AIB Munster GAA Football Intermediate Club Championship Semi-Final – Finuge (Kerry) 2-9 Pallasgreen (Limerick) 1-9

Galvin sees red but Finuge edge to final

By Brendan Buckley for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Finuge (Kerry) 2-9 Pallasgreen (Limerick) 1-9

Despite the 45th minute sending off of Paul Galvin, Finuge advanced to the Munster IFC final against Cork’s St Vincent’s. The Kerry inter-county man was shown a straight red card midway through the second half of this tough battle in Bruff. Galvin clashed with Robert O’Donnell, who was also dismissed but for a second yellow card offence. Pallasgreen were to finish with 13 with midfielder Jonathan Deere also shown a second yellow card in the 60th minute. John Colbert-managed Finuge, who lined out without the injured Eamon Fitzmaurice, led 2-4 to 0-6 at half-time, all scores in the opening 15 minutes.

A Paul Galvin free had them off the mark in the first five minutes. Pallasgreen’s Chris McMahon replied with a free but then the Kerry champions opened the first meaningful lead. Raymond Galvin pointed and then in the ninth minute came the first of James Flaherty’s two goals when he finished high to the net from close range. Eddie Mulcahy hit back for Pallasgreen but a Galvin free and a fine Maurice Corridan score increased the margin to 1-4 to 0-2 with 14 minutes played. Then Flaherty struck again. This time he side-stepped keeper Denis O’Connor to fire to an empty net for a 2-4 to 0-2 lead.

Finuge did not score again in the half as Pallasgreen battled back. Points from McMahon (frees), Kevin Barry and Tony McMahon had the lead down to four points by half-time. Three points on the resumption from Stephen Power, John Griffin and Pat Corridan reaffirmed the Finuge control. But they were to score just another two points in the remaining 23 minutes. The double-sending off came midway though the half as Finuge led 2-7 to 0-7. McMahon and Seamus Hayes had Pallasgreen points but their goal came too late from sub Pa Hennessy.

Scorers for Finuge: J Flaherty 2-0, P Galvin 0-2 (2f), R Galvin, M Corridan, J Griffin, S Power, P Corridan (f), J McCarthy, R Heffernan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Pallasgreen: C McMahon 0-4 (4f), P Hennessy 1-0, E Mulcahy, K Barry, T McMahon, T Cosgrave, S Hayes 0-1 each.

FINUGE: Cillian Fitzmaurice; C Allen, T McKenna, D McCarthy; Paudie Galvin, P Corridan, Conor Fitzmaurice; J Corridan, M Corridan; Paul Galvin, J Griffin, S Power; J Flaherty, M Conway, R Galvin.

Subs: J McCarthy for Conway (42), F Fitzmaurice for J Corridan (52), R Heffernan for Power (52), M Lynch for R Galvin (56).

PALLASGREEN: D O’Connor; W O’Dwyer, W McCarthy, K Dillon; S Hayes, L O’Dwyer, E Mulcahy; T McMahon, J Deere; R O’Donnell, C McMahon, S Mulcahy; K Barry, A Shanahan, A Wallace.

Subs: T Cosgrave for S Mulcahy (36), O Roche for K Barry (42), P Hennessy for Wallace (50).

Referee: R Hickey (Clare)

Limerick GAA – Pallas’ lose to Finuge as three sent off

Report from the Limerick Leader newspapee

LIMERICK intermediate football champions Pallasgreen had to give way to Kerry’s Finuge on a 2-9 to 1-9 scoreline in this Munster club IFC semi-final. But not before a titantic struggle in a tough encounter in Bruff. The game saw three players dismissed by Clare official Rory Hickey.

Former Footballer of the Year Paul Galvin was shown a straight red card midway through the second. Galvin clashed with Pallasgreen’s Robert O’Donnell, The Limerick man was also sent to the line but only for a second yellow card. Indeed Pallasgreen ended up with just 13-players as Jonathan Deere was dismissed in injury-time. Like O’Donnell, it was also for a second yellow card.

