TADHG MacCARTHAIGH 1-14

GOLEEN 1-13

TADHG MacCarthaigh are in their first Bandon Co-op Carbery Junior A Football Championship semi-final since 2022 after a narrow win over Goleen in Bantry.

Charlie McCarthy was the star of the show for the Caheragh, kicking two exceptional two-pointers in a nine-point tally, eight of those scores coming from play.

Goleen, who are in their first year up at the Junior A grade, gave a great account of themselves and on another day could have snatched what would have been an unexpected win.

The shock wasn’t to be, however, and Caheragh, who have been a surprise to many so far, got their third win in a row and remain unbeaten in this year’s championship, fending off Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas and St Oliver Plunkett’s too.

This quarter-final wasn’t all smooth sailing for the victors though. Goleen hit 1-1 after just a minute as a Darren O’Donovan goal had Caheragh on the back foot.

McCarthy and Dylan Murray got MacCarthaigh on the board before a Michael O’Donovan major gave them a 1-2 to 1-1 lead after five minutes, the ideal response.

McCarthy and Luke Shorten kept up the Caheragh scoring spree before Goleen levelled it at 1-4 apiece after the first quarter as Michael O’Reilly carried on his stunning championship form for Goleen. The Mizen club took the lead before a two-pointer from each side through McCarthy of Caheragh and Patrick Sheehan for Goleen exploded this contest into life.

The sides were level again at 1-8 apiece at half-time, the game gripping the crowd.

McCarthy continued his impressive performance in the third quarter by striking another two-point effort, one of the scores of the game.

It was 1-12 each heading into the dying embers as McCarthy hit all of Caheragh’s second-half scores before points from Colm Crowley and Conor Hegarty had them two up.

A late Goleen score halved the deficit and made things nervy for Caheragh at the end. Alas, after a tight encounter, it was Caheragh who progressed to the last four, while Goleen can look back at this season as one of massive progress.

Scorers

Tadhg MacCarthaigh: Charlie McCarthy 0-9 (2tp, 1f), Michael O’Donovan 1-0, Luke Shorten 0-2, Dylan Murray, Colm Crowley, Conor Hegarty 0-1 each.

Goleen: Darren O’Donovan 1-2, Michael O’Reilly (2f), Patrick Sheehan (1tp) 0-3 each, Jake Coughlan, Tadhg Cullinane, Eoghan Sheehan, Matthew Sheehan, Michael O’Donovan 0-1 each.

Tadhg MacCarthaigh: Eugene Daly; David O’Connor, Tadhg Keating, Shane Fitzgerald; Tadhg McCarthy, Cathal Hegarty, Michael O’Donovan; Dan Kingston, Eoin O’Donovan; Jack McCarthy, Charlie McCarthy, Seán McCarthy; Dylan Murray, Luke Shorten, Rory Kingston.

Subs: Colm Crowley for D Murray (35), Leon Burke for T McCarthy (47).

Goleen: Ronan Kennedy; Eden Healy, Jack O’Driscoll, Michael Sheehan; Patrick Sheehan, Padraig Reidy, Cian Bowen; Matthew Sheehan, Tadhg Cullinane; Jake Coughlan, Adam Sheehan, Paudie O’Regan; Michael O’Donovan, Michael O’Reilly, Aaron Berry.

Sub: Eoghan Sheehan.

Referee: Conor McCarthy (Rosscarbery).