This article is from page 94 of the 2011-12-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 94 JPG
Na Piarsaigh 1-13 – Crusheen 0-09 at Semple Stadium, Thurles
IN THE END, it just proved a step too far for gallant Crusheen. The toil and tissue damage of a demanding second successive run through Clare and an unchartered march on Munster eventually caught up with the Blood and Bandages on Sunday as Na Piarsaigh’s fresher legs unearthed a remarkable last quarter turnaround.
There was just nothing left in the tank to fend off a rampaging Na Piarsaigh side who hit 1-7 without reply after being shackled by Crusheen for the majority of this tie. However, when needed most, Na Piarsaigh’s young guns came to the fore with David Breen (26), Kieran Kennedy (20), Kevin Downes (20), Shane Dowling (18) and substitute Adrian Breen (19) hammering the final nails to Crusheen’s coffin in a majestic final blitzkrieg.
It was harsh on a Crusheen side who once more had given their all in the pursuit of the Munster dream, only a year on from achieving historic county glory for the first time. And it appeared that fortune was indeed favouring the brave as Crusheen led by 0-9 to 0-6 with less than 15 minutes remaining.
The Clare champions had done their homework from the drawn game and by expertly curtailing Na Pairsaigh’s big guns up front up to that point, they could almost see the finish line in sight.
Teenage sensation Shane Dowling, who scored 1-7 in the drawn game, was practically anonymous under the watchful eye of Cathal Dillon who kept him scoreless for the opening 44 minutes of the game until finally converting a free.
Fellow Limerick county seniors David Breen and Kevin Downes were also well marshalled by brothers Cian and Cronan Dillon respectively and after missing uncharacteristic frees, a glorious goal chance for Shane O’Neill and totting up nine wides at that stage, the Limerick champions didn’t seem capable of unlocking Crusheen’s watertight safe.
However, in the crucial final quarter when Na Piarsaigh inevitably rallied, upped the ante and began to ask tough questions, Crusheen found the answers increasingly difficult to come by.
Their much heralded defence was stubbornly working overtime as usual but with little assistance from their forward unit, Crusheen eventually had to yield to a momentum filled Na Piarsaigh who only gathered confidence with every passing score.
By the time substitute Adrian Breen struck for the decisive 58th minute goal, Crusheen not only could not locate answers but were even finding the questions difficult to decipher in what was a ruthless, undeserved finish to an unprecedented year.
However, in the cold light of day, the real crux of where Crusheen faltered cannot be solely attributed to a faltering final quarter.
In the drawn game, more than any other performance, Crusheen were bolstered by a plethora of eight different scorers, with five of their six forwards getting on the scoreboard while Na Piarsaigh were over-reliant on Shane Dowling who grabbed 1-7 out of 1-11.
This time around however, Crusheen depended largely on their own hugely impressive teenager, Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-4) for scores, with only three other teammates contributing, and only one of those, David Forde, being a fellow forward.
Instead, it was Na Piarsaigh’s forwards who blossomed with six different attackers making their mark on the scoreboard and substitute Adrian Breen in particular soaring with 1-3.
More than that though, Crusheen got little reward or even ball rentention from a muted full-forward line