This article is from page 67 of the 2011-03-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 67 JPG
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-11 – Doonbeg 0-8 at Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
WITH a very strong wind blowing in from Mutton Island direction, this meeting of the two best football teams in Clare always threatened to be the proverbial game of two halves.
And, so it proved as 2008/09 county champions Kilmurry Ibrickane held 2010 champions Doonbeg scoreless in the second half to claim the two Cusack Cup points on offer.
It was Kilmurry’s ability to use the wind to their advantage in the second half and Martin McMahon’s manmarking job on the Magpies’ dangerman David Tubridy that helped them turn a 0-8 to 0-3 interval deficit into a three-point win over the team that ended their three-in-a-row championship hopes last Autumn.
Kilmurry’s blistering start to the second half when they hit three points inside the first five minutes was key to their recovery as they went on to reel off eight points without reply to earn the early bragging rights over their near rivals.
Doonbeg had held sway in the first half thanks to the mercurial talents of David Tubridy, as fresh from exploits for Clare the previous afternoon when he hit 2-7, the corner forward rattled off six points in the half hour.
His first came from play after two minutes in response to Noel Downes’ opener for Kilmurry as both sides settled down to produce a competitive first half.
Doonbeg gradually gain the initiative, with Frank O’Dea’s point from play after five minutes giving them the lead for the first time, an advantage that was extending by a Tubridy free on ten minutes before Ian McInerney landed the first of his five points from placed balls.
The Magpies had moved 0-6 to 02 clear by the 20th minute thanks to points from play by Colm Dillon and Tubridy before the latter booted over a 45.
Another McInerney free reduced the margin to double scores by the 25th minute, but it was Tubridy who put his side in firm control by the break when he landed another from play and then hit the point of the hour via a free from the hands to extend their advantage to five points.
Tubridy was on fire, but such was Kilmurry’s dominance after quickfire points from Niall Hickey and Stephen Moloney (2) in an impressive start to the second half that Doonbeg’s fire gradually petered out.
Suddenly Kilmurry were only two adrift and by the 45th minute they had the Magpies reeled in after Michael O’Dwyer opened his account.
With Martin McMahon marshalling Tubridy and Declan Callinan and Enda Coughlan also to the fore in defence and Paul O’Connor and Peter O’Dwyer holding sway in midfield, Kilmurry gradually turned the screw on their deadly rivals.
And in this about turn, Ian McInerney emerged as the game’s most important figure. With 11 minutes left he landed a 45 to put his side ahead for the first time, while they then eased their way to victory with sub Mark McCarthy and another McIerney free giving them their three point win.
Kilmurry Ibrickane
Peter O’Dwyer, Martin McMahon, Darren Hickey, Declan Callinan,Thomas Lernihan, Enda Coughlan, EvanTalty, Paul O’Connor, Peter O’Dwyer, Michael O’Dwyer, Ian McInerney (0-6, 4f, one 45), Stephen Moloney (0-2), Niall Hickey (0-1), Noel Downes (0-1) Johnnie Daly.
Subs
Mark McCarthy (0-1) for Downes, Shane Hickey for Daly,Adrian Murrihy for Niall Hickey.
Doonbeg
Nigel Dillon, Conor Whelan, Padriag Gallagher, RichieVaughan, David Downes, Brian Dillon, Paraic Aherne, Frank O’Dea (0-1), Enda Doyle, Brian Egan, ColmDillon (0-1), Shane O’Brien, Shane Ryan, DavidTubridy (0-6, 3f one 45), Kevin Nugent.
Subs
Joe Blake for Downes, Conor Downes for Egan