O'Callaghan emerges from the wars, on the pitch and farm, to lead Inniscarra to first Cork Junior A title

Two minutes into second-half stoppage time captain and corner-back John O’Callaghan managed to find the net amid a packed goalmouth, and this was followed by an outrageous point from a free by former Cork hurling skipper Seán O’Donoghue in the 66th minute.

It was a game they had never led.

Thirty-six-year-old O’Callaghan was the comeback hero as everyone battled for possession. The scars of battle were plain to see on the former hurler who was lucky to be able to play his part.

“I got concussed last weekend but was eligible to play with the seven day turnaround. Yesterday I got a kick from an animal, we’ve a farm at home. Look, it’s grand, it was on the knee. Unfortunate, but we got through it anyway, that’s the main thing.

“We needed a goal. It was a case of everyone pushing forward. It was a pot luck. There were two or three Ballygarvan fellas there. You obviously are hoping for the break and thanks be to God the ball went into the net.

“I gave up hurling because I’m working in Dublin. I just try and make it up and down as often as I can. Out of the last 14 weekends, I’ve been up and down 12 of them.” 

Understandably, Ballygarvan were left devastated following a third county final defeat. They started like a train. A goal from Seán Brady helped them 1-2 to nil up after quarter of an hour.

With the wind, Inniscarra had to wait until the 21st minute for their opening score from a Liam O’Connor free. When Shay Dineen added one from play, they were beginning to settle.

A point from Seán O’Donoghue, sandwiched in between scores by Brady and Ray O’Halloran, left them 1-4 to 0-3 in arrears at the interval.

And while O’Donoghue pointed immediately after the restart, they failed to push on again.

Ballygarvan free-taker Evan O’Connor replied.

Scores dried up over the next 15 minutes, nothing from either side.

Dylan O’Connor’s point in the 50th minute left the score 1-6 to 0-4.

What an unbelievable finish.

Two David O’Keeffe points in the 51st and 54th minutes made it a one-score match.

Looking destined for disappointment, Inniscarra found a way.

Later the Donal O’Sullivan Cup was hoisted surrounded by their jubilant supporters.

“The 2022 team that won the Premier IHC, the majority of them are inside in the dressing-room and you see it today they keep going. There is fierce energy there and they’re a great bunch,” O’Callaghan detailed.

“To the outsider, Inniscarra is a hurling club to be fair. We always had football but we’d be better known for hurling. You have to pay fierce credit to the lads Daire (Holland), Johnny (O’Shea), Eugene (O’Sullivan) and Jonathan (Olden). They’ve always driven on the hurling and they stepped in when we really wanted the football to get going.

"This is three years in the making. We’ve really been made to work for it.

“Just outstanding that it came true.” 

Scorers for Inniscarra: J O’Callaghan (1-0), S O’Donoghue (0-3, 0-1 free), D O’Keeffe (0-2), S Dineen and L O’Connor (free) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ballygarvan: S Brady (1-1), E O’Connor (0-3 frees), R O’Halloran and D O’Connor (0-1 each).

INNISCARRA: D Kelleher; J O’Callaghan (Capt), L Ryan, C Dineen; D O’Keeffe, T Lyons, D Keane; S Sheehan, D Coughlan; F Horgan, S O’Donoghue, J O’Dwyer; S Dineen, D O’Connell, L O’Connor.

Subs: M McLoughlin for S Sheehan (42), D O’Sullivan for S Dineen (46), C Lynch for D O’Connell (55), J Hayes for J O’Dwyer (58), T Murphy for D Coughlan (60).

BALLYGARVAN: G White; P Ryan, R O’Leary, Z Davidson; S Fenton, M O’Mahony, S O’Donovan; S Brady, P O’Halloran; D O’Mahony, C O’Regan, N Dowd; E O’Connor, R O’Halloran (Capt), D Mackey.

Subs: J Fenton for Z Davidson (39 inj), K Lyons for D Mackey (43), D O’Connor for N Dowd (44), C Mackey for C O’Regan (55).

Referee: Peter Finnegan (Douglas).