Barryroe GAA

04 August, 2016

Match Report 'West Cork Gael' Southern Star October 1999

A great escape by Clyda Rovers!

Barryroe 3-11 Clyda Rovers 3-11

'Clyda Rovers, arise take up thy football boots and walk'. The late great Houdini conjured up some marvellous escapades in his time, but even he would have been put to the pin of his collar to better the show put on by Clyda Rovers in this truly outstanding Cork County minor 'B' football championship decider played before a huge crowd on a superbly manicured Shanbally sod on Sunday afternoon last.

'If you're in business, we're in business' went the slogan on the fine match programme, and thanks to a late Adrian Fleming free in injury time, all were back for a second bite of the cherry. However, one has to delve much deeper into the statistics of this magical match to realise how anguishingly close the Barryroe light blues came to becoming immortal in the annals of this famous club.

Let us roll back the VTR on this classic, containing as it did, all that is best in the arts of Gaelic football. Twenty-eight magical scores, goalmouth thrills, spills, narrow escapes on both sides, played at a fantastic pace, all eyes on the ball, not a foul stroke over the hour, and the excitement such that it left the massive crowd almost as limp and exhausted as the participants at the long whistle.

Five minutes remained on Colm Harrington's stop watch and like the tide, a match that had ebbed and flowed in the preceding minutes looked finally to be heading Barryroe's way and the cup destined for Ibane country. Classy and magnificent second half performances by Aidan O'Mahony, Denis Harrington, Clive Cahalane, Ger Keohane, Johnny O'Regan and Gearoid Whelton backed up the power play of the midfield Fleming brothers, Adrian and Jason had finally torn a gaping hole in what was, in the opening moiety, a rock solid Clyda defence. The Mourne Abbey lads held a slender half time lead of 0-10 to 1-04 but immediately on resuming they were ripped apart as Barryroe struck for a peach of a goal. A great run by Adrian Fleming saw a high delivery into the Clyda square, and in the twinkling of an eye goal poacher supreme, Denis Harrington had it nestling in the back of the net. A minute later Johnny Regan, who worked like a trojan, was almost in again, as Dermot Fitzgerald, who was a sound Clyda custodian, was called upon not once, but twice in rapid succession to clear his lines. Harrington had another good Barryroe score and then the enterprising John Healy blasted just wide of an open Barryroe goal - 2-05 to 0-10, Barryroe just ahead, the excitement unbearable, but the thrills just beginning.

Enter one Aidan O'Mahony, who was to Barryroe on Sunday, what Robbie Keane is to Ireland. Teasing, tormenting, he came with devasting speed, linking up with the outstanding Clive Cahalane, to rattle the Clyda net. When Denis Harrington cracked over another fine Barryroe point, we thought the Clyda bubble would burst - 3-06 to 0-10. Far from it, what about the Mourne Abbey ace, Derek O'Brien. Forced to move into the right corner for this game, due to a knee injury, he proceeded to give a masterly display of copybook football. And who was the man who set up John Healy for a cracking Clyda goal in the 47th minute, you guessed it, O'Brien the playmaker. Dylan O'Shea was playing a captain's role now, running at the Barryroe cover, Gavin Carey was a real twinkle toes on the ball and John Healy was a constant thorn in the Barryroe side, as greater help was supplied by midfielders Cormac Murphy and Morris O'Brien.

Back at the Barryroe ranch, Damien O'Leary was adding to his growing reputation as a first class keeper with a string of great saves, one brilliant stop Morris O'Brien, a real gem. While full back Brendan Coleman, Johnny O'Leary, Timmy Carroll, Darren Whelton and Kieran Griffin were performing heroics to keep Clyda at bay, when Clive Cahalane and Ger Keohane extended the Barryroe lead to clear two goals margin - 3-10 to 1-10, it looked like the cup was heading to Ibane country. Never-say-die Clyda spoiled the party as they struck twice in the space of a minute to send shock waves through the huge Barryroe support on the terraces. Willie Curtin, who worked hard in the pivot spot, began the move, it was carried on by Cormac Murphy and Gavin Carey and after a great sally Dylan O'Shea blasted home a ground shot for a mighty goal. Scarcely had we time to write down the details when Clyda struck again. This time Dylan O'Shea was the provider, and the master, Derek O'Brien, was the executioner. When O'Shea put Clyda ahead, it looked like Barryroe's dream was shattered, but Fleming proved the hero with the injury time equaliser. 

A quick silver Clyda attack enjoyed enjoyed early supremacy as putting together some lovely moves, great scores by Derek O'Brien and Dylan O'Shea had enabled them to build up a first half lead of 0-06 to 0-03. Then just as half time approached high drama in both goalmouths. Firstly O'Shea hit the post with a rasper and then immediately afterwards, a cross by the lurking Gearoid Whelton was just a whisker wide of a gaping Clyda goalmouth. Then, like a thief in the night, Aidan O'Mahony struck to stun Clyda. Again, as in the second half, the fine play of Adrian Fleming set himself up and he needed no second opportunity as he sent a bullet low to the left corner, Clyda responded in the best possible fashion as Derek O'Brien pointed in injury time to leave the half time score reading 0-10 to 1-04.

We have already chronicled the remainder of a real gem of a match. Bouquets to the Shamrock club for the fine arrangements, hats off to two fine teams and one word of advice, don't miss the replay.

Referee was Colm Harrington of Carrigaline

Barryoe: Damien O'Leary, Alan O'Driscoll, Brendan Coleman, Timothy Carroll, Johnny O'Leary, Darren Whelton, Kieran Griffin, Adrian Fleming (0-02), Jason Fleming, Aidan O'Mahony (2-01), Johnny Regan (0-01), Clive Cahalane (0-01), Gearoid Whelton, Ger Keohane (0-02), Denis Harrington (1-04). Subs used: Bernard O'Brien for Alan O'Driscoll; Kevin O'Donovan for Timothy Carroll

Clyda Rovers: Dermot Fitzgerald, Shane Mulcahy, Willie Curtin, Shane Ronayne, Oliver O'Hallon, Aidan Carey, Tadhg O'Callaghan, Morris O'Brien, Cormac Murphy, Dylan O'Shea (1-04), Gavin Carey (0-01), Donal O'Mullane (0-01), Johnny Healy (1-00), Derek O'Brien (1-05), Johnny O'Sullivan. Sub used: Colin Ronayne for Shane Mulcahy.

 

THE REPLAY