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Barrs back on top in Cork

Colin Lyons struck a goal for St Finbarr's against Duhallow at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Colin Lyons struck a goal for St Finbarr's against Duhallow at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Cork SFC Final

ST FINBARR'S 3-14 DUHALLOW 2-14

By Denis Hurley at Pairc Ui Chaoimh

St Finbarr’s claimed a ninth Cork senior football title – and a first since 1985 – as they came from five points down in the first half to see off Duhallow at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

While the Barrs had lost eight finals since beating Clonakilty in the decider 33 years ago, the weight of history didn’t weigh down the city side, who drew level at 2-7 each thanks to Colin Lyons’ goal immediately after the start of the second half.

Though Jerry O’Connor’s point did put Duhallow back in front, it was to be the last time they led and St Finbarr’s looked to have taken firm control with four straight points, three from Stephen Sherlock – who finished with 1-8 – and one by Colm Keane.

However, Duhallow still weren’t done and they were level through Aidan Walsh, Jerry O’Connor and Donncha O’Connor, leaving it 2-11 each with ten minutes left. The Barrs weren’t going to be denied after so long, though.

They had a third goal as Eoghan Finn exchanged passes with Denis O’Brien and slotted home, and Enda Dennehy put them four ahead as he won the subsequent kickout and sent the ball over. Again, Duhallow clung on and Anthony O’Connor, Kevin Crowley and Jerry O’Connor made it a one-point game again with six minutes remaining.

Sherlock might have got a clinching goal but Patrick Doyle saved brilliantly from him. Unfortunately for Duhallow – who had gone to two replays with Castlehaven in the semi-they couldn’t engineer a chance of an equaliser and sub Colm Barrett and Finn had late points to make sure of the victory.

It wasn’t a victory that seemed inevitable in the first half, though. Duhallow led by 0-3 to 0-2 when Séamus Hickey goal, sending home the rebound after John Kerins had saved from Jerry O’Connor. Eoghan McSweeney added another point in the wake of that, but just as quickly, the Barrs had the ball in the net as Stephen Sherlock rounded off a flowing team move and then Sherlock’s free left a point in it, 1-4 to 1-3.

Once more though, Duhallow had a goal, having been awarded a penalty after Dylan Quinn was deemed to have blocked Donncha O’Connor’s shot with his foot. The former Cork star despatched his kick beyond John Kerins.

Paul Walsh made it 2-5 to 1-3, but the Barrs responded well and Conor Dennehy and Denis O’Brien both had points as they had the deficit back to a goal, 2-7 to 1-7, by half-time. Lyons’ goal had them level on the resumption and they drove on from there.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Stephen Sherlock 1-8 (8fs), Eoghan Finn 1-1, Colin Lyons 1-0, Conor Dennehy, Enda Dennehy, Denis O’Brien, Colm Barrett, Colm Keane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Duhallow: Donncha O’Connor 1-5 (1-0 penalty, 3fs), Jerry O’Connor 0-3 (2fs), Séamus Hickey 1-0, Eoghan McSweeney 0-2, Paul Walsh, Aidan Walsh, Anthony O’Connor, Kevin Crowley 0-1 each.

ST FINBARR’S: John Kerins; Jamie Burns, Dylan Quinn, Conor Dennehy; Colin Lyons, Alan O’Connor, Colm Scully; Ian Maguire, Eoin Comyns; Denis O’Brien, Michael Shields, Enda Dennehy; Eoin McGreevey, Colm Keane, Stephen Sherlock.

Subs: Glen O’Connor for Burns (half-time), Eoghan Finn for Keane (42), Colm Barrett for McGreevey (48), Ross O’Dwyer for Quinn (50), Robert O’Mahony for Enda Dennehy (60).

DUHALLOW: Patrick Doyle (Knocknagree); John McLoughlin (Kiskeam), Lorcan O’Neill (Kanturk), Bart Daly (Newmarket); Kevin Crowley (Millstreet), Keelan Buckley (Knocknagree), Lorcán McLoughlin (Kanturk); Aidan Walsh (Kanturk), Séamus Hickey (Rockchapel); Fintan O’Connor (Knocknagree), Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree), Paul Walsh (Kanturk); Anthony O’Connor (Knocknagree), Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond), Michael Vaughan (Millstreet).

Subs: Anthony O’Connor (Knocknagree) for Vaughan (29), Kevin Cremin (Boherbue) for Fintan O’Connor (42), Darragh Moynihan (Ballydesmond) for McSweeney (58).

REFEREE: David Murnane (Macroom).