This article is from page 61 of the 2011-08-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 61 JPG
Kilmurry Ibrickane 2-10 – Cooraclare 0-11 at Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg
ONE could say that after the lull of 2010 on domestic front that normal service has been resumed by Kilmurry Ibrickane as they picked up their second piece of senior silverware in a week in this entertaining decider played on Bank Holiday Monday.
But, while neutrals may have been expecting a comfortable outing for the 2010 All-Ireland Club finalists, it was far from such as a dogged Cooraclare team took up the fight to the favourites.
And when they led by 0-10 to 0-6 seven minutes into the second half they looked very comfortable, before a rousing finish by the recently crowned Cusack Cup champions saw them turn that four-point deficit into a five-point victory.
Enda Coughlan was at the core of this comeback, bagged two crucial goals in the final quarter, even though by then he had been relocated from his centre-forward starting berth back to centre-back.
The first came on 47 minutes that edged Kilmurry a point 1-8 to 0-10 clear before the killer second arrived five minutes from time when the former countyman made another decisive burst up the field.
It was a huge about-turn, because before that the Aidan Moloney managed Cooraclare side seemed to be on the road to emulating their 2009 Cusack Cup final over the same opposition.
The led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval, thanks to a closing burst before the break when injury time points from John Looney and David Marrinan edged them clear. Prior to that the sides had been level on four occasions in the half.
Andrew O’Neill and Ian McInerney swapped points early on, as did John Looney and Johnnie Daly, before Cooraclare showed their intent by moving 0-4 to 0-2 clear thanks to efforts from Michael McMahon and John Looney. Paul O’Connor and Ian McInerney restored parity by the 23rd minute before Andrew O’Neill and Johnnie Daly traded points in normal time.
However, it was those two closing Cooraclare points, coupled with three more via John Looney (2) and Gearóíd Looney, with a lone reply coming from Johnnie Daly hinted at a big shock.
However, Enda Coughlan had other ideas – his point in the 40th minute cranked the Kilmurry train to life, while another from man of the match Peter O’Dwyer a minute letter narrowed the gap to two before a rousing final quarter that in which they outscored Cooraclare by 2-2 to 0-1 sealed their comeback victory.
Cooraclare’s final score came in the 51st minute via a John Looney free that left Kilmurry ahead by 1-9 to 011, only for Coughlan’s second goal and a Noel Downes point to give Kilmurry a cushion that scarcely seemed possible early in the second half.
Kilmurry Ibrickane
Peter O’Dwyer, Shane Hickey, Darren Hickey, JohnWillie Sexton, Paul O’Connor (0-1), Evan Talty, Seamus Lynch, Peter O’Dwyer (0-1), Seamus Murrihy, Mark McCarthy, Enda Coughlan (2-1), Ian McInerney (0-2f), Stephen Moloney, Noel Downes (0-2), Johnnie Daly (0-3, 1f).
Subs
Michael O’Dwyer for Sexton, Colm Donnellan for Moloney, Niall Hickey for Murrihy, Vincent Talty for Coughlan
Cooraclare
Declan Keane,Thomas Downes, Conor Marrinan, Fergal Lillis, David Marrinan (0-1),Thomas Donnellan, Declan McMahon,AndrewO’Neill (0-2), Sean Maguire, Kieran Hassett, Michael McMahon (0-1), Gearóid Looney (0-1), Cathal Lillis, John Looney (0-6, 4f), Michael Kelly.
Subs
Don Garry for Cathal Lillis, Joe Considine for Maguire,Thomas O’Connor for Hassett.
Man of the Match
Peter O’Dwyer (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Referee
Pat Cosgrave (Corofin)