AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Semi Final – Crusheen (Clare) 0-19 Carrigtwohill (Cork) 1-10

Crafty Crusheen call the shots

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

EXPERIENCE, that was the major difference between these sides in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday as Crusheen advanced to the Munster Club SHC final against Limerick champions Na Piarsaigh on Sunday week. Lack of experience on the part of Cork champions Carrigtwohill, who were blown away in a 10-minute blitz at the start of the second half, experience on the part of Clare kingpins Crusheen, who had suffered just that fate themselves last year in their first foray into the provincial championship. “It was like that for us last year,” reflected Crusheen manager Michael Browne. “We kind of lost concentration for a few minutes at the beginning of the second half (conceded 2-4 in five minutes against Kilmallock) and we got creeled. We were so determined (this year), and not just the management, but the lads themselves were just so focused on that at half-time, that they were not going to let that happen them again.”

At the end of a fairly even first half, Carrigtwohill led by two points (0-8 to 0-6), but given that the home side had played with the aid of a stiff breeze, it wasn’t much of a cushion. On a mild afternoon, slippery underfoot in places but largely good conditions, Carrig had created the greater number of chances but over-elaboration in attack cost them on several occasions (a failing that continued into the second half) and this, combined with a fine save by Crusheen keeper Donal Touhy from wing-forward Stephen Dineen in the 26th minute, kept the margin down. “There was quite a strong breeze there and to end up only two points behind wasn’t bad,” said Browne; “Having said that, if Carrigtwohill had taken all their chances it might have been different. But, at two points down we were actually praising our team for the real hard effort they had put in, in the first half.”

After the break, and with those bitter memories of last year driving them on, it was Crusheen taking charge and Carrigtwohill had no answer. Three points in four minutes, one each from Gearoid O’Donnell, free-taker Pat Vaughan and Patrick Meaney, was interrupted briefly with a point from Carrigtwohill’s Michael Fitzgerald (dangerous throughout), but that was all it was, brief interruption. Another three unanswered points in four minutes, then four more on the trot, and with only 12 minutes left on the clock, the game was out of sight for Carrig, 0-16 to 0-9 behind.

They kept fighting, and had a chance in the 42nd minute but Touhy had again come to Crusheen’s rescue, a close-range save from Fitzgerald, and full-back Cronan Dillon saved likewise from midfielder David O’Mahony in the 57th minute. Carrigtwohill did finally manage a goal, in the 60th minute, a combination from two of their best attackers, county star Niall McCarthy (three fine points in the hour) lobbing to Fitzgerald who finished with authority. Too little, however, and of course too late.

A good game overall, fine defence from both sides. The Carrig inside line was magnificent, Crusheen never even getting a sniff of Liam McCarthy’s goal, centre-back Noel Furlong also starring, but the Cian Dillon-led Crusheen defence was absolutely suffocating. And yet we also witnessed some outstanding points, McCarthy and Fitzgerald individually for Carrig, a succession of superb team points by Crusheen, former Clare star David Forde pulling the strings. “A good, hard, tough game,” reckoned Browne. “Obviously the opposition was very strong and we were concerned about what they’d do in the second half, but our backs were tremendous. I was a small bit critical of them at half-time, but there’s no criticism of them now.”

Scorers for Crusheen: P Vaughan 0-6 (0-5f, 1 ‘65’); P Meaney 0-3; D Forde 0-3; J Fitzgibbon 0-3; F Kennedy, G O’Grady, G O’Donnell, A Brigdale, 0-1 each.

Carrigtwohill: M Fitzgerald 1-3 (0-2f); N McCarthy 0-3; S Dineen, T Hogan, B Lordan, L O’Sullivan, 0-1 each.

CARRIGTWOHILL: L McCarthy; P O’Sullivan, R Power, M Foley; C O’Connell, N Furlong, M O’Riordan; D O’Mahony, L O’Sullivan; S Dineen; T Hogan, N McCarthy; B Lordan (c), R White, M Fitzgerald. Subs: A Gosnell (Foley 39); S O’Farrell (Hogan 44); S Kidney (Lordan 57).

