AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Quarter Final – UCC (Cork) 1-19 Monaleen (Limerick) 2-15

Sticky students prevail in the long run

UCC 1-19 Monaleen 2-15 (After Extra-Time)

By Fintan O’Toole for the Irish Examiner newspaper

IT took over 80 minutes of absorbing action before the contest was settled in Cloughduv yesterday with UCC’s greater energy and ball retention skills proving decisive in this Munster Club SFC quarter-final. Football games in November generally follow a pattern of dour and low-scoring affairs but this tie was a welcome exception. It was a match characterised by some splendid score-taking and a dramatic finish in normal time. Monaleen looked to have claimed victory, when after a frenzied scramble near the UCC goalmouth in the 62nd minute, the ball fell to corner-back Darren Burke who stabbed a shot to the net.

That score nudged Monaleen into a 2-12 to 1-14 lead yet crucially UCC never panicked. They worked the ball upfield before Peter Crowley was felled as he dashed through the Monaleen defence. The immense pressure did not perturb Jamie O’Sullivan as he faced the free from over 45 yards and he smacked a terrific shot over the bar. “I could hardly look when Jamie was lining up to it,” revealed a breathless UCC manager Paul O’Keeffe. “It was a brilliant kick. The lads might not have panicked on the pitch but I certainly did on the sideline at the end. I think we’ve just gone through enough tight games this year to know what to do in those situations and that was key.”

In extra-time, UCC maintained the impetus derived from that equaliser. Gavan O’Grady and Paul Geaney, their twin attacking threats who struck 1-11 between them, knocked over points to see UCC lead 1-19 to 2-14 at the midway stage. Monaleen substitute Muiris Gavin, who showed that he lost none of the outstanding marksmanship from his days as the hub of the Limerick attack, tapped over a free in the 74th minute that trimmed the gap to one but they could not send the match to a replay. UCC ran down the clock brilliantly by passing the ball around the pitch in the remaining minutes and booked a semi-final place.

“It did worry me going into extra-time that the fresh college legs would have the edge on us,” admitted Monaleen coach Micheál McDermott. “They’re very good at holding onto the ball and we just couldn’t get our hands on it in extra-time. We gave so much and it was just disappointing to come away with defeat. But it was a fantastic game of football and our players left the field with honour.” The match concluded with the Monaleen players being applauded on route to their dressing-room by their own supporters and their UCC opponents, which was a reflection of their fine efforts on the day.

Full-back Barry Fitzpatrick and midfielder Paul Kinnerk were outstanding, and with Luke Kavanagh goaling in the 15th minute, they were 1-3 to 0-1 ahead. However UCC overcame that sluggish start to fight back into contention. They kicked the last four points of the first-half to move back into contention and were boosted early in the second-half when O’Grady netted after O’Sullivan hammered a drive off the crossbar. Martin Hickey and Crowley were in powerful form at the back but they had plenty problems stifling the threats of Jason O’Brien, Gavin and Mike Crowley. Yet the kicking of O’Grady, Geaney and Stephen O’Brien at the other end was instrumental in UCC’s success. After lining out without three of their county final winning team, O’Keeffe was glad with how UCC responded.

“You could see the difference in the way we played today without the two Dr Crokes boys. Johnny’s presence in the middle of the park has been massive for us and then we missed a few frees early on in the game that Daithí would definitely have stuck over. Mike Griffin had a league promotion game with Na Gaeil so we missed what he brings to the team as well. But I think today will focus our minds going forward and we’re relieved to get out of it.”

Scorers for UCC: P Geaney 0-7 (0-4f), G O’Grady 1-4 (0-2f), J O’Sullivan 0-3 (0-2 ‘45), S O’Brien 0-2, M Hickey, D O’Sullivan, JB Spillane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Monaleen: M Gavin 0-5 (0-2f), L Kavanagh 1-1, M Crowley 0-3 (0-1f), D Burke 1-0, G Collins (0-1f), J O’Brien 0-2 each, S Hickey, P Russell 0-1 each.

UCC: S Mellett (Carrigaline, Cork); M Galvin (Ballymacelligot), M Hickey (Carrignavar), P Crowley (Laune Rangers); T Clancy (Fermoy), N Daly (Padraig Pearses), S Kiely (Macroom); W Kennedy (St Michaels), J O’Sullivan (Kilcummin); JB Spillane (Castlegregory), S Beston (Mitchelstown), B Coughlan (Kinsale); S O’Brien (Kenmare), G O’Grady (Glenbeigh/Glencar), P Geaney (Dingle).

Subs: D Culhane (Ballylongford) for Kennedy (43), A Greaney (St Pat’s Blennerville) for O’Brien (60), S Hannifin (Ballyteague) for Coughlan (52), D O’Sullivan (Dingle) for Beston (56), Coughlan for O’Grady (inj) (64), Kennedy for Hannifin (70).

MONALEEN: D O’Sullivan; D Burke, B Fitzpatrick, F Nash; P Quinn, R Murray, S Hickey; B Geary, P Kinnerk; P Russell, C Walsh, M Crowley; G Collins, L Kavanagh, J O’Brien.

Subs: M Gavin for Walsh (half-time), J Hoare for Geary (38), E Keating for Quinn (63), S Leonard for Kinnerk (inj) (70).

Referee: Maurice Condon (Waterford)

For the Record

Munster GAA FOOTBALL Club Senior Championship 2011

Quarter-Final

Sunday November 6^th (Replay date – Saturday November 12th)

@ Cloughduv                                   UCC (Cork) v Monaleen (Limerick)                                2:00pm

@ Fraher Field Dungarvan Ballinacourty (Waterford) v Dr. Crokes (Kerry)          2:00pm

Semi-Finals
Sunday November 20^th (Replay date – Saturday November 26th)

@ Kerry or Waterford venue          Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) v Ballinacourty (Waterford) or Dr. Crokes (Kerry)

@ Tipperary or Waterford venue    Moyle Rovers (Tipperary) v UCC (Cork) or Monaleen (Limerick)

Final

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

2:00pm throw-in

Odds and Ends

Since 2000, Cork hold the best record in the Munster Club Championship with 18 victories and 6 Munster Club titles during that period.

Clare won 3 Munster Club Senior Football titles since 2004 and have won 13 of the 24 matches played in the Munster Club Championship since 2000.

Kerry’s record in the Munster Club Senior Football Championship sees them with 13 titles, just under half the total of Cork clubs (27). Since 2000, Kerry have captured 2 Munster club titles and have not captured the All-Ireland Club Senior Football title since Laune Rangers victory in 1995 / 1996. During Kerry’s Golden Years at Inter-County level, Kerry won just 3 of the 12 Munster Club Senior Football titles on offer (Austin Stacks – 1976 & Castleisland Desmonds 1984 and 1985).

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 8 matches which include 7 defeats and 1 drawn game.

Tipperary and Waterford are the only Munster counties yet to win a Munster Club Senior Football title.

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.

Since St. Patrick’s Day 1996, only 1 of the last 15 Munster Club Senior Football champions (7%) have won the All-Ireland Club Senior Football title – 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 (13) – 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006,

Clare (3) – 1998, 2004, 2009

Limerick (2) – 1977, 2008

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 1888 – 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.