AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Semi-Final – De La Salle (Waterford) 1-10 Newmarket-on-Fergus (Clare) 0-10

Keane cracks it for De La Salle

By Michael Moynihan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Newmarket-On-Fergus 0-10 De La Salle 1-10

They say past performance is no guarantee of future success, but the benefits of experience were plain to see in Sixmilebridge yesterday, as De La Salle of Waterford snatched a dramatic late win over Newmarket-on-Fergus in the Munster Club SHC semi-final. The game was deadlocked at 0-10 each deep in injury time when Dean Twomey of De La Salle won possession and drove deep into the opposition half. The Waterford contingent in the crowd of 2,509 howled for a point, but Twomey showed the cleverness accrued in recent successful Munster club campaigns. He delayed his pass to Paidi Nevin until he’d drawn an opponent, and Nevin again turned down an easy point opportunity, feeding John Keane who sidestepped Newmarket keeper Darren Duggan to slap home the killer goal.

The breakfasts in Newmarket will be a little sour this morning. The Clare champions hit a soul-destroying five consecutive wides in the second half when the game was there to be won, and wing-forward Michael McInerney’s rocket from close range in the 40th minute cannoned off the bar and out the field with De La Salle keeper Stephen Brenner powerless. On balance, however, De La Salle deserved their win. They settled quickly and jumped out to a three points to one lead thanks to scores from Bryan Phelan (free), John Mullane and Paidi Nevin.

Newmarket relied heavily on Colin Ryan from frees and play, and the attacker had to roam far outfield to win ball. De La Salle’s powerful half-back line of Phelan, Kevin Moran and Eoin Madigan held the Newmarket attack in check, and the covering of Stephen Daniels behind them meant the Clare side couldn’t keep the ball in the opposition half. At the other end, De La Salle had points from John Keane (two), Twomey and another Phelan free, with Shane O’Brien Jr and Ryan (two, one free) replying for Newmarket. That made it seven points to five on 20 minutes, but ominously for De La Salle, they’d already hit six wides.

When Ryan converted another free for Newmarket in first-half injury time there was just one between them, 0-7 to 0-6, and De La Salle had hit another four wides, bringing their first-half total to 10. Newmarket hit the ground running on the resumption with two cracking points from Shane O’Brien Sr — both from almost the right corner — to give them the lead. A Jake Dillon free and a fine Mullane point restored the De La Salle advantage before McInerney rattled the crossbar following an excellent James Liddy run. McInerney lofted over a good score from range on 41 minutes to level matters, but Twomey pointed to edge De La Salle in front almost immediately afterwards, 0-10 to 0-9.

There would only be two more scores in the game, but before those came Newmarket hit those five consecutive wides. McInerney eventually levelled matters five minutes from the end of normal time, and Newmarket would hit another two wides after that with the game in the melting pot. The profligacy was catching: Dillon missed a relatively straightforward chance with a minute of normal time left, and everyone in the ground was considering extra time before Keane’s nerveless goal. A dozen wides indicated De La Salle’s superiority in general play, while the Waterford club’s supporters might trace their opponents’ rally in the first half to Kevin Moran’s temporary withdrawal to full-back to ride out the effects of a dead leg. But they will need to improve significantly to have a chance of beating Thurles Sars; that wides tally will have to be readjusted downwards if they mean to add a third provincial title.

Scorers for Newmarket: C. Ryan 0-4 (0-2 fs, 0-1 65); S. O’Brien sr, M. McInerney 0-2; S. O’Brien jr, D. Barrett 0-1.

Scores for De La Salle: J. Keane 1-2; B. Phelan (fs), J. Mullane, D. Twomey 0-2 each; P. Nevin and J. Dillon (f) 0-1.

NEWMARKET ON FERGUS: D. Duggan, E. O’Brien, J. McInerney, S. O’Connor, N. O’Connor, E. Barrett (c), A. Barrett, E. Hayes, M. O’Hanlon, D. Barrett, C. Ryan, M. McInerney, S. O’Brien jr, A. Kilmartin, S. O’Brien sr. Subs for Newmarket: J. Liddy for Kilmartin, 38; S. Kelleher for S. O’Brien jr 50.

DE LA SALLE: S. Brenner, C. Watt, I. Flynn, S. Daniels, B. Phelan, K. Moran (c), E. Madigan, E. Barrett, D. Twomey, P. Nevin, D. Greene, J. Dillon, J. Mullane, J. Kennedy, J. Keane. Subs for De La Salle: O. Keevers for Watt, 37; C. Sheehan for Madigan, 49; S. McNulty for Greene, 50.

Referee: J. Ryan (Tipperary).

Keane breaks Newmarket hearts with late clincher

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

De La Salle 1-10 Newmarket-on-Fergus 0-10

Waterford champions De La Salle pulled this one out of the fire as corner-forward John Keane scored a last-minute winning goal in Sixmilebridge. The match appeared to be heading for extra-time in the tense closing moments when Eddie Barrett broke through the Newmarket defence and passed the ball to Paudie Nevin. He found Keane and the corner-forward buried his shot into the net from close range. Clare champions Newmarket, who had Tipperary’s All-Ireland-winning manager Liam Sheedy acting as a special advisor, will feel that this was one they left behind, considering they shot five consecutive second-half wides in a period of dominance. However, on the other hand, De La Salle were also off target on nine occasions before the break, going in 0-8 to 0-7 ahead at the whistle.

