2024 AIB Munster Club Junior Football Championship Semi-Final – Firies (Kerry) 3-17 Cappagh (Limerick) 2-11

Firies (Kerry) defeated Cappagh (Limerick) by 3-17 to 2-11 in the AIB Munster Club Junior Football Championship Semi-Final on Saturday November 23rd at Austin Stack Park Tralee.

Kerry champions Firies ignite early to power past Cappagh into Munster JFC final

Report by Murt Murphy courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper

Munster Club JFC semi-final: Firies (Kerry) 3-17 Cappagh (Limerick) 2-11

Firies moved past Limerick champions Cappagh in this AIB Munster Junior Football semi-final played on decent surface at the Austin Stack Park despite the overnight rain on Saturday lunch time but they were made battle harder than the scoreline suggests.

In fact Firies management will be demanding a lot more from the players when they face free scoring Kilmurry in the Munster Final in two weeks time, but for now, it was a case of job done.

Firies had the strong wind to their backs in the opening half and were looking comfortable at half time leading by nine points, 2-12 to 1-6 and playing possession football throughout the second half to maintain that advantage.

Cappagh can thank Limerick senior Seamus O’Carroll for keeping them in the game, as he looked a class act top scoring with 1-8, but only corner forward Cian O’Carroll gave him a helping hand. To be fair, the Limerick side came up against a well organised Firies defence who had former All-Ireland minor medal winner Niall Donoghue in sparkling form.

Firies got off to a dream start with two goals in the opening quarter as Cappagh goalkeeper Craig McInnis and his defence got their kick-out strategy all wrong. Stephen Palmer, Mike Day and Jake Flynn all kicked points as the result of poor kick-outs but in the 10th minute a calamitous mix up between the keeper and his corner back allowed Diarmuid O’Mahony to chip the ball into an empty net from twenty five metres.

Worse was to follow a minute later when Padraig De Brun and James Horgan sent Stephen Palmer through to round his marker and the keeper, before planting the ball in the Cappagh net. Palmer and Darragh Donohue then added quick points and suddenly it was 2-5 to 0-0 inside thirteen minutes.

Cappagh to their credit did get going thanks to Jack Lenihan, James Lanigan and scorer in chief O’Carroll who opened their account with a fine point, but Darragh Donoghue responded in kind to bring the opening quarter to a close.

Two more Firies points from Cian Doe and Darragh Brosnan pushed Firies 13 points clear but O’Carroll dragged his side back into the game during the final ten minutes of the half.

He added four points, John Fitzgerald another and then on the stroke of half time, Seamus O’Carroll set up Cian O’Carroll for a goal and at half time Firies led 2-12 to 1-6 but Cappagh would have the elements to their backs.

But Firies just did not allow Cappagh get their hands on the ball for the opening ten minutes on resumption until finally Seamus O’Carroll got a 40th minute point. Cian O’Carroll then should have got a goal but drilled it over the top and that more or less finished the game as a contest.

Niall Donohue, Stephen Palmer and James Horgan carried the game to Cappagh and even though Seamus O’Carroll converted a penalty in seven added minutes. James Horgan responded in kind at the other end, as Firies maintained their nine point margin, with Kilmurry waiting in the Munster Final and that will surely be a contest.

Scorers for Firies: J Horgan (1-5, 4fs), S Palmer (1-4), D O’Mahony (1-0), J Flynn, D Donohue and D Brosnan (0-2 each), C Doe and M Daly (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cappagh: S O’Carroll (1-8, 4fs, 1-0 pen), C O’Carroll (1-1), J Lanigan and J Fitzgerald (f) (0-1 each).

FIRIES: B McCarthy; C Palmer, D Brosnan, B O’Leary; N Donohue, T Clifford , D O’Mahony; P De Brun, J Flynn; C Doe, J Horgan, D Donohue; M Daly, D Brosnan, S Palmer.
Subs: S Cooper for D Donohue (45), L Brosnan for D Brosnan (52), T J Palmer for P De Brun (57), J Power for T Clifford (57), S Burke for M Daly (57).

CAPPAGH: C McInnis; O Dee, T McMahon, B Cregan; C Lenihan, B Lenihan, N Leahy; D Lowe, E Barry; S O’Carroll, C Barry, J Lanigan; C O’Carroll, J Lenihan, J Fitzgerald.
Subs: R O’Dea for D Lowe (55), P O’Gorman for C Barry (55), Pat Lenihan for J Fitzgerald (58)

Referee: C Murphy (Cork)

Team Sheet

Ticket Information

Click here to purchase tickets

Match Coverage

The game will be shown live on Clubber.

This Weekend's Fixtures LIVE on #ClubberTV 🏐🥎

🔗 Watch via PPV, Week Pass or Annual Pass on https://t.co/yMkMTpFmTc 📺 pic.twitter.com/DjbipgN25Q

— Clubber (@clubber) November 21, 2024