15-07-2025
First-half goal burst earns Duhallow Divisions/Colleges SFC honours
Divisions/Colleges SFC final: Duhallow 4-9 Muskerry 0-13
Duhallow struck three goals before half-time and never once loosened their grip on a final that offered Muskerry little comfort and fewer chances.
Their 4-9 to 0-13 win in Ballydesmond on Tuesday evening delivered a Divisions/Colleges SFC title, and a path to the Cork PSFC quarter-final.
By the time Luke Murphy had clipped over his third point inside six minutes, and Donncha O'Connor added a 45 soon after, Duhallow were well in the groove. Two more from Murphy pushed the gap out to 0-6 to 0-1 by the quarter-hour.
Muskerry responded through a Liam O'Connor free and another from Chris Óg Jones, but Duhallow had found their rhythm — and soon found the net.
The first goal came after 23 minutes, Darragh Cashman bursting through from wing-back and drilling low to the net. The Cork senior finished with 1-1.
Muskerry pulled one back but were immediately hit again — this time a flowing team move involving Hickey, O'Connor and Conor O'Callaghan finished off by Gerry O'Sullivan.
Muskerry's second point from play arrived close to half-time, but they were rocked again before the break when Jack Curtin smashed home a third Duhallow goal.
The first score after the restart came on 42 minutes, as Chris Óg Jones was set up by Ian Jones, but Duhallow responded instantly via Donncha O'Connor.
Even after Seamus Hickey was shown a black card, Muskerry couldn't capitalise, managing just one point while Duhallow, again, found an answer.
Darragh O'Leary did produce a superb two-pointer late on, and Liam O'Connor added another from a tight angle in the 64th minute – but any hope of a comeback was dashed almost immediately.
From the resulting restart, Hickey led a rapid counter and teed up Murphy, who finished with power to bag Duhallow's fourth goal and seal a commanding win.
Scorers for Duhallow: L Murphy 1-6 (0-2 f), D Cashman 1-1, G O'Sullivan, J Curtin 1-0 each, D O'Connor 0-2.
Scorers for Muskerry: C Óg Jones 0-4 (0-3 f), L O'Connor 0-3 (0-2 f), D O'Leary 0-3 (tp), A O'Sullivan, C O'Donovan, I Jones 0-1 each.
DUHALLOW: F O'Connor (Cullen); J O'Connor (Kiskeam), S Meehan (Kiskeam), D Buckley (Boherbue) (jc); K Cremin (Boherbue), J Murphy (Dromtarriffe), D Cashman (Millstreet); S Hickey (Rockchapel), D Linehan (Castlemagner); G O'Sullivan (Boherbue), T Casey (Kiskeam), C O'Callaghan (Dromtarriffe) (jc); D O'Connor (Ballydesmond), J Curtin (Rockchapel), L Murphy (Cullen).
Subs: AJ O'Connor (Kiskeam) for Murphy (41), C Walsh (Cullen) for Linehan (48), L Moynihan (Boherbue) for O'Sullivan (54), C Curtin (Rockchapel) for J Curtin (59).
MUSKERRY: J Creedon (Uibh Laoire); M Corrigan (Macroom), N Lordan (Ballinora), W Ronan (Kilmurry); K Manning (Uibh Laoire), P Ring (Aghabullogue), A Quinn (Macroom); C O'Donovan (Macroom), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); A O'Sullivan (Aghabullogue), C Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire) (c), D O'Leary (Naomh Abán); D Kelly (Naomh Abán), L O'Connor (Inniscarra), I Jones (Uibh Laoire).
Subs: E O'Leary (Macroom) for Corrigan, B O'Sullivan (Aghabullogue) for Manning (both 36), D O'Mullane (Kilmurry) for Kelly (40), C Dodd (Canovee) for O'Leary (47-52 temp), Dodd for O'Donovan (52), O'Donovan for I Jones (54 inj).
Referee: Ciarán Murphy (Glanworth)
