Kilmurry-Ibrickane 0-7, Kerins O’Rahillys 0-6
By Jim O’Sullivan
Monday, December 07, 2009
JUBILATION for West Clare side Kilmurry-Ibrickane after a second title
success in yesterday’s AIB Munster Club SFC final at the Gaelic Grounds.
But it was utter desolation for a Kerins O’Rahillys side denied what
would have a winning goal by an umpire’s call in the 61st minute and
then hit with the sucker punch of conceding a winning score immediately
after the ball was kicked out. It was a cruel blow for the Kerry club
champions, all the more so when Declan Quill was adamant that his ‘goal’
should have stood - pointing out that he was outside the square when he
connected with a David Moran free. Putting up brave resistance after
going a man down six minutes into the second-half, the manner of their
defeat replicated what happened to them in last year’s county
championship decider when they were beaten by an injury-time penalty.
Controversy aside, it was noteworthy that apart from a promising opening
period and much improved play after having half-forward John O’Connor
when receiving two yellow cards in a three-minute period, it was
Kilmurry-Ibrickane who gave the more convincing display. Indeed, while
unhappy with the free-count, O’Rahilly’s selector Mark Fitzgerald said
that an interval wide count of nine lost them the chance of making a
winning debut. Kilmurry made the more confident start and despite
playing against a strong wind, created several scoring opportunities
before John O’Connor kicked the game’s opening score from a fifth-minute
free for O’Rahillys. David Moran (play) and Declan Quill (free) had
added scores and for a while they looked like establishing a grip.
However, while the returning David Moran (who was in Australia for the
semi-final game) was deployed at full-forward, the supply of ball to him
was limited. And, while he did manage a second score from play, his
influence wasn’t what it might have been. However, in acknowledging that
overall, their team play was not over-impressive and few individuals
other than Barry John Keane at centre-forward were strong on the ball in
the opening 20 minutes, it would have to be pointed out that the
strength of the Kilmurry-Ibrickane challenge was a major factor.
Deploying a short-passing game and offering continuous support for the
man in possession, they benefited from the consistency of a full-back
trio which had excelled in their semi-final win over Stradbally.
Additionally, Shane Hickey was heavily involved at wing-back and Peter
O’Dwyer’s work-rate - and in particular his mobility - countered much of
what the O’Rahilly’s captain Micheal Quirke achieved against him.
Further forward, they had more to offer than the opposition.
Centre-forward Ian McInerney was fairly reliable from the few scoreable
frees he faced up, while Odran O’Dwyer made a contribution in the
full-forward line, where some of the best work was done by Michael
O’Dwyer.
It was McInerney who opened their account in the ninth minute and
Kilmurry were to score three more points without reply in the next 11
minutes. In contrast, O’Rahillys were being frustrated by an inability
to even get close to maximising scoring opportunities, with brothers
Morgan and Barry O’Shea effective at the heart of the defence, Giles
O’Grady prominent after going from wing-back to half-forward and
midfielder Gavin Duffy very much to the forefront. Keane wasn’t on the
ball often enough to do real damage and the same applied to Declan Quill
and Barry-John Walsh, in the face of excellent covering from the inside
backs. Their poor finishing was reflected in the fact that they waited
until injury time before Moran got their first score in 24 minutes to
leave the teams tied at 0-4 each.
It was much the same story over the course of the third quarter, which
was mainly notable for the fact of O’Connor being sent off, first being
carded following an off-the-ball incident and then disciplined after the
referee seemed to indicate as a foot tackle. Interestingly, in between
the two censures, he saw a fisted effort go wide off the upright and
Quill, similarly, wasn’t on target with a close-in free. But, to their
credit, they were in front - through a Quill free won by David Moran -
only to see the excellent Shane Hickey level scores for the third time
two minutes later. Again, Quill came to their rescue with another
pointed free in the 56th minute, after wing-forward Stephen Moloney set
up midfielder Paul O’Connor for a well deserved lead score. After a
great Kilmurry move ended with Noel Downes kicking wide, it appeared
that the game was heading for a draw until the drama of Quill’s
disallowed goal for O’Rahillys - which quickly turned into a nightmare
when substitute Evan Talty kicked over the winning point after a move
involving McInerney and Downes.
