Kilbrittain 2-17 Muintir Bhaire 0-05
Saturday August 8th. Clóna Milk Carbery U21C (13-a side) Football Semi Final in Rosscarbery.
Kilbrittain defeated Muintir Bhaire, in Rosscarbery, on a balmy August evening.
With little to no wind and the sun setting all we were missing was a sandy strip with some waves and we could've been at the beach. Both teams, in good form, were backed by plenty of support on the banks and as both captains, Owen McCarthy for Kilbrittain and Darragh O'Brien for Muintir, shook hands in midfield and the super-di-duper electronic scoreboard, complete with firework displays was turned on, we knew we were in for a good evening.
Clóna Milk Carbery U21 Football Semi Final Kilbrittain vs. Muintir Bhaire 2026 Back Row (L-R): Loughlin O'Donnell, Keith Hunt, Luke Griffin, CJ Bryan, Niall Egan, Fionn Ustianowski, Gavin O'Shea, Cathal O'Callaghan, Adam Griffin, Shaye Ustianowski and Tom Hogan. Front Row (L-R): Cillian Madden, James O'Mahony, Ronan Crowley, Owen McCarthy (C), Adam Desmond, John Ryan, Aaron McCarthy, Darragh Crowley and Ronan Sheehy.
Gavin O'Shea opened the scoring for Kilbrittain following some neat interplay from Griffin brothers Luke and Adam and within another minute Kilbrittain had their first goal chance of the evening when Fionn Ustianowski won the ball in midfield and passed onto the elder Griffin, Luke. Making the most of his run he brought the ball to the hands of ever vigilant Darragh Crowley who narrowly edged the back of the net. Another minute later and the elder Crowley, Ronan, made an excellently confident run through the center but also narrowly missed the goal mouth.
Gavin O'Shea breaks through midfield. The early pushes were signalling Kilbrittain's confidence and Muintir needed to regroup. Looking to stem the amber tide, midfielder Davin Ross took the next opportunity that came to him and pointed over for the Bhaire's down the other side. Ill discipline saw Kilbrittain win a free through Niall Egan, the ball finding it's way to Luke Griffin who sent a big kick downfield off his left and over the bar.
Kilbrittain's Niall Egan races after the ball early in the first half.
Almost upon the resumption of the kick out, Fionn Ustianowksi, or Fusti for ease, won the ball in midfield and offloaded to Griffin again, who this time off his right, sent the ball directly over the bar. 0-03 to 0-01.
Fionn 'Fusti' Ustianowski steals another ball from Muintir Bhaire.
Ross was on hand with a reply for Muintir through a nice point from play but it would be the last for Muintir of the half as Kilbrittain tore on resolute.
When Griffin was fouled at the thirteenth minute mark, he converted the free then when Shaye Ustianowski or Shusti as he's known, was brought down on a promising run, Griffin stood up again and slotted the ball over. Kilbrittain now leading 0-05 to 0-02.
Then the Crowley brothers, with their bleached blonde tips, put the pressure on Muintir's backline. Ronan from midfield at number 9 and Darragh from left half forward at number 12 pressed hard for Kilbrittain with two goal chances. First when Ronan made one of his sweeping runs through the forward line before handing off to his younger brother to the side of the square who was spurned at the last from a goal chance and again minutes later when Darragh could've raised the green flag again for Kilbrittain. The pair responsible now for four goal chances between them and credit to the Muintir goalkeeper and full back line for keeping the strong coupling out.
Kilbrittain's Darragh Crowley solos through Muintir Bhaire's backline where Joe Egan moves in to defend.
But the goals would come for Kilbrittain and following on from these waves of Crowley pressure, young Adam Griffin raced at Muintir's backline from the corner before letting fly with power to rattle the net. Kilbrittain 1-05 to 0-02. The black and amber scoring wouldn't end there. Fusti and Loughlin O'Donnell did well in the backline to get the ball out to Adam Griffin next, who offloaded to his brother Luke, for Kilbritain's sixth point. Then a well worked confident passage of passing began with Fusti winning the ball for Kilbrittain. Possession travelled through Egan, Darragh Crowley and Shusti before finding on form Luke for another point at his ease.
Restricted in his patch by Muintir backs, Kilbrittain talisman Luke Griffin eyes up his options.
The Crowley's were still working hard inside. Darragh was sorted for his first point moments later when he himself popped a point over the bar from just outside the square before his brother Ronan, moments later, spotted Luke in a good position and sent the ball his way. The elder Griffin converted before the referee blew the halftime whistle and Kilbrittain went in with a good lead 1-09 to 0-02.
HALFTIME Kilbrttain 1-09 Muintir Bhaire 0-02
Kilbrittain came out of the blocks as if they were the ones behind. With a steely determination then played on, taking each point and capitalising on their time in possession. Moreover when not in possession of the ball they were truly eager to win it back, with the team as a whole, chasing down possession in packs, at speed and with a fiery bite.
