Béal Átha'n Ghaorthaidh are top of their championship group following a hard-earned but deserving nine point victory over Dohenys in Kilmichael.
While the win was never in doubt a spirited show midway through the second half by the losers kept the Gaeltacht side on their toes.
Béal Átha went in at the break leading 1-5 to 0-4 following a poor enough opening 30 minutes, Conchúr Ó Loinsigh scoring a cracking 14th minute goal after a flowing movement involving Liam Seartan, Matt Ó Riordáin and Donagh Seartan, the goal the result of a poor line ball from Mark Buckley.
But a quick fire scoring burst to the second half, resulting in points from Leonard Ó Conchùir, Ben Seartan and a second Ó Coinceannain free, were to prove decisive as Dohenys were never able to penetrate that seven points cushion.
Dohenys' boss Declan O’Dwyer was honest afterward: “Yeah, those scores really killed us. In fairness we did give it a go afterward but we never really played up to standard. Béal Átha were the better team, we have no complaints.”
Winning manager Denis Reen was happy afterward but far from elated at how Dohenys crept back into the game to trail by just three after 41 minutes thanks to Keith White’s superb goal.
And they might have had two more, Barry O’Donovan missing a great chance in the 38th minute and Béal Átha keeper Darran Ó Coill making a fine save to deny Fionn Herlihy almost immediately.
Said Reen: "I’m happy with the win but we can’t just turn it on and off during matches. We seemed to go really flat after going well ahead and could have paid the price. Luckily we have a strong bench with Sean Ó Luasa scoring 1-1 when introduced. We have 47 players training every week all looking for places and it stood to us today.”
Dohenys trailed 1-2 to 0-3 after the opening quarter, superb points from Keith White and Cullan Barry keeping them in touch. Fionn Herlihy reduced the gap to the minimum but Béal Átha finished with points from Ó Coinceannain, Mac Tomáis and Ben Seartan for that four point half time cushion.
That three-in-a-row Béal Átha scoring burst and Dohenys stirring comeback made for an exciting third quarter with the Gaeltacht men leading 1-10 to 1-6 but there was plenty more drama to come. Mark Buckley did reduce the deficit to three points in the 46th minute but that’s as good as it got for the Carbery side.
Substitute Ó Luasa had a great effort in the 54th minute saved by Dohenys' keeper Stephen Daly, converting the resultant 45 himself, Ben and Donagh Seartan followed with points and then the real killer blow when Ó Luasa scored Béal Átha’s second goal and Dohenys were rattled.
Doheny’s also finished with 13 players, substitute Colm O’Shea black carded late on and Herlihy seeing red for a second yellow offence by busy referee Peter O’Leary.