Trailing by 1-11 to 2-4 with five minutes to go, St Finbarr’s race seemed to be run in the final of the Bons Secours Cork PJFC in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday. Goals in the 23rd and 37th minutes from Adrian Murphy and Ciarán Doolan respectively had twice brought them level, but they had never been able to get their noses in front.

Liam Wall was the main reason for that as the classy full-forward kicked 0-3 of his 0-5 in the aftermath of Doolan’s goal. Throw in a point each from Sean Warren and Tomás Collins and Kilmurry seemed set for back-to-back county titles.

Even when points from captain Alan McCarthy and veteran Michael Shields brought the Barrs a bit closer, they seemed set to fall short. But then Cian Madden took a pass from Doolan, played a 1-2 with James Kennefick and slipped the ball to the net to give his side the lead for the first time.

From there they defended well and kept the ball brilliantly to secure a famous win. Their manager, Eddie Kelly, was proud of the fact that the cup they were taking home was named for a famous Barrs man, Donal Hurley.

“This means a lot to us now. The cup has the Barrs name on it already and that’s important to us. The cup has a Barrs great name on it too and that makes it a really proud day for us out in Neenan Park. There’s a real good buzz. I think the last few years of success in both codes has really helped us and brought everyone together.” 

Joe Ryan and Warren gave Kilmurry an early lead before combining for the encounter’s opening major, Ryan playing in Warren who finished tidily to give the Muskerry side the perfect start.

The Barrs responded with points from Olan Murphy, the outstanding Denis O’Brien and Cian Walsh and were back to within two at the end of the opening quarter. Wall then edged Kilmurry a goal clear before Murphy struck for the first Barr’s goal after good work from Shields.

Kilmurry finished the half the stronger with points from Pádraig Berhanu and Ryan to take a 1-5 to 1-3 interval lead. Two became three early in the second half when Wall popped over his second of the game but then O’Brien found Shields with a searching ball allowing the former Cork star to set up Doolan for goal number two to level the game for the second time.

Once again, it was the team that conceded the goal that responded the better as Collins and Wall put the Muskerry side back in control. Denis O’Brien halved that deficit before two sensational scores from the outstanding Wall put Kilmurry three clear. When Warren made that four with five to play, that seemed to be that, but then came that late blue burst to break the Kilmurry hearts.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: A Murphy, C Doolan and C Madden (1-0 each), D O’Brien (0-2, 0-1 free), A McCarthy, O Murphy, C Walsh and M Shields (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Kilmurry: S Warren (1-2, 0-1 free), L Wall (0-5), J Ryan (0-2, 0-1 free), T Collins and P Berhanu (0-1 each).

ST FINBARR’S: C Keane; M Russell, D Byrne, J Kennefick; A McCarthy (c), A Lyne, C Steele; E Comyns, C Doolan; D O’Brien, C Walsh, F Crowley; O Murphy, M Shields, A Murphy.

Subs: E Keane for A Murphy (h/t), J Murphy for Crowley (h/t), C O’Sullivan for McCartht (blood, 43 – 45), C Madden for Comyns (45), C O’Sullivan for O Murphy (50), C Buckley for Byrne (62).

KILMURRY: J McDonnell; B Hinchion, K Barrett, W Ronan (c), T Collins, G O’Mahony, D Cahalane; K Kelleher, J O’Mullane; L Wall, L Aisling, A Aisling; S Warren, J Ryan, P Berhanu.

Subs: R Duggan for Cahalane (41), R Leahy for Berhanu (inj, 48), J O’Mullane for A Aisling (61) 

Referee: Justin Murphy (Castletownroche).