We'd close our eyes and brace for impact too: Kilbrittain's Ronan Crowley closes in on his mark at speed. Ronan Crowley has impressed this year in football and hurling. His eagerness to win ball and chase possession from one end of the field to the other has been a bane for any opposition he's faced. He teamed up with Shusti from the resumption, another with the same zeal for winning back possession and Crowley brought the ball to Luke for his tenth point of the match.
Always first: Luke Griffin makes sure he gets to the ball ahead of his mark, jumping high to retrieve it.
Muintir needed to stem the Kilbrittain tide before it got too far away from them or the game would go beyond them and so to their credit they made a push in the first ten minutes of the half especially. The next point on the scoreboard was one such score from left wing back Oisín Daly. However, maestro Luke retaliated with a well played point down the other end, reminding the Bhaire faithful of the challenge ahead. They were happy to be awarded a free in the minutes that followed and capitalised on the opportunity Cathal Cronin pointing over before they were awarded another free which they did well to convert also, to make it Kilbrittain 1-11 to Muintir 0-05 with five minutes gone in the second half.
Ronan Crowley reaches high to secure an inbound ball. But Muintirs three scores almost on the trot were not enough to scare Kilbrittain, whose calm demeanour under pressure was evident throughout. Indeed from the team photo in the beginning, the Kilbrittain camp felt calm and unperturbed, no rush, smiles and an ease about them even, the mark of a confident team under pressure.
All the rest of the second half scores would come from Kilbrittain and it might be added, many of them were initiated through excellent defence of the ball at the kick outs by Kilbrittain's half back line. Their full back line was never truly threatened and as Kilbrittain pushed forward, they were bolstered by the breadth of the free men behind them.
Adam Griffin drives the ball up the wing.
While journalistic standards see the surname as best to call out in a match report, when you've so many brothers on a team, sans a nickname the first name is easier to call out and at this stage you all know Luke. He was first to score of the remainder of the second half's purple patch. After a knee in the back he was awarded the free and despite the likely bruising he pointed the free over the bar. Then the resultant kick-out was brought through midfield by his brother Adam who found Darragh racing toward the square. As if inevitable after the game he'd had, the young Crowley slotted past the goalkeeper and rallied cheers from the Rosscarbery bank. Kilbrittain 2-12 to 0-05.
Forty-six minutes had gone and Kilbrittain drove on. Luke ran down the wing next offloading to Fusti inside who fisted the ball over the bar. 0-13. Then like a Baywatch poster boy, blonde locks flying, Ronan ran through center-field. Nearing the edge of the arch, whether he realised it or not, he stretched the leg back and let fly for a well taken and strong two pointer pushing Kilbrittain further ahead. 0-15.
Ronan Crowley secures a 2 pointer for Kilbrittain.
Kilbrittain had made some changes as the second half progressed, giving more lads playing time and when Ronan Sheehy, on for Shusti, was fouled in the forward line, Griffin stepped up and converted 0-16.
Then Muintir were granted a little luck, finding themselves in possession for a few minutes deep in Kilbrittain's half where they pulled off two excellent saves by brave Captain Owen McCarthy in goal. Both Egan and the fresh legs of Aaron McCarthy doing valiantly to keep Muintir at bay.
Kilbrittain's Aaron McCarthy races through midfield delivering the ball to the foward line. It was to be Kilbrittain's day though, James O'Mahony, also fresh on the field offloaded to Sheehy next, for a big ball through the uprights, 0-17, before Sheehy made a goal chance for Fusti inside, but alas, this time it was not meant to be. The ref's whistle blew and time was called on the balmy sunset match in Rosscarbery. Kilbrittain went home the well deserved victors and set themselves up for the first final of Kilbrittain's year. The date for that final is yet to be decided.
James O'Mahony reaches high for an inboung ball. Scorers:L.Griffin (0-07)(0-04F), D. Crowley (1-01), A. Griffin (1-0),R.Crowley (0-2 (2-pointer), G. O'Shea (0-01), F. Ustianowski (0-01), R.Sheehy (0-01) Team: Owen McCarthy (C), Adam Desmond, John Ryan, Loughlin O'Donnell, Gavin O'Shea, Cathal O'Callaghan (Sub: James O'Mahony 38mins), Fionn Ustianowski, Niall Egan, Ronan Crowley (Sub: CJ Bryan 50mins), Luke Griffin, Adam Griffin (Sub: Aaron McCarthy 50mins), Darragh Crowley (Sub: Cillian Madden 46mins), Shaye Ustianowski (Sub: Ronan Sheehy 38mins)Keith Hunt, Tom Hogan, Daniel Dollard.
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