Munster Club SHC Final Replay – Na Piarsaigh 1-13 Crusheen 0-9

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) defeated Crusheen (Clare) by 1-13 to 0-9 in the replay of the AIB Munster Club SHC Final on Sunday at Semple Stadium Thurles.

Click here to view photos from the match

Piarsaigh young guns come of age

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 1-13 Crusheen (Clare) 0-09

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

A BITTERLY cold afternoon in Semple Stadium yesterday, biting wind and heavy showers; a disappointing afternoon also for the players and supporters of gallant Crusheen. And yet it was a game to stir the blood and warm the heart of even the most cynical as Na Piarsaigh continue their Cinderella season — adding a first Munster Club SHC title to the ground-breaking Limerick crown won just a few weeks ago. In front of another disappointing attendance (2,486, down 500 from last week), from the opening minutes it was obvious this was going to be a very different contest to the sporting but almost bloodless affair that was the drawn match. As was the case on Sunday last, both sets of players were totally committed, individually and as a group gave it everything with neither time nor space easily found. But there was also some serious early belting in this one, and it was all from one side, three Na Piarsaigh players (Brian Hartnett, David Breen and Kevin Downes) yellow carded by referee Cathal McAllister within the opening three minutes for dangerous pulls.

It can’t be said this set the tone for the game — from there on it was again a very sporting encounter — but it did say something about which side was the more energised. It took a while for all that energy to emerge but when it did — well, let’s save that for later. Despite all that early Na Piarsaigh bluster, Crusheen set the pace but three bad wides was all they had to show for their efforts. In contrast, with the first look at the posts Kevin Downes, the Na Piarsaigh full-forward, blasted a fine point over from the wide left for the early lead. Late call-up Tony Meaney then replied for Crusheen, but points from Downes again and wing-forward Kevin Ryan had Na Piarsaigh 0-3 to 0-1ahead in the 13th minute. With the wind not giving either side a major advantage Crusheen took charge, and a strong second-quarter (as was the case last week) had them a point in front at the break, 0-5 to 0-4 — young centre-forward Jamie Fitzgibbon with a fine brace.

Na Piarsaigh began the second half looking very strong and tied the game through the giant David Breen, but then missed three opportunities to surge ahead. Crusheen then came fighting back, two more points from Fitzgibbon (had a great tussle with Na Piarsaigh centre-back James O’Brien, who shaded the contest and took man of the match honours) along with two from free-taker Pat Vaughan, against one from Shane Dowling, putting the Claremen three clear (0-9 to 0-6) with only 14 minutes left. The final quarter, however, was all Na Piarsaigh. Where Dowling, scoring hero of last week’s draw, had been quiet up to then, suddenly he began to make his presence felt. Just as significantly, Downes and David Breen also became even more prominent, as did corner forward Kevin Kennedy. Most significantly of all, substitute Adrian Breen, dropped after a poor performance last week, exploded into the game.

Out of nowhere the scores started to flow, and the current was all one-way. 1-6 Na Piarsaigh notched in the final quarter, no reply from Crusheen; 1-3 by Adrian Breen, the goal coming in the 58th minute after fine setup work by Dowling and Downes, two more from Dowling himself, a long-ranger from David Breen, and what had been a tight, tense game was blown open. Rough justice on Crusheen, eventually, and they had legitimate claims for a penalty in the 18th minute ignored, but overall their lack of any kind of goal-scoring threat cost dearly. They were overrun eventually, but can still hold their heads high. On a dreary day, they played their part.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: A Breen 1-3, S Dowling 0-3 (2fs, 0-1 65), K Downes, D Breen 0-2 each, K Kennedy, K Ryan, C King 0-1 each.

Scorers for Crusheen: J Fitzgibbon 0-4, P Vaughan 0-3 (2fs), T Meaney, D Forde, 0-1 each.

Subs for Na Piarsaigh: A Breen for Gleeson (28), A Hennessy for Cunningham (40), J Madden for O’Neill (48).

Subs for Crusheen: C O’Donnell for Forde (45), J Meaney for T Meaney (51).

Referee: C McAllister (Cork)

Next Round – the winners play Lougheil Shamrocks (Antrim) in the All-Ireland Club Semi-Final on February 11^th.

