AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Quarter Final – Ballinacourty (Waterford) 2-7 Dromcollogher-Broadford (Limerick) 0-11

Courty hold off late charge

By Tomás McCarthy for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Ballinacourty 2-7 Dromcollogher-Broadford 0-11

In a fragmented contest high on endeavour, Ballinacourty withstood severe second-half pressure from Drom-Broadford to squirm through to the final four of the Munster race. Two first-half sniffer goals from Jason O’Brien and Mark Ferncombe left them five in front but the visitors patiently chiselled away and closed to within a single point entering the final five minutes. Courty went 19 minutes without a score in the second period but won primary ball when Broadford turned up the temperature. They claimed two consecutive kickouts which resulted in Gary Hurney and Michael O’Halloran nailing the clinching points.

“It was a tough day, Broadford are a good team and there was heavy ground,” defender Richie Foley observed. “It was a typical Munster championship game and that was a game where we dug deep and we are very happy.” He highlighted their hunger at the finish to stem the tide. “Patrick and Gary Hurney stood up at the end and caught two absolutely vital balls when there was only a point in it. To win those balls on such a bad day, they are so crucial to win those dirty balls. We done it when it mattered at the end.”

Referee Conor Lane whistled for 44 frees in a stop-start game where players worked themselves to a standstill. The first half was a slow burner. Derry McCarthy and Shane Briggs exchanged early points before Ray Lynch nabbed the lead on eight minutes after a delicate flick from Michael Reidy sent him away. Courty shot five first half wides with Broadford narrowly trailing on four.

A feast arrived after the famine. Michael O’Halloran sent over a 45 to end the drought on 21 minutes and he followed up immediately with a close-range free. Derry McCarthy then equalised with a quality curling effort. On 25 minutes, Shane Briggs floated a pass across to Mark Ferncombe and even though his point attempt fell short, Jason O’Brien pounced to find the net. Danger man Derry McCarthy fired a fantastic third from the right flank and this prompted Courty to move Richie Foley across to watch him. Courty snuck a second goal two minutes before the break when Patrick Hurney’s delivery was punched home by the lurking Mark Ferncombe. Killian Phair got one back for Broadford to leave Courty with a 2-3 to 0-5 half-time cushion.

Captain Mark Fives recovered Courty’s five-point lead inside 20 seconds of the restart. They started conceding frees at an alarming rate, however, and Broadford reeled off three-in-a-row through Reidy, McCarthy and a fisted Phair effort. Shane Briggs burst forward for a rallying point to ease the Waterford winners three to the good (2-5 to 0-8) after 40 minutes. Ballinacourty made life difficult for themselves as the free count swelled (16 conceded in the second half) and they kicked three wides. Bizarrely, Broadford withdrew Derry McCarthy, much to the disbelief of the player in question. Phair now became the focal point of their attack and he whittled the lead down to two.

The other corner man, Ray Lynch, left the slenderest of margins between them (2-5 to 0-10) on 54 minutes. Courty steadied. Richie Foley, Patrick Hurney and Gary Hurney grabbed a hold of the middle and they poured forward. Michael O’Halloran missed a sitter of a free but they completed the job. With one minute left, Gary Hurney calmly slotted their first white flag in 19 minutes and almost immediately, O’Halloran also obliged. Phair’s injury-time free couldn’t stall Courty’ s progress to a meeting with the Clare champions in a fortnight.

Scorers for Ballinacourty: M Ferncombe, J O’Brien 1-0 each; M O’Halloran 0-3 (1f, 1 45’); S Briggs 0-2; M Fives, G Hurney 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dromcollogher-Broadford: D McCarthy, K Phair (1f) 0-4 each; R Lynch 0-2; M Reidy 0-1.

BALLINACOURTY: S Enright; B Looby, S Briggs, D Collins; R Foley, S O’Hare, C Moloney; J O’Mahoney, G Hurney; M Ferncombe, M Fives, M Gorman; M O’Halloran, J O’Brien, P Hurney.

Subs: J Power for Gorman (48); S Donovan for O’Brien (48); G Breen for Collins (56).

DROMCOLLOGHER-BROADFORD: K Noonan; E Barry, D O’Leary, C Fahy; G Noonan, B Noonan, G Egan; S Buckley, M O’Sullivan; M Brosnan, P Donnelly, D McCarthy; R Lynch, M Reidy, K Phair.

Subs: J Stokes for O’Sullivan (h-t); S Brosnan for M Brosnan (h-t); G Greaney for K Noonan (41); P Madigan for McCarthy (48); M Boyce for G Noonan (54).

