St Finbarr’s Dominate Douglas in Premier SHC Clash, 1-25 to 0-19
St Finbarr’s laid a strong foundation in the first half to secure a decisive victory over Douglas, finishing with a score of 1-25 to 0-19 in Friday’s Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC clash at Páirc Uí Rinn. A tangible breeze favored the Barrs in the opening period, allowing them to quickly establish control and build a substantial lead.
The Barrs demonstrated their intent early, racing to a 0-5 to 0-0 advantage within the first seven minutes. Jack Cahalane’s subsequent goal extended their lead to seven points, culminating in a commanding 1-14 to 0-6 advantage at halftime. This performance underscored the team’s championship form, bolstered by the return of key county players.
Despite a quad injury limiting Brian Hayes to the role of maor uisce, St Finbarr’s possessed a greater all-around threat compared to a Douglas side undergoing a rebuild following the retirements of experienced players Eoin Cadogan, Mark Harrington, and Stephen Moylan. Conor Cahalane, Ben Cunningham – who ultimately tallied 11 points – and Jack Cahalane were instrumental in the Barrs’ strong start.
Douglas struggled to find their rhythm early, particularly playing into the city end of the pitch, which had recently undergone changes due to tree felling, altering sight-lines. A seventh-minute goal attempt by Jack Cahalane was thwarted by a crucial block from Kevin McSweeney. Cunningham capitalized on the opportunity, converting the resulting 65-meter free to extend the Barrs’ lead to five points. While Douglas responded with three points, including a well-taken score from Conor Kingston, they remained vulnerable to the Barrs’ incisive attacks.
Further opportunities arose for the Barrs as Conor Cahalane, assisted by Cunningham, nearly scored, but was denied by a save from Donal Maher – Cunningham again converting the subsequent 65. The breakthrough finally came with a well-executed play initiated by a Damien Cahalane delivery from the half-back line, finding his brother Jack, who skillfully navigated a foul and finished with a composed shot. This brought the score to 1-7 to 0-3, and later 1-10 to 0-4 by the 23rd minute, as William Buckley added his name to the scoresheet. Despite points from Cillian O’Donovan and Ronan Dooley for Douglas, Maher was again called upon to make a vital save, this time denying John Wigginton Barrett.
The Barrs closed the first half strongly, adding four unanswered points, with a particularly well-worked team score finished by Ethan Twomey, who effectively marked his Cork colleague Shane Kingston. Despite facing the wind in the second half, the Barrs held a significant 1-15 to 0-8 advantage.
The second half saw a contested start, with Conor Kingston fouled early, leading to a free for Douglas. Shane Kingston opted for a goal, but his shot was repelled. Even had the goal been scored, a full turnaround seemed unlikely. Douglas did manage to edge the scoring in the third quarter, but the Barrs’ defense, led by Ciarán Doolan and Jamie Burns, proved resilient, effectively neutralizing threats before they materialized.
Ben Cunningham and William Buckley continued to drive the Barrs’ attack, extending their lead to 1-16 to 0-12 with just under a quarter of the game remaining. Douglas suffered a setback when Cillian O’Donovan was shown a red card for an off-the-ball incident. The Barrs capitalized on the numerical advantage, adding to their score, potentially building a buffer for future contests. Conor Cahalane forced another save from Maher, while Jack O’Kelly and substitutes Billy Hennessy, returning after missing all of 2024, and Cathal Crowley also registered points. Shane and Conor Kingston added late scores for Douglas, which could prove valuable later in the competition. Douglas will next face Kanturk, while the Barrs will eagerly anticipate their city derby against Blackrock.
Scorers for St Finbarr’s: B Cunningham 0-11 (0-4f, 0-4 65), W Buckley 0-7, J Cahalane 1-2, B Hennessy, E Twomey, C Cahalane, C Crowley, J O’Kelly 0-1 each.
Douglas: S Kingston 0-7 (0-2f, 0-1 65), C Kingston 0-5, A Cadogan 0-3 (0-2f), J Harte, Conor O’Donovan, Cillian O’Donovan, R Dooley 0-1 each.
ST FINBARR’S: S Hurley; E Keane, J Burns, C Doolan; D Cahalane, E Twomey, B Hennessy; C Walsh, J Wigginton Barrett; J O’Kelly, W Buckley, C Cahalane; S Cunningham, B Cunningham, J Cahalane.
Subs: C O’Connor for J Cahalane (15-20 temporary), C Crowley for Walsh (50).
DOUGLAS: D Maher; D Murphy, B O’Neill, K McSweeney; E O’Flynn, M Howell, Cillian O’Donovan; D Kelly, A O’Connell; C Kingston, S Kingston, J Harte; A Cadogan, Conor O’Donovan, R Dooley.
Subs: J O’Callaghan Maher for Murphy (20 injured), B O’Connor for Conor O’Donovan (54).
Referee: C McAllister (Aghada).
