A goal from substitute Mark Drummond in the second period of extra-time propelled St Michael’s into the final of the Cork SAFC.
With his first touch of the game on 75 minutes, Drummond, put through by fellow Michael’s sub Eoin O’Donovan, landed the decisive score of this contest to shove St Michael’s four clear with five minutes remaining in the second period of extra-time.
A Mark Buckley free for Dohenys reduced the gap to three, with the aforementioned O’Donovan becoming the fourth Michael’s sub to write his name onto the scoresheet in shoving the gap back out to four, 1-14 to 0-13, on 79 minutes.
Buckley, who was by a distance the outstanding footballer on the field, landed his ninth point to make it a one-score game in time added on and although he managed to engineer a goal chance for himself right at the death, his shot went over rather than under the crossbar to enable Michael’s hold on for victory.
Dohenys looked to have won the game in normal time when Buckley converted a free from just outside the 45-metre line two and a half minutes into second-half injury time. Referee Brian Coniry had signalled for two minutes additional time, but he allowed for one more play after Buckley’s score had put Dohenys in front for the first time since the eighth minute.
St Michael’s swept down the field, with sub Eric Hegarty converting a free with the last kick of normal time after one of his teammates was fouled not far outside the semi-circle.
Hegarty’s free was only Michaels’ third score of the second half, Dave Egan’s charges going scoreless for the opening 14 minutes of the second period.
Behind by three at the interval (0-7 to 0-4), Dohenys, who kicked 12 wides over the hour, drew level on 52 minutes following back-to-back points from their leading two marksmen Keith White and Mark Buckley.
WINNER St Michael's Mark Drummond celebrates his decisive extra-time goal with Eoghan Buckley. Picture: Eddie O'HareDohenys had four subsequent chances to hit the front, none of which were taken, before Buckley eventually nudged them ahead, albeit temporarily, St Michael’s had led 0-7 to 0-4 at the end of a first-half where both sides were guilty of extreme wastefulness in front of the opposition posts.
St Michael’s finished the half with five wides, as well as two missed goal opportunities. Their first green flag opening was handed to them as Dohenys ‘keeper Stephen Daly misplaced his restart directly after the first water break. St Michael’s, though, were unable to take full advantage as Eoghan Buckley crashed his shot off the post.
Daly redeemed himself later in the second quarter when repelling Adam Hennessy’s shot. Indeed, he produced another fine save in the second half.
The aforementioned Hennessy kicked three first-half points (two frees) for the city side, with Buckley, Daniel Meaney, Keith Hegarty, and Liam O’Sullivan chipping in with a point apiece.
Down the other end, Dohenys tallied six first-half wides. They opened smartly and when Keith White kicked a fine point under pressure on 16 minutes, proceedings were level for the third time at 0-3 apiece. That, however, was to prove Dohenys’ last score for 15 minutes of action and their last score from play of the half, with Michael’s registering the game’s next three scores to open up a double-scores 0-6 to 0-3 advantage.
The gap remained at three come the break, but there were many twists and turns still remaining in this county semi-final, at the end of which St Michael's were still standing.
: A Hennessy (2 frees), K Hegarty (0-3 each), M Drummond (1-0), E Hegarty (0-2, 1 free), D Meaney, B Cain, E Buckley (free), L O’Sullivan, T Lenihan, E O’Donovan (0-1 each).
: M Buckley (0-10, 3 frees, 1 45), K White (0-3), J Kelly, N Hurley (0-1 each).
: M Burke; S Keating, O O’Sullivan, L Carroll; D Corkery, J Golden, P Cunningham; D Meaney, B Cain; L Grainger, K Hegarty, E Sheehan; E Buckley, A Hennessy, L O’Sullivan.
T Deasy for Buckley (HT); E Hegarty for L O’Sullivan, E de Búrca for Sheehan (46); T Lenihan for Corkery (50); R Coleman for Keating (60); M Drummond for A Hennessy (70); E O’Donovan for Grainger (74); S Leneghan for Cunningham (79).
: S Daly; J Farrell, D Rice, S Daly; B O’Donovan, E Lavers, C Barry; C O’Donovan, J Kelly; M Buckley, J McCarthy, B Murphy; K White, C O’Shea, R Coakley.
: N Hurley for R Coakley (38); C Daly for O’Shea (46); J Collins for O’Donovan (57, inj); D Collins for C Daly (60); A Sheehan for C O’Donovan (73); K White for A Brickley, J O’Connell for Farrell (79).
: B Coniry (Crosshaven).