CASTLEHAVEN HAVE MADE it back-to-back Cork Premier SFC titles with a second consecutive final victory over record champions Nemo Rangers, 0-16 to 0-11, this afternoon.
The Hurley brothers, Michael and Brian, accounted for four points each while man-of-the-match Jack Cahalane landed 0-3.
Captain Mark Collins matched Haven manager Seanie Cahalane’s feat of lifting the Andy Scannell Cup in back-to-back years.
They can now look forward to their Munster title defence, beginning with a titanic tussle away to Kerry champions Dr Crokes.
Nemo have only been beaten in six finals in their history but the last three of those defeats have now come against the Haven.
There was little to separate them in a first half where the teams were level six times and ended with Nemo 0-8 to 0-7 ahead having played with the wind.
Bryan Hayes and Ronan Dalton combined for 0-5 in the first half, while Mark Cronin was busy assisting three of those scores and adding a point of his own.
Haven restarted brighter, holding onto the ball for three minutes before Brian Hurley opened his account from play. He tagged on a free before younger sibling Michael sent a towering kick between the posts to make it 0-10 to 0-8. There was still one in the difference with 13 minutes remaining but Castlehaven were not easily deterred while Nemo wouldn’t score again.
They padded it out to four points with a 60th-minute counter-attack. Jack Cahalane went for goal at first, saved by Micheál Aodh Martin, but the ball was deflected back into his path and he settled for a point.
Nemo were desperate for a goal but Darragh Cahalane tipped away an acute Conor Horgan attempt before the same player volleyed wide from a ball floated into the square.
Micheál Maguire became the third substitute to register, following Conor Cahalane and Conor O’Driscoll, as the Haven bench lined up to begin the celebrations.
In Clare, Éire Óg Ennis won their third title in four years with a 1-10 to 0-6 victory over Kilmurry-Ibrickane.
Gavin Cooney’s 12th-minute goal levelled the scores after a bright Kilmurry start, backed by the breeze, and they led 1-4 to 0-4 at the break.
But Éire Óg did all the scoring in the final quarter, with Cooney taking his tally to 1-2 with a sideline ball and man of the match Colm Walsh O’Loghlen landing his fourth point.
They will meet the Limerick champions Adare or Fr Casey’s in their Munster quarter-final.
In Sligo, Coolera-Strandhill and St Molaise Gaels will go to a replay after a 0-9 to 1-6 draw, with Ross Doherty landing the equalising point for the holders Coolera.
The Westmeath SHC final, meanwhile, was abandoned after 13 minutes for safety reasons due to incessant rain. Lough Lene Gaels had been leading 0-2 to no-score against Castletown-Geoghegan.
