Castlehaven hero Damien Cahalane called on soccer muscle memory

Damien Cahalane's penalty shootout heroics saw Castlehaven crowned Munster club football champions on Sunday and led to the inter-county hurler hailing the day as one of the best of his life.

Daingean Uí Chúis and Cahalane's side were locked on 0-13 each after extra-time, with the 31-year-old replacing Darragh Cahalane in goal for the dramatic denouement.

As a deluge which would have prompted Noah to count in twos battered the TUS Gaelic Grounds, Cahalane converted two penalties of his own and made the crucial save from Kerry All-Star Tom O'Sullivan.

Cahalane enjoyed considerable success between the sticks with Greenwood as a schoolboy, where Ireland international John Egan was one of his team-mates, prompting his switch to goal when penalties arrived.

"Darragh had done a great job in goal all game," the three-time Munster SHC winner told RTÉ Sport.

"We had made a decision that if it came down to penalties, maybe I'd step in goal.

"I played a lot of soccer in goal at underage and we said we'd give it a shot. It was a shot to nothing and it worked out.

"When it comes down to that stage, it's a bit of a lottery and a horrible way to lose a game, but we got over the line in the end and it's great."

A mainstay of the Cork hurling side since 2012, Cahalane hurls for St Finbarr's but has been a stalwart for his famous father's football club since the underage grades.

His Dad Niall, an All-Star defender and two-time All-Ireland winner, was part of the Castlehaven team that won three Munster championship in 1989, 1994 and 1997. Now, they've added a fourth and Cahalane the younger was grateful to emulate those "heroes".

Castlehaven twice trailed by three points, but Cahalane never doubted his team-mates' resolve.

"This group, there's so