley and Patrick Murnane. Dohenys then scored from another free after 18 mins before Brian replied with a free after Niall Barrett was fouled. Clon hit 5 more wides in the next 10 minutes and Dohenys were starting to get on top by effective use of their sweeper. They scored a point from a free on 20 mins which was followed by a messy goal from a free that dropped short in the square. They scored game was level and Dohenys went ahead with their only point from play in the entire match on 25 mins. Oisin Hassett came on as a sub on 28 mins and Clon levelled just before half time through a free by Brian after the hard working Matt Murphy was fouled. 0.7 to 1.4 at ht.
The 2nd half was a ding dong battle with the scores level on 5 separate occasions. Brian opened the scoring with a free before Dohenys replied with a free. Then Fergal Murphy got a great point after good work by James Campbell. Cian O Donovan was storming into the game now but Dohenys equalised again on 35 mins from a free. Sean Coffey came on as a sub on 37 mins and his first contribution was to set up Patrick Murnane for a great score. Dohenys equalised again from a free on 39 mins. Mike Noonan, Kieran Calnan and Eoin McCormack were having great outings protecting Shane in goals so well. As always Shane was cool as a cucumber under any high balls that came his way. A free by Brian after another foul on Niall put Clon one to the good again before super work by Cian O Donovan and Cillian White set up Patrick Murnane for his 2nd point of the evening on 41 mins. Fergal then had a point ruled out by a terrible and biased umpire decision and Dohenys scored from another free straight afterwards. One point match again. Brian got another fantastic pointed free after Oisin took a belt to the head. Gary Finn came on as a sub for the injured Cian on 48. Dohenys scored 2 more frees in the next 3 mins to leave it level once more. 0.13 to 1.10 with 9 minutes left. The game was in the melting pot now the the Clon lads work rate was incredible for the rest of the game. Brian scored a superb free against the wind on 53 mins. Further frees followed after great work by Matt and Niall, Brian scoring his 9th and 10th points. Clon up by 3 with time up. The ref found 6 minutes of injury time somewhere and our absolutely magnificent Clon backs put in an outstanding rearguard action in this period. Mateo Power was quickly into the action on his debut for Clon. Clon capped the game off with another goal from Fionn in the 65th minute. 1.16 to 1.10 the final score. A fantastic result and performance. Clon top of the League after 3 games.
Well done to everyone involved.
The team was:
Shane Collins, Cian O’Donovan, Mike Noonan, Kieran Calnan, James Campbell, Eoin McCormack, Cillian White, Niall Barrett, Tim McCarthy, Matt Murphy, Brian White, Ciaran Coakley, Patrick Murnane, Fionn McCarthy, Fergal Murphy. Subs were Gary Finn, Oisin Hassett, Sean Coffey and Mateo Power.
Scorers were B. White 0.10 (0.9f), F. McCarthy 1.1, P. Murnane, T McCarthy 0.2 each, F Murphy 0.1.
