AIB Munster GAA Football Junior Club Championship Final – Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry) 0-20 Cappamore (Limerick) 2-8

Captain O’Connor inspires Kenmare

By Denis Hurley for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry) 0-20 Cappamore (Limerick) 2-08

Click to view photos from the game

The outcome was never really in doubt as Kenmare Shamrocks claimed the AIB Munster Club JFC at Cappamore’s expense in Mallow yesterday. Though Cappamore gave a good account of themselves and managed 2-8 against a Kenmare defence that will face tougher questions in the All-Ireland series, the Kerry side’s attacking play was a sight to behold at times, despite never needing to use top gear. Captain and full-forward Paul O’Connor sparkled for the winners, kicking 10 points while Stephen O’Brien alongside him scored four and DJ Brennan, named at right half-forward but capable of popping up anywhere, added three. At centre-forward, Mark Crowley knitted the play together well and got on the scoresheet too, while in midfield Jimmy Wharton and Shane Dalton combined superbly.

For manager Pat O’Connor, it was about getting the job done, and acknowledging the efforts off the pitch as well as on it. “The real leader of the team has to be Enda Crowley, the trainer,” he said. “He did his cruciate two years ago, and that robbed him of a starting place and at 31 years of age the guy could have packed it in, but he turned it around and trained the team. He put his heart and soul into it. “As much and all as it’s a victory for the players, it’s a victory for Enda, I’m delighted for him. This started last January, we took every game as it came and gave every team the same respect, starting with Sneem all the way through to today.”

While two O’Connor points had Kenmare off the mark early on, Cappamore’s most dangerous forward Andy Murphy soon levelled but in general, Kenmare had far more of the play. Cappamore fielded player-manager Diarmuid Sheehy as a sweeper between the two lines of defence, but while he didn’t do badly, it meant that whenever the Limerick side did get the ball away it came back just as quickly, and when Crowley pointed in the 16th minute Kenmare led by 0-9 to 0-2.

Following a Murphy free for Cappamore, though, Kenmare goalkeeper Kieran Fitzgibbon sent his kickout straight to Tommy O’Donoghue, whose handpass allowed John Ryan an easy goal, and when Murphy pointed again there was suddenly only two points in it. Even so, Kenmare didn’t look troubled and Crowley and O’Connor (two) gave them breathing space again, the half-time score 0-14 to 1-6. With spare man Aidan Crowley doing well, Kenmare continued where they left off early in the second-half, and if you wanted an exemplar point it was O’Connor’s in the 44th minute, a superb effort after good ball-retention. More chances went abegging, but three more, from Brennan, O’Connor and O’Brien, respectively, after a wonderful run through the defence, had them 0-19 to 1-8 ahead with 12 left. Murphy, with a great turn and shot, fired in a goal but a comeback was never in the offing. After O’Connor answered with a Kenmare point, the final seven minutes were merely a procession for the Kerry champions.

Scorers for Kenmare Shamrocks: P O’Connor 0-10 (5fs), S O’Brien 0-4, DJ Brennan 0-3 (1f), M Crowley 0-2, K O’Sullivan 0-1.

Scorers for Cappamore: A Murphy 1-5 (3fs), J Ryan 1-1, T O’Donoghue, J O’Donnell 0-1 each.

KENMARE SHAMROCKS: K Fitzgibbon; D Crowley, T O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan; A O’Callaghan, S O’Leary, A Crowley; S Dalton, J Wharton; DJ Brennan, M Crowley, K O’Sullivan; A O’Leary, P O’Connor, S O’Brien.

Subs: S Duncan for O’Sullivan (55), S Ryan for DJ Brennan (59), R O’Sullivan for A O’Leary (60).

CAPPAMORE: B Leahy; D Keating, P Leahy, S Humphreys; B Sheehy, M Treacy, S Sheehy; C Doherty, C Sheehan; J Campbell, T O’Donoghue, D Deere; A Murphy, J Ryan, D Sheehy.

Subs: B Creamer for Campbell (25), E Gleeson for Humphreys (ht), J O’Donnell for Doherty (40), N Leahy for S Sheehy (46), E O’Donoghue for Ryan (57).

Referee: M Condon (Waterford)

Next Round – the winners play the winners of the Leinster champions and the British champions on January 26th / 27^th 2013.

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

For the Record

Munster GAA FOOTBALL Club Junior Championship 2012

Quarter-Finals

Sunday November 18^th

@ Borrisokane                      Cappamore (Limerick) 2-7 Borrisokane (Tipperary) 0-6

Sunday November 25^th

@ Kilmacthomas                  Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry) 1-23 Kilmacthomas (Waterford) 0-3

Semi-Finals
Saturday November 24^th

@ Cappamore                      Cappamore (Limerick) 1-6 Clarecastle (Clare) 0-4

Sunday December 2^nd

@ Fitzgerald Stadium          Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry) 2-15 Rockchapel (Cork) 1-8

Killarney

Final  (Extra time)

Sunday December 9^th (Replay date – Saturday December 15^th)

@ Mallow                          Cappamore (Limerick) v Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry) @ 3:30pm

Odds and Ends

Kerry’s representatives have won 13 consecutive matches in this competition dating back to 2008 and the last four Munster titles.

The Limerick Junior Football representatives have won at least 1 match in this competition in 4 of the last 5 years and qualified for the Munster Club Junior Football Championship Final in each of those four years – the exception being 2011 where Sean Finns lost to Kildangan (Tipperary) by two points in the Quarter-Final.

All Ireland GAA Club FOOTBALL Junior Championship

In the Club Junior Football All Ireland Roll of Honour, Kerry top the charts with 5 titles while Cork have 1 title courtesy of Canovee in 2008.