Referee: C Lane (Cork)

When – Sunday November 3^rd at 2:00pm

Where – Fraher Field Dungarvan

Referee – Conor Lane (Cork)
Standby Referee – James Bermingham (Cork)
Linesman – Joe Larkin (Cork)
4th Official – Mark Lynch (Cork)
Umpires – John Joe Lane, Joe Fleming, D J O’Sullivan and Pat Kelly (Cork)

Extra time – (2 periods x 10 minutes only) to be played if sides finish level at the end of 60 minutes

Replay date – Saturday November 9^th at a Limerick venue

Next Round – the winners play the Clare champions in the Munster Semi-Final at a Clare or Limerick venue

Admission Prices –
Adults – €15
Student/OAP – €10
Under 16s are free

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

For the Record

Munster GAA FOOTBALL Club Senior Championship 2013

Quarter-Finals (Extra time)

Sunday November 3^rd

@ Fraher Field Dungarvan Ballinacourty (Waterford) v Drom-Broadford (Limerick) 2:00pm

@ Dr. Crokes Killarney       Dr. Crokes (Kerry) v Castlehaven (Cork) 2:15pm

Semi-Finals (Extra time)
Sunday November 17^th

@ Clare or Limerick venue            Clare representatives v Ballinacourty (Waterford)

or Drom-Broadford (Limerick) 2:00pm
@ Kerry or Cork venue                   Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) v

Dr. Crokes (Kerry) or Castlehaven (Cork) 2:00pm

Final (Extra time)

Sunday December 1^st

Odds and Ends

Limerick’s Dromcollogher-Broadford defeated Nemo Rangers and Kilmurry/Ibrickane to win the 2008 Munster Club Senior Football title. Those 2 victories are the only wins for the Limerick Senior Football champions in this competition dating back to 2003, a period of 10 matches which include 9 defeats and 1 drawn game.

Ballinacourty of Waterford reached the 2007 Munster Club Football Final, losing out narrowly to Nemo Rangers (Cork) in the final at Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney on a scoreline of 1-10 to 1-7.

From 1964 to 1997, no club outside of Kerry or Cork won the Munster Club Senior Football title (Thomond College representing Limerick won the 1977 title). Since 1998, Kilmurry/Ibrickane (2), Doonbeg and Dromcollogher-Broadford have been successful in winning the Munster Club Senior Football titles.

Dr. Crokes (Kerry) are looking to win three Munster Club Senior Football titles in a row. The only club to achieve this feat in the past was Nemo Rangers (Cork) who captured three titles in a row from 2000 to 2002, winning the All-Ireland Club title following their 2002 Munster success.

Since 2000, Cork hold the best record in the Munster Club Championship with 22 victories and 6 Munster Club titles during that period.

Since St. Patrick’s Day 1996, only 1 of the last 17 Munster Club Senior Football champions (6%) have won the All-Ireland Club Senior Football titles – Nemo Rangers in the 2002/2003 season. Prior to 1996, Munster Clubs captured 15 All-Ireland’s at this grade, an average of 60% dating back to 1971.

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Senior Championship Roll Of Honour

Cork (27) – 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010

Kerry (15) – 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012

Clare (3) – 1998, 2004, 2009

Limerick (2) – 1977, 2008

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Senior Championship Finals – 2002 to 2012

2012 – Dr. Crokes, Kerry 0-19 Castlehaven, Cork 0-12

2011 – Dr. Crokes, Kerry 3-14 UCC, Cork 2-10

2010 – Nemo Rangers, Cork 1-15 Dr. Crokes, Kerry 1-13

2009 – Kilmurry-Ibrickane, Clare 0-7 Kerins O’Rahillys, Kerry 0-6

2008 – Dromcollogher-Broadford, Limerick 0-6 Kilmurry-Ibrickane, Clare 0-5

2007 – Nemo Rangers, Cork 1-10 Ballinacourty, Waterford 1-7

2006 – Dr. Crokes, Kerry 2-5 Nire, Waterford 0-8

2005 – Nemo Rangers, Cork 2-12 St. Senan’s Kilkee, Clare 1-6

2004 – Kilmurry Ibrickane, Clare 0-9 Stradbally, Waterford 0-9 (drawn game);
Kilmurry Ibrickane, Clare 0-9 Stradbally, Waterford 0-8 (replay)

2003 – An Ghaeltacht, Kerry 1-8 St. Senan’s Kilkee 1-6

2002 – Nemo Rangers, Cork 4-15 Monaleen, Limerick 0-6

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Senior Championship – List of Winning Teams

Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete list of each winning team since the competition began 1964  – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/sfclub_teams

All Ireland GAA Club FOOTBALL Senior Championship

In the Club Senior Football All Ireland Roll of Honour, Cork top the charts with 11 titles followed by Kerry with 5. Limerick have 1 All-Ireland Club Football title courtesy of Thomond College in 1977/1978.

Munster Club Senior FOOTBALL Cup

Club Championship Senior Football Cup – Michael O’Connor Cup

Presented by Munster Council in 1991 to commemorate late Chairman & Treasurer.