Daly Fires Bricks To Final

Kilmurry-Ibrickane 1-7 v 0-9 Cratloe

 

Senior Football Semi Final @ Lissycasey

As predicted the footballers from the barony of Ibrickane have qualified for their third county final in four years after a hard earned defeat of Cratloe. Over the past number of years the accuarte Johnny Daly has scored some vital points for his side and Daly's winner after 57 minutes could well prove to be their most important score of the year. The 2010 All-Ireland club finalists started brightly and a Michael O’Dwyer goal after 10 minutes gave the favourites a 1-1 to 0-0 advantage having had the better of the chances. This might not seem like a massive lead but in wintery conditions a goal is as good as anything and four points can be very hard to claw back. This goal was certainly the most important one of the seventeen scored over the hour and allied to the failure of their opponents to split the posts from play, save Podge Collins’ effort after 45 minutes, it showed the resourcefulness of a strong Kilmurry defence.

The favourites had an early scores with Noel Downes before O'Dwyer's goal. Centre back on the programme Enda Coughlan, who lined out in the forwards, was on the mark with the men from Quilty and surrounds showcasing their class with some crisp passing. It must be said Cratloe had their own share of possession but were not afforded the space they crave as all they could show after the first quarter was a Cathal McInerney free. McInerney swung over another placed effort only for his namesake and opposing wingback Ian McInerney to regain the three-point lead. One of the scores of the game efforts courtesy of Enda Coughlan gave the 2009 champions a seemingly comfortable half time lead only for Liam Markham  to kick over a free to give them a bit of hope.

Mark McCarthy (Kilmurry-Ibrickane) and David Ryan (Cratloe) in action

Mark McCarthy continued where he left off in the second half with a good score to increase the lead to five before they were guilty of some missed chances as they dominated the first ten minutes of the new half. Then Cratloe started to get back on terms with some ill discipline from the ‘Bricks gifting the Clare-Limerick border team scoreable frees which Cathal McInerney and Liam Markham sent over with McCarthy on the mark from a free for Kilmurry-Ibrickane. In the 45^th minute Podge Collins hit their first effort from play to reduce the deficit to two before by the 55^th they were level with McInerney and Markham nailing frees. Padraig Chaplin was guilty of sending a scoring chance wide from 20 metres before Markham levelled it. It was inevitable that the next score would decide the winner and while the momentum was with Cratloe the class of the ‘Bricks would eventually show again when some fluid and crisp passing produced a chance for the veteran substitute Johnny Daly who shot over from 35 metres. It was a score worthy of deciding any game and for the remaining few minutes the championship favourites showed some great composure running down the clock with short passes.

While Kilmurry deserved the win they were given a stiff test from Cratloe and should win this championship out. One worrying statistic for them is the way the seemed to go into comfort mode in the second period, they can't afford for this to happen next day out as in that period they did not replicate their commanding manner of the first. They will await the victors of the Wolfe Tones and Doora/Barefield semi final which will be played tomorrow. For Cratloe they will be dissapointed to have lost, naturally enough, with their double dream over but they have progressed again building on the quarter final appearance of 2010 which is a good return for the intermediate champions of just two years ago. They now turn their attention to the hurling next week when they play Sixmilebridge in the semi final.

Kilmurry-Ibrickane: Peter O’Dwyer Jnr, Martin McMahon, Darren Hickey, Shane Hickey, Evan Talty, Enda Coughlan (0-2), Ian McInerney (0-1f), Paul O’Connor, Peter O’Dwyer, Mark McCarthy (0-2, 0-1f), Michael Hogan, Declan Callinan, Noel Downes (0-1), Michael O’Dwyer (1-0).

Subs: Seamus Lynch, Niall Hickey, Johnny Daly (0-1), Keith King   

Cratloe: Jamie Joyce, Sean Chaplin, Barry Duggan, David Ryan, Martin “Ogie” Murphy, Michael Hawes, Liam Markham (0-3fs), Brendan Bugler, Conor Ryan, Wesley De Loughrey, Sean Collins, Sean Hynan, Cathal McInerney (0-5fs), Conor McGrath, Podge Collins (0-1).

Subs: Enda Boyce, Damien Browne, Padraig Chaplin.

Man Of The Match: Shane Hickey (Kilmurry-Ibrickane)

 

Referee: Rory Hickey (Eire Óg)