For the Record

Munster GAA HURLING Club Senior Championship 2011

Quarter-Final

Sunday October 30^th

@ Semple Stadium Thurles           Ballygunner (Waterford) 2-15 Drom & Inch (Tipperary) 1-13

Semi-Finals
Sunday November 13^th

@ Pairc Ui Chaoimh                       Crusheen (Clare) 0-19 Carrigtwohill (Cork) 1-10

@ Walsh Park Waterford                 Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 3-9 Ballygunner (Waterford) 0-12

Final

Sunday November 27^th

@ Semple Stadium Thurles           Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 1-11 Crusheen (Clare) 0-14

Final Replay

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

@ Semple Stadium Thurles           Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) v Crusheen (Clare) 2:00pm

Munster GAA Club HURLING Senior Championship Roll Of Honour

Cork (17) – 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1987, 2003, 2005, 2009

Tipperary (11) – 1966, 1969, 1970, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993, 2004, 2006, 2007

Clare (9) – 1967, 1968, 1984, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

Waterford (5) – 1981, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010

Limerick (5) – 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994,

Clare winning teams in Munster GAA Club HURLING Senior Championship

1967 – Newmarket on Fergus, Clare 3-09 Carrick Davins, Tipperary 2-07

NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS CLARE: Kevin Toomey, Jim Woods, Ml. Considine, Louis Halpin, Jim Cullinan (Captain), Gus Lohan, Joe Hannon, Val Arthur, Liam Danaher, Jimmie McNamara, Paddy McNamara, Pat O’Leary, John McMahon, Mick Arthur, Michael O’Leary.

Sub: Tom Melody.
1968 – Newmarket on Fergus, Clare 5-08 Ballygunner, Waterford 4-03

NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS, CLARE: Kevin Toomey, John O’Leary, Ml. Considine, Billy Meehan, Con Woods, Gus Lohan, D.J. Meehan, Liam Danaher, Pat O’Leary, Val Arthur, Paddy McNamara, Timmie Ryan, Ml. Kilmartin, Jim Woods, Michael O’Leary.

Sub: Mick Arthur.

1984 – Sixmilebridge, Clare 4-10 Patrickswell, Limerick 2-06

SIXMILEBRIDGE, CLARE: Pat Collins, Jamesie Keogh, Noel O’Gorman, Kieran O’Shea, Martin Corry, Sean Stack (Captain), John Brennan, Pat Morey, Flan Quilligan, John Chaplin, P.J. Fitzpatrick, Tommy Morey, Eamon Healy, Danny Chaplin, Gerry Mclnerney.

1995 – Sixmilebridge, Clare 2-18 Eire Og Nenagh, Tipperary 1-07

SIXMILEBRIDGE, CLARE: Davy Fitzgerald, Michael O’Halloran, Kevin McInerney, Michael Toomey, Christy “Rusty” Chaplin, Pat Hayes, Ian Mulready (Captain), Noel Earlie, John Chaplin, Martin Conlon, Flan Quilligan, Alan Mulready, Declan McInerney, Danny Chaplin, Gerry McInerney.

Subs: John O’Connell, Noel O’Gorman, David Chaplin.
1996 – Wolfe Tones, Clare 4-09 Ballygunner, Waterford 4-08

WOLFE TONES, CLARE: Damian Garrihy, Gerry McIntyre, Brian Lohan (Captain), Martin Hartigan, Frank Lohan, Sean Power, Paul Meaney, Denis O’Riordan, Pat O’Rourke, John O’Riordan, Ciaran O’Neill, Paul Lee, Paul O’Rourke, Finbarr Carrig, Paul Keary.

Subs: Derek Collins (played); Michael O’Neill, John Markham, Mark Purcell, John McPhillips, Ger Carrig, Fergal O’Shea, Mike McPhillips, Ray Carley, Joe Costello, Andrew Carr, Eddie Mulvihill
1997 – Clarecastle, Clare 2-11 Patrickswell, Limerick 0-15

CLARECASTLE, CLARE: Tommy Hegarty, Ger Canny, Martin Sheedy (Captain), Bernard Scanlon, Pat Healy, Stephen Sheedy, Anthony Daly, Kenneth Morrissey, Victor O’Loughlin, Fergus Tuohy, Alan Neville, Danny Scanlon, Robert Fitzgerald, Ken Ralph, Ger O’Loughlin.