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Junior Championship – List of Winning Teams

2003 – Carbery Rangers (Cork) 0-13 Annascaul (Kerry) 0-11

CARBERY RANGERS, CORK: Kevin Santry; Gearoid Ryan, Anthony Roche, Eugene Murphy; Stephen Murray, Jeremy Murphy, Johnny Murphy (Captain); Michael O’Sullivan, Kevin McMahon; Niall Hayes, John Hayes, Seamus Hayes; Mark Ronan, Declan Hayes, Maurice Moore.

2004 – Finuge (Kerry) 2-13 Aghabullogue (Cork) 3-4
FINUGE, KERRY: John Coleman (Captain); Enda Galvin, Pat Corridan, Michael Quilter; Eamonn Breen, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Michael Cronin; Trevor McKenna, Conor Galvin; Maurice Corridan, Paul Galvin, Roibeard Thornton; Raymond Galvin, John Griffin, Michael Conway.
Subs: Paudie Lyons for Quilter (second half); Jack Corridan for Thornton (36th minute); Ger Lovett for Conway (47th).

2005 – Ardfert (Kerry) 1-8 Erin’s Own (Cork) 0-10
ARDFERT, KERRY: Dermot Dineen, Simon Sinnott, Conor Flaherty, Johnny Stack, Sean Flaherty, Eamon Corridan, Mike Moloney, Jonathon Best, Martin Ferris, Brendan Flaherty, Eamon Ferris, John Dowling, Shane Griffin (Captain), Stephen “Santy” Wallace, James O’Halloran.
Subs: Brian Moloney for James O’Halloran, Patrick Donegan for Simon Sinnott

2006 – Duagh (Kerry) 1-9 Adrigole (Cork) 0-11
DUAGH (KERRY): John Halpin; Aenghus Carmody, John O’Brien, Diarmuid Nolan; Kieran Quirke, Thomas Dillon, Peter Sheeran; Anthony Maher, Jeremiah Kelly; Brendan O’Brien, Aidan Kelly (Captain), Declan Griffin; Tim Scanlon, Denis Lane, Eoin Horgan
Subs: Daniel O’Donoghue for Scanlon; Alan O’Brien for Brendan O’Brien

2007 – Canovee (Cork) 1-6 O’Callaghan’s Mills (Clare) 1-5

CANOVEE (CORK): Tim Lyons; James McCarthy, James Scanlon (Captain), Timmy Lyons; John O’Brien, Tommy Murphy, Brian Ahern; Eamonn Lyons, Brian O’Donoghue; Tomas O’Mahony, Pat Dunlea, Denis O’Sullivan; Con Dunne, Kevin Walsh, Paul Healy
Sub: D. Cronin for Healy

2008 – Skellig Rangers (Kerry) 0-11 Bruff (Limerick) 0-7
SKELLIG RANGERS (KERRY): Michael Brennan; Brian O’Sullivan, Wayne O’Sullivan, C Martin; K Martin, C O’Sullivan, Seamus O’Sullivan; Aidan O’Sullivan, Stephen O’Sullivan (Captain); John O’Driscoll, Brian Hickey, B Driscoll; Sean Courtney, Chris O’Driscoll, B Casey.
Subs: B O’Driscoll for John O’Driscoll (50), B O’Sullivan for Seamus O’Sullivan (60), D O’Sullivan for Casey (60), D Keating for McGill (62)

2009 – Castlegregory (Kerry) 1-20 Mountcollins (Limerick) 0-4
CASTLEGREGORY (KERRY): Shane Kenny; Gavin O’Connor, Joe Scully, Joe O’Connor; Sean O’Mahony, Steven Browne, Adrian Finn (Captain); Shane Hennessy, Ryan Kelliher; JB Spillane, Alan Fitzgerald, Brendan Lynch; Colm O’Mahony, Alan Lynch, Alan McNamara.
Subs: Colm Sills for Joe O’Connor, John Fitzgerald for Alan Lynch (both 37), D Heasman for Kelliher, Liam Maunsell for Sean O’Mahony (both 42), Sean O’Connor for Alan Fitzgerald (47)

2010 – St. Marys (Kerry) 2-12 Bruree (Limerick) 0-4
ST. MARYS (KERRY): D. Horgan; B. Curran, S. Curran, G. O’Driscoll (Captain); D. O’Sullivan, N. O’Driscoll, K. Curran; John Golden, Bryan Sheehan; Austin Constable, R. Keane, A. Walsh; Daniel Daly, P. O’Donoghue, J.A. O’Sullivan
Subs: I. Casey for N. O’Driscoll (inj. 30); C. Quirke for O’Donoghue (47); L. Sheehan for Keane (53); D. Walsh for Constable (53); D. Keating for J.A. O’Sullivan (54)

2011 – Dromid Pearses (Kerry) 0-16 Kildangan (Tipperary) 1-4
DROMID PEARSES (KERRY):  Alan Hogan; Padraig O’Sullivan, Dominick O’Sullivan, Cian Hallissey; Denis “Shine” O’Sullivan, Kevin O’Shea, Michael Sheehan; Thomas Curran, Colm O’Connor; Ger O’Sullivan, Declan O’Sullivan, Aidan O’Connor (Captain); Eoin O’Leary, Niall O’Shea, John Curran
Subs: Michael O’Connor for O’Leary (42); Christy Farrelly for Hallissey (43); Jamesy Ml. O’Sullivan for G. O’Sullivan (54)

Munster GAA Club FOOTBALL Junior Championship Roll Of Honour

Kerry (7) – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Cork (2) – 2003, 2007