Brave Kilmurry go down fighting

Dr Crokes 2-8   Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-13

Eight points down, (2-7 to 0-5) 11 minutes into the second half, Kilmurry Ibrickane looked finished. Their normally vocal support, in the 1,324 attendance in Quilty, were all but silent. Yet Kilmurry mounted a spine-tingling fight back into the wind and outscored the three-in-a-row Kerry champions and reigning Munster titleholders, 0-8 to 0-1 in the closing 19 minutes.

 

Dr Crokes 2-8
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-13

Eight points down, (2-7 to 0-5) 11 minutes into the second half, Kilmurry Ibrickane looked finished. Their normally vocal support, in the 1,324 attendance in Quilty, were all but silent. Yet Kilmurry mounted a spine-tingling fight back into the wind and outscored the three-in-a-row Kerry champions and reigning Munster titleholders, 0-8 to 0-1 in the closing 19 minutes.

That they fought until to last kick is to their credit but Kilmurry will harbour lingering regrets in their now football-free run in to the end of 2012. Inspired by Peter O’Dwyer, who ruled midfield, and aided by the magnificent contributions of second half substitutes Odran O’Dwyer, Mark McCarthy and Seamus Murrihy, Kilmurry threw everything they had at the rattled Kerry men but fell narrowly short.

The concession of a fourth minute goal cost them as did two first-half Noel Downes wides and possession kicked into the goalkeepers’ hands from Downes, Enda Coughlan, Shane Hickey and Michael O’Dwyer.
Throw in the fact that Shane Hickey hit the post with a point effort, also in the first-half, and the picture is even clearer. Kilmurry recovered from a slack start to dominate much of the first-half but still trailed 1-4 to 0-5 at half time.

Another statistic that illustrates Kilmurry’s first-half problems is the fact that Peter O’Dwyer, who bullocked through to score their first point, was their only scorer from play in that half.

Ian McInerney pointed three excellent frees awarded for fouls on Johnny Daly (two) and Niall Hickey. Daly pointed the remaining point from a free won by Evan Talty.

Colm Cooper kicked the games opening score from a free after he was fouled by Shane Hickey. Three minutes later Cooper flicked a dropping Daithí Casey free to the Kilmurry net, helping to establish a 1-1 to 0-0 lead after just four minutes. Playing against a strong wind, this ultimately proved a match-winning start for the provincial champions.

A minute later, Dr Crokes goalkeeper David Moloney was involved in one of the games pivotal moments when he made a superb save from Enda Coughlan. A goal at that stage would have lifted Kilmurry but the Kerry goalkeeper deflected the shot around the post and out for a ’45, which Ian McInerney kicked wide.
Casey, Johnny Buckley and Jamie Doolan, who troubled Darren Hickey, knocked over Dr Crokes additional first-half points.

Kilmurry started with Enda Coughlan at midfield alongside Peter O’Dwyer, while Shane Hickey picked up Colm Cooper, until what looked an ill-deserved ninth minute yellow card for a foul on the Kerry inter-county captain. Following that, Martin McMahon switched onto Cooper, with Hickey moving to wing-back, where he excelled offensively.

Dr Crokes had to field without midfielder Ambrose O’Donovan, who injured his finger in a cycling accident on Thursday. They moved Eoin Brosnan to the middle, while Luke Quinn lined out at centre-back.
Kilmurry introduced Odran O’Dwyer and Mark McCarthy at half time. Both played central roles as the half developed but Dr Crokes hit the home club for 1-3 without reply, in the opening 11 minutes of the second half.

Chris Brady, with a fisted point, Jamie Doolan and Brian Looney pointed the winners into a 1-7 to 0-5 lead. It would have been a more emphatic advantage but for a very brave block by Darren Hickey on Brady, before the latter pointed a couple of seconds later.

Brian Looney goaled immediately after his point, drifting unmarked inside the Kilmurry defence, round goalkeeper Peter O’Dwyer and netting. Now eight points up, 2-7 to 0-5, Dr Crokes only managed to add a single point, when wing-back Shane Myers scored four minutes from time.