1998 – St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield, Clare 0-12 Toomevara, Tipperary 0-08

ST.JOSEPHS DOORA BAREFIELD, CLARE: Christy O’Connor, Ger Hoey, Donal Cahill, Kenneth Kennedy, David Hoey, Sean McMahon, Darragh O’Driscoll, Ollie Baker, Joe Considine, James O’Connor, Noel Brodie, Lorcan Hassett (Captain), Greg Baker, Ciaran O’Neill, Andrew Whelan.

Sub: Colm Mullan.
1999 – St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield, Clare 4-09 Ballygunner, Waterford 3-08

ST.JOSEPHS DOORA BAREFIELD, CLARE: Christy O’Connor, Ger Hoey, Donal Cahill, Kenneth Kennedy, David Hoey, Sean McMahon, Darragh O’Driscoll, Ollie Baker, Joe Considine, Colm Mullan, James O’Connor, Noel Brodie, Andrew Whelan, Ciaran O’Neill, Greg Baker.

Subs: Fergal O’Sullivan, Dermot Daly.
2000 – Sixmilebridge, Clare 2-17 Mount Sion, Waterford 3-08

SIXMILEBRIDGE, CLARE: Davy Fitzgerald, Kevin McInerney, John O’Connell, Wayne Kennedy, Alan Mulready, Pat Hayes, Declan Murphy, Stiofan Fitzpatrick, Christy Chaplin (Captain), Robert Conlon, John Reddan, Martin Conlon, Brian Culbert, Niall Gilligan, John O’Meara

Subs: Brian Kennedy, Paul Fitzpatrick, Adrian Chaplin

Limerick winning teams in Munster GAA Club HURLING Senior Championship

1988 – Patrickswell, Limerick 3-13 Mount Sion, Waterford 2-13

PATRICKSWELL, LIMERICK: Joe Murphy, Philip Foley, Leonard Enright, Paul Foley, Dave Punch, Pa Carey, Pa Foley, Anthony Carmody, David Punch, Ciaran Carey, Gary Kirby, Seamus Kirby, Ger Hayes (Captain), Sean Foley, Frankie Nolan.

Sub: Gerard Burke
1989 – Ballybrown, Limerick 2-12 Sixmilebridge, Clare 1-08

BALLYBROWN, LIMERICK: Francis O’Reilly, James Coughlan, John Kenny, Shane Adams, Paul O’Connor, Joe O’Connor, Tony Hall, Joe Mann, Colm Coughlan, Ollie O’Connor, Terence Kenny, Pat Davoren, Ed Cliffe, Peter Mulqueen, Seany Hayes.

Sub: C Keyes.
1990 – Patrickswell, Limerick 0-08 Eire Og Ennis, Clare 0-06

PATRICKSWELL, LIMERICK: Joe Murphy, Philip Foley, Paul Foley, Eamonn Kelleher, Dave Punch (Captain), Pa Carey, Pa Foley, Anthony Carmody, Sean Carey, Ger Hayes, Gary Kirby, Seamus Kirby, Sean Foley, Nigel Carey, Leonard Enright.

Sub: Paul O’Grady.
1992 – Kilmallock, Limerick 3-11 Sixmilebridge, Clare 2-11

KILMALLOCK, LIMERICK: Ger Hanley, Sean Burchill, J.J. O’Riordan, Shane O’Grady, Ger O’Riordan, Dave Clarke, Donal Barry, Mike Houlihan, Sean Barrett, Paddy Kelly (Captain), Brendan Hanley, Pat Barrett, Paudge Tobin, Dave Hanley, Thomas Nelligan.

Sub: Paul Dowling

1994 – Kilmallock, Limerick 2-11 Toomevara, Tipperary 1-11

KILMALLOCK, LIMERICK: Tom Hennessy, Ger O’Riordan, Sean Burchill, Shane O’Grady, James Connery, Dave Clarke, Donal Barry, Mike Houlihan (Captain), Pat Barrett, Liam Neenan, Maurice Neligan, Pat Dowling, Paudge Tobin, Brendan Hanley, Paddy Kelly.

Munster GAA Club HURLING 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 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/shclub_teams/

All Ireland GAA Club HURLING Senior Championship

In the Club Senior Hurling All Ireland Roll of Honour, Cork clubs have won 9 titles followed by Tipperary with 3 and Clare with 2. Galway lead the roll of honour with 11 club titles followed by Kilkenny clubs with 10.

Munster Club Senior HURLING Cup

Club Championship Senior Hurling Cup – O’Neill Cup

Presented by Sarsfields Club, Cork, in 1972 to commemorate Billy O’Neill who founded their club in 1903.