On the field of play, Pallasgreen were left to rue a slow start. In their quarter-final win over Ballinameela in Waterford they scored early goals but on this occasion they found themselves 2-4 to 0-2 down after 15-minutes. They did hold the Kerry champions scoresless for the remainder of the half and it was 2-4 to 0-6 at half time. The Kerry side increased the lead with three points on the resumption but again Pallasgreen then held them scoreless for over 15-minutes. But, alas, Pallasgreen could’t find the necessary goal. It eventually came in injury time from substitute Pa Hennessy.

SCORES: Pallasgreen: C McMahon 0-4 (4frees), P Hennessy 1-0, E Mulcahy, K Barry, T McMahon, T Cosgrave, S Hayes 0-1 each. Finuge: J Flaherty 2-0, P Galvin 0-2 (2frees), R Galvin, M Corridan, J Griffin, S Power, P Corridan (free), J McCarthy, R Heffernan 0-1 each.

PALLASGREEN – Denis O’Connor; Willie O’Dwyer, Wayne McCarthy, Kevin Dillon; Seamus Hayes, Lorcan O’Dwyer, Eddie Mulcahy; Tony McMahon, Jonathan Deere; Robert O’Donnell, Chris McMahon, Seamus Mulcahy; Kevin Barry, Aidan Shanahan, Alan Wallace. Subs: Trevor Cosgrave for Seamus Mulcahy (36mins), Owen Roche for Kevin Barry (42mins), Pa Hennessy for Alan Wallace (50mins).

FINUGE – Cillian Fitzmaurice; Chris Allen, Trevor McKenna, Declan McCarthy; Paudie Galvin, Pat Corridan, Conor Fitzmaurice; Paul Galvin, Maurice Corridan; Jack Corridan, John Griffin, Stephen Power; James Flaherty, Michael Conway, Raymond Galvin. Subs: John McCarthy for Michael Conway (42mins), Fergus Fitzmaurice for Jack Corridan (52mins), Ricky Heffernan for Stephen Power (52mins), Mike Lynch for Raymond Galvin (56mins).

REFEREE – Rory Hickey (Clare).

Next Round – the winners play St. Vincent’s (Cork) in the Munster Club Final on Sunday November 25^th

Admission Prices –
Adults – €10
Student/OAP – €5
Under 16s free

Contact Munster GAA PRO Ed Donnelly at pro.munster@gaa.ie for more information

For the Record

Munster GAA FOOTBALL Club Intermediate Championship 2012

Quarter-Finals (Extra time)
Saturday November 3^rd

@ Pairc Ui Rinn                                St. Vincent’s (Cork) 1-12 Moycarkey-Borris (Tipperary) 0-6

Sunday November 4^th (Replay date – Saturday November 10^th)

@ Cappoquin            Pallasgreen (Limerick) 2-8 Ballinameela (Waterford) 2-7

Semi-Finals (Extra time)
Sunday November 11th (Replay date – Saturday November 17th)

@ Bruff                                               Finuge (Kerry) v Pallasgreen (Limerick) 2:00pm

@ Pairc Ui Rinn St. Vincent’s (Cork) v O’Curry’s (Clare) 2:00pm

Final (Extra time)

Sunday November 25th (Replay date – Saturday December 1st)

2:00pm throw-in

Odds and Ends

Since the competition began in 2003, Kerry clubs have won 6 of the 9 Munster titles on offer, including the last 6 in a row. Cork clubs have won the other 3 Munster titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Clare clubs have reached the Munster Club Intermediate Football Final in 4 of the last 6 seasons dating back to 2006.

The victory of Pallasgreen (Limerick) over Ballinameela (Waterford) in the 2012 Munster Club Quarter-Final broke a losing streak of 6 matches for the Limerick representatives in this competition dating back to 2006.

Kerry’s Club Intermediate Football champions have won their last 15 matches in this competition.

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Intermediate Championship Roll Of Honour

Kerry (6) – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Cork (3) – 2003, 2004, 2005

All Ireland GAA Club FOOTBALL Intermediate Championship

In the Club Intermediate Football All Ireland Roll of Honour, Kerry clubs have secured 3 titles courtesy of Ardfert (Kerry – 2006/2007), St. Michael’s Foilmore (Kerry – 2008/2009) and Milltown-Castlemaine (Kerry – 2011/2012). Cork clubs have won 2 All-Ireland titles at this grade – Ilen Rovers (Cork – 2003/2004) and Carbery Rangers (Cork – 2004/2005).