Crusheen bridge 51-year gap with junior A win

CRUSHEEN GAA Club created another piece of history last Saturday when their junior hurlers bridged a 51-year gap by winning the Junior A Hurling Championship title.

In scoring a one-point win over Newmarket, they completed two doubles in what has been the most successful year ever in the club’s history. Saturday’s victory, the club’s fifth in this championship, completed the junior A double, as they had already won the league title, while the win also completed the senior-junior championship double, following the club’s historic first senior win two weeks ago.
The win was achieved without the assistance of the club’s inspirational captain and centre-back, Brendan McMahon, who was unable to take his place due to a leg injury suffered in their semi-final win over St Joseph’s.
On the day, the team was captained by his brother, right corner-back, Tony, who is also the club secretary and after the game, they jointly accepted the cup from county board chairman, Michael O’Neill.
In the absence of Brendan McMahon, Crusheen moved teenager Conor O’Loughlin from midfield to centre-back where he had an outstanding game and in the resultant reshuffle, Shaun Dillon moved to midfield with Briain Dillon coming into the team at wing-forward.
This was quite an entertaining tie in which the teams were level on six occasions. The tempo of the game increased in the second half and early in this period, Crusheen manager Joe Mullins was banished from the enclosure by referee Johnnie Healy.
The sides were level on four occasions in the first half before Newmarket struck for the game’s only goal five minutes before the break. Martin Frawley applied the finish after a good move caused problems for the Crusheen defence.
Crusheen responded with a brace of pointed frees from Niall McMahon and when the half-time whistle sounded, there was just a point between the teams with Newmarket in front on a score of 1-4 to 0-6.
Newmarket had the opening score of the second half, a point from Ger Hannon but Crusheen hit back with five unanswered points to lead by three at the three-quarter stage.
The switch of Jamie Fitzgibbon to full-forward proved an important move by the Crusheen mentors as he contributed some great points during the second half.
Crusheen were still three points in front as the game entered the final 10 minutes. Helped by some switches, both positional and in personnel, Newmarket hit back and a brace of Niall O’Connor points, along with one from substitute Shane O’Leary, tied up the game with three minutes to play.
The momentum was now with Newmarket and they missed a great chance of going in front when Ger Hannon got on the end of a Neil Ryan delivery but his effort went wide of David McMahon’s right-hand post.
With a minute of normal time remaining, Trevor Corbett struck for what proved to be the winning point and while referee Johnnie Healy allowed almost three minutes of injury time, Newmarket failed to get back on terms.
Teenagers Conor O’Loughlin at centre-back and Jamie Fitzgibbon up front were outstanding on the day, while others to play important roles in this victory were Tony McMahon, Donal Wylde, Niall McMahon, Gearóid and Diarmuid O’Doherty and Trevor Corbett.
For Newmarket, Ronan McCormack, Eanna McInerney, Noel Frawley and Brian McMahon were prominent but their forward line failed to trouble the winners’ defence on a regular basis and this proved decisive.

Crusheen: David McMahon; Tony McMahon, Diarmuid O’Doherty, Donal Dillon; Conor Hayes, Conor O’Loughlin, Donal Wylde; Thomas Vaughan, Shaun Dillon; Jamie Fitzgibbon, Niall McMahon, Briain Dillon; Gearóid O’Doherty, Niall Fitzgibbon, Trevor Corbett.
Scorers: Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-4), Niall McMahon (0-4, 2f, 1 65), Trevor Corbett (0-3), Niall Fitzgibbon and Gearóid O’Doherty (0-1) each.

Newmarket: Ronan McCormack; Eanna McInerney, Seamus Meehan, Jimmy Clancy; Noel Frawley, Brian McMahon, Darren Cullinan; Niall O’Connor, Frank Melody; Neil Ryan, Paul McInerney, Liam Clancy; Martin Frawley, Anthony Kilmartin, Ger Hannon.
Subs: Niall Enright for L Clancy (40 minutes) and Shane O’Leary for M Frawley (52 minutes).
Scorers: Neil Ryan (0-4f), Martin Frawley (1-0), Niall O’Connor (0-2), Ger Hannon, Anthony Kilmartin and Shane O’Leary (0-1) each.

Referee: Johnnie Healy, Smith O’Brien’s.