Kilmurry won seven of Dr Crokes eight first-half kick outs and that trend continued in the last 20 minutes of the second period. With Peter O’Dwyer securing primary possession, Kilmurry got their running game going, drew frees from their opponents and kicked some excellent scores from play. Mark McCarthy banged over two points, one made by Odran O’Dwyer, who was also fouled for an Enda Coughlan-pointed free.

Seamus Murrihy got in on the point-scoring act and was unlucky not to raise a green flag. He would have were it not for Moloney’s acrobatic save in the 17th minute. Murrihy was instrumental in the next score when he was fouled. Enda Coughlan took a short free to Paul O’Connor, who placed Shane Hickey for a superb point.

Eight minutes from time McInerney pointed Kilmurry to within a goal (2-7 to 0-10) of Dr Crokes after Noel Downes was impeded. Four minutes later Myers re-established the winners four point lead but late scores from McCarthy, Downes and McInerney, after Martin McMahon was fouled, pulled Kilmurry to within a point of Dr Crokes. The visitors won the final kick out and managed to hold onto possession for about 40 seconds before Conor Lane signalled the end.

Kilmurry can be justifiably proud of their immense fight back but will be very disappointed that they allowed Crokes to ease into an eight-point lead in the first place. Peter O’Dwyer was unquestionably man of the match, while Paul O’Connor, Martin McMahon and Shane Hickey, going forward, also excelled for the Clare two-in-a-row champions.

Enda Coughlan was involved in much of Kilmurry’s best passages of play while all substitutes, including Colm Donnellan at wing-back, tore into Dr Crokes.

McCarthy and Murrihy contributed three points from play, while Odran O’Dwyer showed repeatedly for ball and ran at full-back Michael Moloney, who couldn’t cope.

On the downside for Kilmurry, Noel Downes was their only starting forward to score from play and that was in the 58th minute. The first goal was soft and again a high ball into the square undid them. Remember Kilrush scored goals in similar circumstances in the county semi-final.

With Colm Cooper very quiet bar the opening minutes, Dr Crokes relied upon David Moloney, Luke Quinn, Brian Looney and Jamie Doolan to pull them through. They will now play Tipperary champions Thomas McDonagh’s in the Munster semi-final on November 18.

Dr Crokes: David Moloney; John Payne, Michael Moloney, Fionn Fitzgerald; Shane Doolan, Luke Quinn, Shane Myers; Eoin Brosnan, Johnny Buckley; Kieran O’Leary (captain), Daithí Casey, Brian Looney; Chris Brady, Colm Cooper, Jamie Doolan.
Subs: Andrew Kenneally for Brian Looney (52 – injured), Gavin O’Shea for Daithí Casey (55).
Scorers: Brian Looney 1-1, Colm Cooper 1-1 (0-1f), Jamie Doolan 0-2, Daithí Casey, Johnny Buckley, Chris Brady, Shane Myers 0-1 each.
Wides: 4   Frees won: 17   45s: 1
Yellow cards: Kieran O’Leary, Daithí Casey, Michael Moloney, Eoin Brosnan.
Kilmurry Ibrickane: Peter O’Dwyer; Darren Hickey, Shane Hickey, Declan Callinan; Thomas O’Connor, Paul O’Connor, Martin McMahon; Peter O’Dwyer, Enda Coughlan; Ian McInerney, Michael O’Dwyer, Evan Talty; Niall Hickey, Noel Downes, Johnny Daly.
Subs: Mark McCarthy for Niall Hickey, Odran O’Dwyer for Evan Talty (both half-time), Seamus Murrihy for Johnny Daly (41), Colm Donnellan for Thomas O’Connor (43).
Scorers: Ian McInerney 0-5f, Mark McCarthy 0-2, Peter O’Dwyer, Seamus Murrihy, Shane Hickey, Noel Downes 0-1 each; Johnny Daly, Enda Coughlan 0-1 each (f).
Wides: 7   Frees won: 25   45s: 2
Yellow cards: Shane Hickey, Thomas O’Connor.
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).