Munster Senior Football Championship Final – Cork vs. Limerick
Rebels come back for narrow win
From the GAA.ie web site
Sunday, July 5.
Cork claimed the Munster title for the second year running at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday – but not without a massive struggle against rank outsiders Limerick.
Cork 2-6 Limerick 0-11
In the end, Conor Counihan’s Rebels stuttered over the line with a point to spare, but Limerick led for much of the game and but for some wayward second-half shooting could well have won their first provincial crown since 1896. The game turned when Colm O’Neill, the star of Cork’s GAA Cadbury’s All-Ireland Under-21 success, was introduced midway through the second half. O’Neill gave Cork a physical presence in attack and played a pivotal role in Daniel Goulding’s vital goal. O’Neill struck a glorious long-range effort that levelled the game minutes later and Cork dominated the closing stages to emerge with the win.
Cork’s reputation as the team most likely to break up Kerry and Tyrone’s dominance of the All-Ireland Championship was hardly accentuated, but manager Counihan will find comfort in the fact that his players came good when it really mattered. For Limerick, they will undoubtedly be dubbed – rather patronisingly given their superb showing – gallant losers after rattling the Rebels to their core and leading the game 0-8 to 1-2 at half-time. John Galvin was outstanding in midfield for Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s side, while the supremely talented Ian Ryan fired over four points from play in the opening half alone.
It could have been even more bleak for Cork had they not been awarded a somewhat fortuitous penalty, which Donncha O’Connor dispatched expertly to peg Limerick back after they had raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead. It looked like the spur the Rebels needed, but they failed to kick a single further score in the first half and it was Limerick, whose half-back line exposed some yawning gaps in the Cork armoury, who hit four more scores without reply.
Roll of Honour
Munster Senior Football Championship Roll of Honour
Fixture Details
SUNDAY JULY 5TH. 2009
At PAIRC UI CHAOIMH, CORK
Munster GAA Senior Football Championship FINAL
Corcaigh v Luimneach at 2.00p.m.
Reiteoir: Rory Hickey (An Clár)
Ticket Details
Tickets for the Munster Football Final are available on line since Friday morning June 19th
- Tickets will cost €35 for adults to the covered stand, €30 for adults to the uncovered stand and €20 to the terrace.
- Juveniles can purchase tickets for €5 to either of the stands.
- Student terrace tickets are available through the participating county boards for €15.
- Senior Citizens can obtain a refund of €10 on full priced stand tickets at designated turnstiles on production of valid ID prior to entering the stadium.
- Family tickets are available at €5 per child accompanied with an adult and must be booked through the clubs in the participating Counties.
- Group Rates – €3 per child with 1 Adult free with every 10 children. Tickets must be booked in advance through the participating County Boards.
Special Ticket Package for Munster Senior and Minor Finals
The Munster Council have put together a special package for the 2009 Munster Senior and Minor Hurling and Football Finals. The package consists of a ticket to both the Munster football and hurling finals and is offered at €5 discount per game. For example, if someone chooses to buy a covered stand ticket for both games they will be charged €60 and not €70 if purchase separately. These special tickets will be available online from 10:00am on Thursday morning June 25th while stocks last.
To purchase Munster GAA tickets please click here
Team News
CORK (SF v Limerick) – Alan Quirke (Valley Rovers); Ray Carey (Clyda Rovers), Michael Shields (St. Finbarrs), Anthony Lynch (Naomh Aban); John Miskella (Ballincollig), Graham Canty (Bantry Blues-Capt.), Kieran O’Connor (Aghada); Alan O’Connor (St. Colms), Nicholas Murphy (Carrigaline); Paddy Kelly (Ballincollig), Pearse O’Neill (Aghada), Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers); Daniel Goulding (Eire Og), James Masters (Nemo Rangers), Donncha O Connor (Ballydesmond)
LIMERICK (SF v Cork) – Limerick: S Kiely; J McCarthy, S Gallagher, M O’Riordan, S Lavin, S Lucey, P Ranahan, J O’Donovan, J Galvin, P Browne, C Joyce-Power, S Buckley (Capt), G Collins, S Kelly, I Ryan
Flags
County Flags will be distributed FREE to all children at the Final.
Musical Entertainment
Music will be provided by the Band of the First Southern Brigade
Match Coverage
The match will be shown live on TV3.
Captains
Captains of Munster Final Winning Senior Football Teams will be presented to the crowd at half-time in the Senior Final.
Match Preview
Munster Football Final Preview
From the GAA.ie web site
Saturday, July 4
Cork and Limerick meet in the Munster football final for the first time since 1901, with the Rebels looking for their fourth provincial title of the decade, while the Treaty men have a slightly more modest record having failed to lift the trophy since 1896. History is against Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s side, but they need only look to the Munster clash between the two sides last year to realise that they have the ability to pull off a massive shock. Cork used their ‘get out of jail free card’ that day and needed two late goals to escape with a win. However, that was manager Conor Counihan’s first Championship game in charge and he has completely reshaped his team since then. Although the core of the Cork team has remained unchanged, Counihan has impressed sharp observers with his eye for introducing talent that may have flown beneath the radar of some of his predecessors.
Counihan has looked beyond the traditional strongholds of Cork football and given opportunities to a host of players who may not have previously been given a chance to wear the blood and bandage. The gamble has paid off handsomely and Cork now have arguably the strongest squad in the entire Championship. Doubts over their big game mentality were all but erased with the eight-point replay win over Kerry, and admirers have been queuing up to praise the brand of football they play. It’s an all-action, aggressive style, but they now have the talent in the inside forward line to finish teams of when it really matters.
Limerick have enjoyed a slightly more underwhelming path to the final, beating Tipperary and Clare. However, the win over John Evans’ Tipperary was a brilliant confidence booster after they struggled in Allianz NFL Division Three this year. Part of Limerick’s success has been the availability of their dual players, while Stephen Kelly has returned from a broken hand just in time to take his place at full-forward. The battle between Cork full- back Michael Shields and Kelly will be key on Sunday. Cork have made just one enforced change, bringing Kieran O’Connor in at wing-back in place of the suspended Noel O’Leary. The availability of John Miskella on the other wing is a major plus as the Ballincollig clubman has enjoyed a vintage season.
Cork should prove too strong in the middle third, and if they get their tails up, players like Nicholas Murphy, Alan O’Connor and the supremely fit Pearse O’Neill could cause serious damage through the heart of the Limerick defence. Cork’s ability to counter-attack with pace from defence is their most potent weapon, and unless the wily Mickey Ned has some sort of tactical plan in store, the Rebels could run out easy winners.
Cork: A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, A Lynch; J Miskella, G Canty, K O’Connor; A O’Connor, N Murphy; P Kelly, P O’Neill, P Kerrigan; D Goulding, J Masters, D O’Connor.
Limerick: S. Kiely; J. McCarthy, S. Gallagher, M. O’Riordan; S. Lavin, S. Lucey, P. Ranaghan; J. O’Donovan, J. Galvin; P. Browne, C. Joyce-Power, S. Buckley; G. Collins, S. Kelly, I. Ryan.
