O’Connor helps salvage draw for dogged Duhallow

DUHALLOW owed much to team captain Anthony O’Connor to help salvage a return from one of the best County SFC games witnessed for some time.

Manager Pádraig Kearns admitted to a contest up for grabs where at stages, whenever one side looked likely winners, the other team would reel in their opponents and take over.

“It was a game there for the taking, we were a point up going into injury time, Castlehaven took their chance, a great point to grab a replay. They improved immeasurably to the drawn game, no real surprise for we expected the same,” said Kearns.

“Anthony had been out of action owing to a hand injury, he is a proven finisher and without question, inter county material. We took him off in normal time but brought him on in the second half of extra time paid off,” he said.

At times wayward shooting hampered Duhallow, gritty defending by the ‘Haven forced the opposing attackers shoot under pressure, the manager applauded all involved on rolling up the sleeves when required.

“Yes we did kick the ball hastily; maybe re-cycling was a better option. Our boys are capable of converting chances, if you don’t kick, you won’t score, some of it was off target but we never gave up, its all about returning again and attempting to come out on the right side of the result,” said Kearns.

The Kanturk clubman applauded key men on the night for Duhallow with ‘keeper Patrick Doyle producing a string of excellent saves.

“Patrick came in for some unfair comment in the drawn game, here he came to our rescue on pulling all the stops. That’s no surprise to us for he is confident, likewise Aidan Walsh was powerful at midfield, emerging as a dominant force, so important to us, when leadership was required, he provided it,” he said.

“The second replay has the makings of another fascinating contest, I would expect very little between the sides. Its going to be another searching test but we’ve confidence in our players ability to cope with anything thrown at, hopefully, that’s good enough to emerge from this battle,” said

Kearns.