CRUSHEEN: D Touhy; J Brigdale, Cronan Dillon, A Brigdale; C O’Doherty, Cian Dillon, Cathal Dillon; P Vaughan, J Meaney, G O’Donnell, J Fitzgibbon, D Forde; P Meaney, G O’Grady (c), F Kennedy. Subs: C O’Donnell (Kennedy 46); T Meaney (Forde 60).

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary)

Crusheen advance to first final

From the Irish Times newspaper

Crusheen 0-19 Carrigtwohill 1-10: AN EXCELLENT second-half performance propelled Crusheen into a first-ever Munster club hurling final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday afternoon. Trailing by 0-8 to 0-6 having played against the wind in the first period, the Clare champions outscored their opponents by 0-6 to 0-1 in the 10 minutes after the restart, and from there they always looked likelier to progress. While attackers Jamie Fitzgibbon, Patrick Meaney and David Forde were prominent in the turnaround, it was in defence that Crusheen had their real heroes. Time and again Carrig’ forwards found themselves bottled up.

Despite getting the game’s first two points, Crusheen soon found themselves behind as Carrig’ reeled off four points in quick succession, Niall McCarthy with the best of them in the 13th minute. Crusheen pulled level again, but Carrig’ once again pushed on – McCarthy, Stephen Dineen and Liam O’Sullivan on target. The early second-half exchanges proved key, Crusheen going 0-12 to 0-9 ahead after a brilliant effort from corner back Alan Brigdale, while Donal Tuohy denied Carrig’s Mickey Fitzgerald a goal with a brilliant save. Crusheen pushed on again, and while Fitzgerald cut the gap to four with a late goal, points by Crusheen’s Pat Vaughan and Gerard O’Grady sealed the win.

CRUSHEEN: D Tuohy; J Brigdale, Cronan Dillon, A Brigdale (0-1); C O’Doherty, Cian Dillon, Cathal Dillon; P Vaughan (0-6, five frees, one 65), J Meaney; G O’Donnell (0-1), J Fitzgibbon (0-3), D Forde (0-3); P Meaney (0-3), G O’Grady (0-1), F Kennedy (0-1). Subs: S Dillon for J Meaney (16-20 mins, blood), C O’Donnell for Kennedy (46 mins), A Meaney for Forde (56 mins).

CARRIGTWOHILL: W McCarthy; P O’Sullivan, R Power, M Foley; C O’Connell, N Furlong, M O’Riordan; D O’Mahony, L O’Sullivan (0-1); S Dineen (0-1), T Hogan (0-1), N McCarthy (0-3); R White, B Lordan (0-1), M Fitzgerald (1-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: A Gosnell for Foley (39 mins), S O’Farrell for Hogan (43 mins), S Kidney for Lordan (57 mins).

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).

Na Piarsaigh and Crusheen will meet in the Munster club senior hurling decider on Sunday, November 27th. Venue TBA.

Photo courtesy of George Hatchell

Next Round – the winners play Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) in the Munster Club Final on Sunday November 27^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 (Replay date – Saturday November 19th)

@ Pairc Ui Chaoimh                       Carrigtwohill (Cork) v Crusheen (Clare) 2:00pm

@ Walsh Park Waterford                 Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) v Ballygunner (Waterford) 2:00pm

Final

Sunday November 27^th (Replay date – Saturday December 3rd)

2:00pm throw-in

Odds and Ends

Of the 5 participating counties in this year’s Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship, Waterford have the best record over the last 10 years with 17 victories and 1 draw out of 25 matches played. Tipperary have the next best record with 12 wins and 2 draws out of 23 games. Cork have a marginally winning record while Clare and Limerick have losing records since 2000 at this grade.

Clare champions have failed to record a Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship victory in 6 of the last 8 seasons including the last 3 years.

The last draw in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship came in 2001 Munster Club Championship with Ballygunner (Waterford) defeated Toomevara (Tipperary) after a replay.

Cork won 10 Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship titles in a row from 1971 through 1980. Interestingly, Cork then went from 1987 to 2003 without winning the title

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,

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 1888 – 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.