Scorers for Kilmurry-Ibrickane: I. McInerney 0-3 (0-2 frees); S.
Moloney, P. O’Connor, S. Hickey and E. Talty 0-1 each.
Kerins O’Rahillys: D. Quill 0-3 (0-2 frees); D. Moran 0-2; J. O’Connor
0-1.
KILMURRY-IBRICKANE: D. O’Brien; M. McMahon, M. Killeen, D. Hickey; S.
Hickey, E. Coughlan (capt,), D. Callinan; P. O’Connor, P. O’Dwyer; M.
Hogan, I. McInerney, S. Moloney; J. Daly, O. O’Dwyer, M. O’Dwyer.
Subs: E. Talty for Hogan (41st minute); N. Downes for O. O’Dwyer (48th);
P. O’Dwyer for Moloney (54th); M. McCarthy for Daly (60th).
KERINS O’RAHILLY’S: D. Hennessy; P. Begley, M. O’Shea, B. O’Shea; G.
O’Grady, B. Moran, R. O’Callaghan; G. Duffy, M. Quirke (capt.); J.
O’Connor, B.J. Keane, T. O’Sullivan; B.J. Walsh, D. Moran; D. Quill.
Referee: Maurice Condon (Waterford).
Attendance: 2,412
Talty keeps head after ‘goal’ storm
Monday December 07 2009
It’s best to deal with the manner in which this Munster club football
final was lost before accounting for how it was won. One minute into
injury-time, 14-man Kerins O’Rahillys, facing into a strengthening gale
that blew hard down through Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds, won a free about
30 metres out which David Moran, just back from Australia, elected to
take. That in itself was a surprise as his striking all afternoon hadn’t
been crisp and Declan Quill had already landed three points from frees.
Still, it was a kick that favoured a right-footer and Moran stood up to
it knowing that a point would probably win his club their first ever
provincial title. The kick hung in the wind, however, and hovered above
the square, almost coming to a standstill in mid-air before dropping
vertically for Quill to get a fist to it and punch a goal, almost out of
nothing.
A quick exchange of glances between referee Maurice Condon and both his
umpires soon pinpricked the celebrations as Quill was adjudged to have
been in the square when the ball flew into Kilmurry/Ibrickane
‘airspace’. In this opinion, at first glance, it looked like a goal
though perhaps the replay will reveal otherwise. Naturally, the Kerins
O’Rahillys players were livid, a feeling only compounded some seconds
later when Kilmurry substitute Evan Talty nonchalantly kicked the winner
from which there was certainly no comeback. Ignoring a possible foul on
Barry John Keane at the other end, Condon then brought the match to an
immediate conclusion, sparking more fury from the Kerry club champions.
At least two officials and the same number of supporters confronted
Condon as he made his way off the field and if it wasn’t for the
vigilance and protective instincts of Micheal Quirke who escorted the
Waterford official, in the presence of local stewards, off the field the
situation could have turned nasty. Quirke was on the wrong side of the
decision but he had the presence of mind and leadership to do what he
did and avert further conflict, something he should be commended for.
For Quill, the anger couldn’t be contained and he was certain the score
should have stood as he recounted his footwork in the build-up. “It was
a goal, straight and simple. I waited outside the square. I thought the
ball was going over the bar then when I saw it hanging up short, I went
for it. And then I was inside the square,” he reflected. Ironically, the
decision came just 24 hours after the GAA announced that experimental
playing rules will be used during the forthcoming leagues, one of which
is thought to be a modification of the square -ball rule.
Kerins O’Rahillys will despair at the turn of events. Almost 12 months
ago, they lost the Kerry championship final replay to a last-minute Mid
Kerry penalty when they led by two points. Now the dose was being
doubled. As much as they will lay the blame at the officials’ door, they
should make themselves more accountable for their failure to have any
impact when the wind favoured them in the first half.
