AIB Munster GAA Football Junior Club Championship Semi-Final – Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry) 2-15 Rockchapel (Cork) 1-8

O’Brien stars as Kenmare power to Munster final

By Mortimer Murphy for the Irish Examiner newspaper

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

A year ago to the day, Stephen O’Brien was playing with UCC against Crokes in the Munster Club SFC final at Fitzgerald Stadium. That day his side lost by seven points but yesterday he inspired his Kenmare side to victory in this Munster JFC semi-final. O’Brien, who has been called up to the Kerry senior panel, kicked all his scores from play in a one-sided game. Kenmare’s attack was too strong for Rockchapel as, apart from O’Brien, three-time All-Ireland senior winner Paul O’Connor was on hand.

Ian Guiney converted a Rockchapel free in the opening minute but Kenmare responded a minute later with Mark Crowley flicking an Aaron O’Callaghan centre to net. Midfielder DJ O’Callaghan scored Rockchapel’s only first half point from play in the fourth minute before the floodgates opened. A succession of unanswered Kenmare points followed from O’Brien (four), DJ Brennan, Paul O’Connor and Kevin O’Sullivan, as Kenmare raced 1-7 to 0-2 clear. In the 21st minute, when Paul O’Connor’s attempt for a point dropped short, O’Brien flicked it to the Rockchapel net and by half-time, Rockchapel trailed, 2-10 to 0-3.

To their credit, Rockchapel restored some pride as they took the game to Kenmare, and a flicked goal by William Murphy in the 34th minute gave them hope. But it was shattered minutes later when full-back Batt Curtin received a second yellow. Rockchapel won the second half 1-5 to 0-5, but only managed 1-2 from play in the hour and even when Jimmy Wharton’s second yellow evened the numbers, Kenmare were safe. They face Cappamore (Limerick) in Sunday’s Munster final in Mallow.

Scorers for Kenmare: S O’Brien 1-6, M Crowley 1-0, P O’Connor 0-3 (2fs), K O’Sullivan 0-3, DJ Brennan 0-2, A O’Leary 0-1

Scorers for Rockchapel: W Murphy 1-0, D Curtin 0-3fs, L Collins (1f), I Guiney (2fs) 0-2 each, DJ O’Callaghan 0-1,

KENMARE: H Murphy; D Crowley, T O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan; A O’Callaghan (R O’Sullivan 40), S O’Leary, A Crowley; S Dalton, J Wharton; A O’Leary, M Crowley, K O’Sullivan; DJ Brennan (S Duncan 56) .

ROCKCHAPEL: T Collins; P Murphy (M Doody 25, {M Stack 49}), B Curtin, E O’Callaghan; B Cahill, K Collins, J O’Callaghan; DJ O’Callaghan, J Doody; J Forrest, D Curtin, W Murphy; I Guiney (C Murphy 53), S Hickey, L Collins (DJ O’Sullivan 43 {K Burke 58}).

Referee: R Moloney (Limerick)

Next Round – the winners play Cappamore (Limerick) in the Munster Final on December 9^th in Mallow.

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 (Extra time)
Saturday November 24^th

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

Sunday December 2^nd (Replay date – Saturday December 8^th)

@ Fitzgerald Stadium          Rockchapel (Cork) v Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry) 2:00pm

Killarney

Final  (Extra time)

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

@ Mallow                          Cappamore (Limerick) v Rockchapel (Cork) or Kenmare Shamrocks (Kerry)

Odds and Ends

Kerry’s representatives have won 12 consecutive matches in this competition dating back to 2008.

The Kerry and Cork representatives have met in each of the last 3 years of the Munster Club Junior Football competition with Kerry winning on each occasion – though none of those games was in the Munster Final.

The Kerry and Cork representatives in this competition met in the first four finals with Kerry clubs winning three – 2003 (Carbery Rangers, Cork), 2004 (Finuge, Kerry), 2005 (Ardfert, Kerry), 2006 (Duagh, Kerry).

The last Kerry v Cork Munster final in this grade came in 2006 when Duagh (Kerry) defeated Adrigole (Cork) by 1-9 to 0-11.

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