This article is from page 71 of the 2011-11-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 71 JPG
CARRIGTWOHILL were applauded off the field after it was all over – it was always going to be so, given that the small east Cork club had dipped its toes in Munster championship action for the very first time.
You see, it had been a long time coming for a parish that prides and glories in the fact that it was home to hurleys over 800 years ago when at the time of Norman Invasion the men folk of Carrigtwohill ‘carried a stick bent at one end’.
So, win, lose, or draw, this was something of a celebration for them – hence the rousing applause they received from their faithful followers at, despite it being well and truly pummeled by a rampant Crusheen side.
A Crusheen side with a Munster title on their mind – and why not, admitted Carrigtwohill manager when praising the performance of the Clare champions and in particular their set of backs, whose reputation had preceded them to Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“We knew we were going to face the toughest defence all year,” he admitted afterwards. “We certainly did. No matter what we put in there it was just coming out as quickly as it was going in.
“We had a couple of goal chances and they just wouldn’t go in. Fair play to Crusheen. They played a real tight, defensive game and fought really hard from start to finish and we just couldn’t break them down.
“We had wave after wave of attack in the first half but just weren’t able to finish it off. In fairness that was down to Crusheen’s pressure and their belief in themselves. It wasn’t down to our forwards. It was down to their strength back there. I thought we could have scored a goal or two in the first half but we didn’t when we needed to build up a bit of a lead when playing with the wind,” he added.
Given the strength of the wind, a 08 to 0-6 lead was hardly enough?
“It was still there for us at half-time. I said to the boys at half-time – the first ten minutes of the second half is going to be the winning of the game. But to be honest Crusheen came out with the same plan and they had they had a great first ten minutes. They scored three or four points on the trot and we just didn’t reply and were chasing the game after that.
“All championship games come in phases of 15 and 20 minutes. We had our phase just before half-time and we had pushed on well, but didn’t get the goal that we really needed.
“Then in the first ten minutes of the second half Crusheen really pushed on – that was their phase and the three or four points they got put our lads under severe pressure and there was no way back. They are a very good side and I think they have a great chance of winning the Munster title.”