Kilmurry/Ibrickane had managed to stay in touch and keep parity, 0-4
each, as they turned to take advantage of the wind that blew out towards
the city end. That rearguard action was critical to the Atlantic
seaboard club’s success. “We lost it in the first half,” acknowledged
the Tralee side’s captain Quirke afterwards. “We played heroically down
to 14 men in that second half against an experienced, battle-hardened
team. We kicked too many wides (nine in that first half) and that’s the
bottom line.” He was philosophical about the defeat and was willing to
be optimistic even minutes after the final whistle. “They are a
seriously experienced side at this level and we are not. We’re a young
side at this level. We just came up short. That’s life, that’s the way
it goes. “It’s the second kick in the stomach we’re after taking as a
team,” reflected the midfielder. “I was away during the week and I was
reading Ronan O’Gara’s autobiography and he talks about losing Heineken
Cup finals. They lost two and came back to win two. So who knows maybe
we can do something next year.”
Kilmurry were as battle-hardened as their opponents suggested and once
again their defence was magnificent, superbly marshalled by captain and
centre-back Enda Coughlan. In three Munster club championship games,
they have conceded just 17 points, a serious reflection of how they
defend. It looked grim for them early on when they trailed by three
points inside eight minutes, a significant lead in such testing
conditions. One of those trio of points was scored by Moran who started
at full-forward but gradually made his way out to provide plenty of
energy around midfield for the Strand Road outfit. Kilmurry hung in
however and midway through the half they were level as Coughlan and
Declan Callinan made the opening for Stephen Moloney to score the
equalising point (0-3 each). They had the temerity to then take the lead
through a Johnny Daly free as O’Rahillys repeatedly got turned over in
possession and only a well-worked Moran point from a quick Quill free
spared them some blushes as half-time approached.
The second half was robust, manly and, most of the time, honest. The
Tralee side lost John O’Connor to two yellow cards in quick succession
on 36 minutes but it only served to strengthen their resolve. Kilmurry
half-back Shane Hickey fired over a superb point on the three-quarter
mark to level it again at 0-5 each after a Quill free had given the
Kerry side a slim cushion. It looked to be heading for a draw, then a
Kerins O’Rahillys win but Kilmurry manager Michael McDermott sensed fate
was at play after their defeat in last year’s final to
Dromcollogher-Broadford. “It took us 12 months to get back here and we
knew we would be in a battle. But we knew we had to put them under
pressure out the field to stop the quality ball going in,” figured
McDermott. Getting breaks like that disallowed goal was as much as they
deserved. “Last year we came here to a Munster final and the breaks
didn’t go for us all. When your day is in, it’s in. I always say fate
plays a huge part in everything. It’s a wonderful achievement for a west
Clare club to win two titles in a decade.” No one could disagree with
that.
Scorers — Kilmurry/Ibrickane: I McInerney 0-2 (0-2f), P O’Connor, S
Hickey, J Daly, E Talty, S Moloney all 0-1 each. Kerins O’Rahillys: D
Quill 0-3( 0-3f), D Moran 0-2, J O’Connor 0-1 (0-1f).
Kilmurry/Ibrickane — D O’Brien; D Hickey, M Killeen, M McMahon; S
Hickey, E Coughlan, D Callinan; P O’Connor, P O’Dwyer; M Hogan, I
McInerney, S Moloney; M O’Dwyer, O O’Dwyer, J Daly. Subs: E Talty for
Hogan (41), N Downes for O O’Dwyer (48), P O’Dwyer for Moloney (54), M
McCarthy for Daly (60),
Kerins O’Rahillys — D Hennessy; P Begley, M O’Shea, B O’Shea; G
O’Grady, B Moran, R O’Callaghan; G Duffy, M Quirke; J O’Connor, B J
Keane, T O’Sullivan; B J Walsh, D Moran, D Quill.
Ref — M Condon (Waterford)
Contact the Clare GAA Office at mailto:clare@gaa.ie
