Cill na Martra 2-15 Béal Átha ‘n Ghaorthaidh 2-14 Sometimes the occasion does live up to the expectations. That was certainly the case in beautiful Baile Bhuirne on Sunday as Cill na Martra edged their Gaeltacht rivals from Béal Átha ‘n Ghaorthaidh by a single point in a cracker of an encounter in the Cork SAFC. The win, coupled with Carrigaline’s victory over Kiskeam mean that those two teams have now qualified from Group 1 while Béal Átha and Kiskeam must face off to try and stave off the threat of relegation.
It seems cruel on Béal Átha, who came back from the dead in the final quarter. They trailed by 2-12 to 0-11 but the outstanding Ben Seartan rallied them with two points before two goals in two minutes from Seán Ó Luasa and Séamus Ó Tuama breathed new life into their support. Dan Ó Duinnín hit his fourth in between those two majors, and incredibly the sides were level for the fourth time.
Cill na Martra dug deep, however, and a Damien Ó hUrdail free and a beauty from Maidhcí Ó Duinnín put them two clear with two to go. Nollaig Ó Laoire brought it back to one, but Béal Átha just couldn’t work the opportunity the needed. Cill na Martra selector, Seán Ó Céilleachair, was impressed by that resolve afterwards.
“They’re the lads you want at the end of those moves. But they had the momentum, they had got the two goals, and all the momentum was going that way. If you were a betting man, you’d probably have put your .