Driven Gaels knock Kilmurry out

CUSACK CUP

Shannon Gaels 2-9
Kilmurry-Ibrickane 0-10

SECOND-half goals from Ruairí Norrby and John Paul O’Neill helped Shannon Gaels to qualify for their first Cusack Cup Division 1 football league final since 1976.

Although heavy rain had fallen on the morning of the game in Kilmihil, conditions were dry for the duration of the match, while the surface was in excellent condition.
After a tight opening half hour, the teams were tied at 0-5 each at half-time. Michael Hogan pointed the opening score for the county and Munster champions, with Norrby equalising shortly afterwards.
Mark McCarthy, Noel Downes, who scored four points from play in total, and Michael O’Dwyer added first-half points for Kilmurry.
After John Paul O’Neill moved from centre to full-forward, he got on top of Kilmurry full-back Mark Killeen and kicked two first-half points, while Barry Toner and John Bermingham completed the Gaels’ first-half total.
Norrby’s goal was the first score of the second half and this helped the winners to gain in confidence in a match that was free flowing but hard hitting.
O’Neill’s goal, which involved Toner and Norrby, helped the Gaels to establish a 2-7 to 0-6 advantage before Kilmurry kicked successive points from Stephen Moloney, Downes, Enda Coughlan and Shane Hickey. With the deficit now down to three points and Kilmurry piling on the pressure, O’Neill kicked a brace of outstanding points to establish a five-point lead.
Kilmurry will reflect on the fact that Noel Downes missed two first-half goal-scoring chances, the second of which Keith Ryan saved superbly, while they also spurned a number of scoreable frees.
Shannon Gaels, who Kilmurry beat 1-15 to 0-6 in the last round of the Cusack Cup two weeks ago, played with real passion and desire this time.
Cathal O’Neill, Tomás Cleary, Francis Cleary, John Paul O’Neill and Barry Toner excelled for the winners, while Mark McCarthy, especially in the first half, Noel Downes and Shane Hickey did well for Kilmurry.

Shannon Gaels: Keith Ryan; John Neylon, Tomás Madigan, Cathal O’Neill; Tomás Cleary, Brian Bermingham, John Bermingham; Noel Kennedy, Frank Cleary; Brian Cunningham, John Paul O’Neill, Michael Coughlan; Ruairí Norrby, Michael O’Donoghue, Barry Toner.
Sub: David Neylon for Brian Cunningham.
Scorers: John Paul O’Neill (1-4), Ruairí Norrby (1-1), Barry Toner (0-3, 2f) and John Bermingham (0-1).
Kilmurry Ibrickane: Peter O’Dwyer; Darren Hickey, Mark Killeen, Martin McMahon; Shane Hickey, Enda Coughlan, Declan Callinan; Vinny Talty, Paul O’Connor; Stephen Moloney, Michael Hogan, Darren Sexton; Michael O’Dwyer, Noel Downes, Mark McCarthy.
Subs: Adrian Murrihy for Darren Sexton, Peter O’Dwyer for Vinny Talty, Evan Talty for Martin McMahon (inj), Odran O’Dwyer for Adrian Murrihy and Niall Hickey for Peter O’Dwyer (inj).
Scorers: Noel Downes