Bryan Phelan opened the scoring for the Waterford City team inside a minute with a long-range pointed free but in a dogged first half they couldn’t exert their dominance on the scoreboard, mainly due to their wayward shooting up front. Phelan added another point before the break to bookend some good scores by Keane (2), John Mullane, Paudie Nevin and mid-fielder Dean Twomey. Newmarket began the second period brightly, showing that they meant business by taking the lead temporarily through a pair of points by Shane O’Brien Snr. A Jake Dillon free, and a Mullane effort from play, regained the advantage for the visitors by the 41st minute and then a Mike McInerney score for the hosts had the teams level again, at nine apiece, a minute later. That leveller was then followed by a vital score by De La Salle’s Twomey as Newmarket fought back admirably to try and snatch a first Munster club win in over 30 years.

McInerney made it 0-10 all with five minutes remaining after his thunderbolt shot earlier in the half hit the crossbar to let the Deise side off the hook. However, the Waterford men had the decisive last act when Keane was in the right place to fire home the winning goal and set up another Munster final contest with Tipperary champions Thurles Sarsfields.

Scorers — De La Salle: J Keane 1-2, D Twomey, J Mullane, B Phelan (2f) 0-2 each, J Dillon (f), P Nevin 0-1 each.

Newmarket-on-Fergus: C Ryan 0-4 (2f, 1 ’65), M McInerney, S O’Brien Snr 0-2 each,D Barrett, S O’Brien Jnr 0-1 each.

De La Salle — S Brenner; C Watt, I Flynn, S Daniels; E Madigan, K Moran (capt),B Phelan; E Barrett, D Twomey; P Nevin, D Greene, J Dillon; J Keane, J Kennedy,J Mullane. Subs: O Keevers for Watt (36), C Sheehan for Madigan (49), S McNulty for Greene (50).

Newmarket-on-Fergus — D Duggan; S O’Connor, J McInerney, E O’Brien; N O’Connor, E Barrett (capt), A Barrett; E Hayes, M O’Hanlon; D Barrett, C Ryan, M McInerney; S O’Brien Jnr, A Kilmartin, S O’Brien Snr. Subs: J Liddy for Kilmartin (38), S Kelliher for S O’Brien Jnr. (50).

Ref — J Ryan (Tipperary)

For the Record

Munster GAA HURLING Club Senior Championship 2012

Quarter-Final

Sunday October 28^th

@ Kilmallock                         Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) 2-12 Kilmallock (Limerick) 0-15

Semi-Finals
Sunday November 11^th (Replay date – Saturday November 17th)

@ Sixmilebridge           Newmarket-on-Fergus (Clare) v De La Salle (Waterford) 2:00pm

@ Semple Stadium Thurles Sarsfields (Cork) v Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) 2:30pm

Final

Sunday November 25^th (Replay date – Saturday December 1st)

2:00pm throw-in

Odds and Ends

No home team has won a match in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship over the past 3 seasons, a run of 7 games of success for the travelling team.

Newmarket-on-Fergus (Clare) reached the final of the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship on five occasions, winning the title in 1967 (3-9 to 2-7 v Carrick Davins, Tipperary) and in 1968 (5-8 to 4-3 v Ballygunner, Waterford). Newmarket-on-Fergus lost the Munster Finals of 1973, 1974 and 1978.

Newmarket-on-Fergus (Clare) along with Roscrea (Tipperary), Blackrock (1979) and St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield (Clare) are the only clubs in Munster to win back to back Provincial club titles.

De La Salle (Waterford) have never lost a match in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship. In their four matches to date, they have only scored one goal in 200 minutes of action (against Adare (Limerick) in the 2008 Munster Club Final). De La Salle have won their four matches by a total of six points, winning the Munster titles of 2008 and 2010.

Sarsfields (Cork) won the Cork title for the third time in five seasons last month thanks to a 1-15 to 1-13 victory over Bishopstown. Sarsfields (Cork) centre-forward Cian McCarthy was the top scorer in the Cork SH final scoring 8 points, 6 from frees. On their two previous appearances in the Munster Club Championship, Sarsfields (Cork) lost to De La Salle on both occasions with both matches played at Pairc Ui Chaoimh,  2008 (0-18 to 0-16) and 2010 (0-22 to 2-15 – after extra time).

Thurles Sarsfields won their fourth County title in Tipperary since last 2005 last month to qualify for the Munster Club Championship. Thurles Sarsfields record in Munster since 2005 sees them with three wins (over Kilmallock, Limerick twice and Lixnaw, Kerry). They also have three defeats in that period, on each occasion losing to the eventual Munster champion (Newtownshandrum, Cork twice and De La Salle, Waterford).

Tipperary hold the record for the number of clubs that have won the Munster title, with eight different clubs all claiming provincial victories on behalf of the county (Carrick Davins, Roscrea, Moycarkey-Borris, Kilruane MacDonaghs, Borris-Ileigh, Cashel King Cormacs, Toomevara and Loughmore-Castleiney).

Of the 5 participating counties in this year’s Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship, Waterford have the best record since 2000 with 17 victories and 1 draw out of 26 matches played. Tipperary has the next best record with 13 wins and 2 draws out of 24 games. Cork have a marginally winning record while Clare and Limerick have losing records since 2000 at this grade.

Cork won 10 Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship titles in a row from 1971 through 1980 during a period where the Cork champions contested 12 Munster finals in a row. Interestingly, Cork then went from 1987 to 2003 without winning the title.

The Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship is very competitive with only one score separating the champions and runner-up in each final from 2004 through 2011 (drawn match).

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

Limerick (6) – 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2011

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

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.