Clohessy frees the difference in Liscannor win

Liscannor 0-8
Cooraclare 0-6

Although Liscannor defended with more bite and discipline than Cooraclare, it was Alan Clohessy’s superb free taking that proved most influential in helping the ’02 and ’08 finalists into the October 10 county football final. The Liscannor wing-forward nailed five crucial frees, two of which were from distances of 45 yards or more. While Liscannor kicked 12 wides, none of them were from Clohessy frees.

Ironically, Cooraclare outscored Liscannor from open play, kicking five points of their total from play.
Defensively, the winners were more disciplined though, with Michael Foley and Shane Canavan especially effective in their full-back line. At the opposite end, Cooraclare conceded some avoidable frees, when the Liscannor man would have struggled to score if he had not been unnecessarily fouled.
Playing in front of the new Miltown stand, which was heaving with supporters, Cooraclare moved Mark Tubridy from centre-back to centre-forward before the throw-in, while David Hedigan returned to the centre of defence.
John Looney (free) and Mark Tubridy kicked early Cooraclare wides before Kieran Considine scored a lovely Liscannor point, after Brian Considine found him with a diagonal pass into space.
Cooraclare responded impressively and by the 13th minute led 0-3 to 0-1. Michael McMahon, thanks to good build-up play involving Hugh Donnelly and Ger Tubridy, equalised while Seán Maguire scored their second after John Looney intercepted a Dara Blake hand pass.
A minute later Looney held off Robert Lucas to curl over a top-class point after a David Marrinan free landed on top of them.
Although Cooraclare were struggling to hold onto their own kick-outs, they were going well at this point and Liscannor needed somebody to steady them.
Alan Clohessy managed this with a brace of converted frees, won by Kieran Considine and Clohessy himself, to tie the scores at 0-3 each.
Nine minutes from half-time Joe Considine hit the Liscannor crossbar, as Noel Kilmartin back-pedalled in a panic. Considine had intercepted a Niall Considine handpass and nearly caught Kilmartin for a goal, although Cooraclare would have taken a point.
Six minutes before half-time Clohessy pointed Liscannor ahead after a foul on Declan Fawl. Hugh Donnelly, who started at corner-forward but played in a deep, roving role, levelled from play, picking up a quickly taken Mark Tubridy diagonal free.
Two minutes into injury time, Clohessy pointed a 48-yard free, leaving Liscannor narrowly ahead, 0-5 to 0-4, at half-time.
The second half featured a mere five points but 14 equally divided wides. Ronan Slattery and Michael McMahon traded a very early wide each on the restart before Kieran Considine landed another excellent point, again thanks to a perceptive Brian Considine pass at the scoreboard end in Miltown.
Liscannor could have extended their 0-6 to 0-4 advantage but Declan Fawl, who could have popped it to Kieran Considine, shot wide, as did Brian Considine.
John Looney pointed a free won by Thomas Donnellan but Liscannor were soon three points up. Fouled by Donnellan, Alan Clohessy pointed from 45 yards, while a minute later Brian Considine expertly used the outside of his right foot to fire an exceptional score, leaving Liscannor 0-8 to 0-5 up. First though he had to hold off Joe Considine near the sideline before venturing infield.
Although 17 minutes, including injury time, remained, the sides only managed a point between them in that spell.
Cooraclare were dominating possession and winning most of Liscannor’s kick-outs but Joe Considine, Fergal Lillis and Ger Tubridy all notched unwanted wides.
Five minutes from full-time Mark Tubridy, who was not as involved as Cooraclare needed, kicked the game’s final point. Cooraclare, who had already introduced Don Garry and Colin Kelly, brought Pádraig Looney into the fray five minutes from time. Looney goaled last year when the teams met in the group stage. They also brought Andrew O’Neill out from goal in a desperate attempt to somehow create a match-winning goal chance. They didn’t manage to do that but Michael McMahon and John Looney added to their wides tally, while Brian Considine and Kieran Considine did the same for Liscannor. The latter should definitely have pointed from in front of goal.
Ultimately, Liscannor’s free taking and big match experience stood to them. Their full-back line was very solid, as was the trio in front of them, with Gerry Considine particularly impressive.
Brian Considine shaded his battle with Joe Considine, while Ronan Slattery worked very hard, although some of his distribution was poor.
While Alan Clohessy excelled from frees, his defensive workrate was high and he tracked back effectively several times. He had to as his direct opponent, Thomas Donnellan, gave everything in carrying the game to Liscannor. Joe Considine, until substituted late on, played particularly well in the opening half, while Kieran Considine scored two crucial points and always seemed to have the edge on Fergal Lillis.
David Hedigan was solid at centre-back and wasn’t caused undue bother by Niall Considine. Ger Tubridy initially showed well at full-forward but he faded thereafter. Mark Tubridy did his utmost to work his way into the game and contributed significantly but found it tough to immediately settle into his new attacking role.
Liscannor merited their win and are now preparing for their third county final since 2002. They won’t fear Doonbeg, whom they defeated in the 2008 semi-final. Cooraclare, who played seven championship matches in this year’s campaign, will perhaps feel that if they had one of Rory Donnelly, Cathal Lillis or Declan McMahon available, perhaps they might have managed to create a more meaningful attacking threat.
On another note, the Miltown club were exceptionally well organised in the car park and on the sideline, while their new stand and press box have brought their facilities up to inter-county standard.

Referee: Rory Hickey, Éire Óg