CUSACK CUP

DESPITE their current pre-eminence in Clare club football, neither Doonbeg nor Kilmurry Ibrickane’s recent Cusack Cup winning record is particularly noteworthy.

Kilmurry last won the Clare Champion sponsored Cusack Cup in 2008, when they beat Doonbeg after extra time in Kilmihil. Prior to that they last won it in 1997, defeating Kilkee in Miltown. The parish has to hark back to 1935 for the one before that; Quilty won their third Cusack Cup in succession that year.
Since 1957 inclusive, Doonbeg have won 15 Cusack Cup titles but none since the mid-1990s. Their 1998 final against Kilkee wasn’t finished, while they were beaten in the ’07 and ’08 deciders.
So while most players to start in Sunday evening’s final have at least one championship medal in their collection, many on both sides, especially Doonbeg, have yet to win a Cusack Cup medal.
Last Saturday’s double-header of semi-finals in Kilmihil didn’t reveal much about the current state of either Doonbeg or Kilmurry. Neither were stretched as they eased past Doora-Barefield and Miltown respectively.
Come Sunday night though, the fabric of both finalists will have been more thoroughly examined. Kilmurry’s panel should be significantly stronger this time out. Shane Hickey will be available again following suspension, while Paul O’Connor is back from a holiday in the US. Declan Callinan missed the semi-final with a knee injury picked up playing for Clare against Down in the All-Ireland qualifier and his participation is doubtful, as is Keith King who injured his ankle about a month ago.
Doonbeg were minus Frank O’Dea against Doora-Barefield due to injury but he should be fit this weekend. They have been boosted by the return of Shane Ryan from the US although Brian Egan is domiciled there for the summer. Brian Dillon (England) and Jamie Whelan (France) are both home from overseas full time.
Three years ago Kilmurry beat Doonbeg 0-14 to 0-12, after extra time, in the Cusack Cup final.
Five minutes into second half injury time, Mark McCarthy, who kicked nine points, swung over a magnificent equaliser, tying the game at 0-10 apiece, forcing extra time.
If the 2011 final is as incident packed as the 2008 one, the entrance fee will be worth handing over.
That day, David Tubridy missed the target from the penalty spot five minutes into the first half of extra time after Shane Ryan had been pulled down by Ian McInerney. Seconds after the start of extra time Kieran Burns missed a goal chance for Doonbeg, while Shane Ryan fluffed a similar chance minutes into the second half of normal time, after Peter O’ Dwyer lost possession.
Referee Michael Rock flashed 11 yellow and two red cards that day. Shane Hickey (Kilmurry) and David Tubridy (Doonbeg) were both sent off in a game that produced 67 frees during the 80 minutes football.
Some of the key battles this weekend will see Padraig Gallagher picking up Noel Downes, Colm Dillon or Enda Doyle coming up against Peter O’Dwyer in midfield and Martin McMahon probably policing David Tubridy, although Paul Dillon is Doonbeg’s form forward at the moment. Another youngster, Kilmurry’s Niall Hickey, played very well against Miltown.
Whoever starts at centre-forward for Doonbeg will have to stop Enda Coughlan making runs from that area, unless of course Kilmurry opt to place Coughlan at full-forward, perhaps placing Shane Hickey at centre back?
Last weekend, a number of Kilmurry forwards, including Stephen Moloney and Noel Downes, didn’t look very sharp but the prospect of playing Doonbeg should liven them up. Mark McCarthy, man of the match three years ago, worked hard in the first half tracking back against Miltown but wasn’t involved much during the second half, when they had the wind.
This weekend’s final is a tricky one to call. Kilmurry will be motivated at the prospect of gaining some revenge for their defeat to Doonbeg in last year’s county semi-final. Doonbeg, whose only defeat in the league part of the Cusack Cup was against Kilmurry, will want to build up some momentum over their neighbours in big games. Calling this result is a toss up but Kilmurry definitely have more options on the bench and that should swing it their way. Sunday’s Cusack Cup final will throw in at 7pm in Cooraclare.
The winners will receive €2,500 from The Clare Champion while the runners up will receive €1,000.

 

Lightning start wins it for Kilmurry-Ibrickane

Kilmurry-Ibrickane 1-9
St Joseph’s Miltown 0-6

Foul weather didn’t help either team but Kilmurry Ibrickane were less inhibited and eased into Sunday’s Cusack Cup final without much fuss.
Playing against a very strong wind, Kilmurry settled immediately and led 1-3 to 0-0 after 12 minutes. Miltown had won the toss and played with the breeze but they made virtually no use of it until they were already well behind. That said, Miltown could have scored first if Dessie Molohan had pointed a free he won off Martin McMahon in the first minute.
Kilmurry took a grip for the next 15 minutes with Niall Hickey, Michael Hogan and Ian McInerney (free) all scoring points.
Hickey and Hogan played particularly well in the first half, with Hogan picking up loads of loose ball and using it to good effect. Hickey’s fisted point was created by a Peter O’Dwyer diagonal pass to Thomas Lernihan, who burst forward from right half-back, while McInerney’s free was won by Evan Talty.
Hogan won the Kilmurry penalty, having been placed by a slick popped pass from Hickey. Michael Hehir impeded the Kilmurry centre-forward and Enda Coughlan, up from centre-back, buried the penalty.
Miltown had to respond if they were going to make the game competitive. Dessie Molohan won another free from Martin McMahon, who was certain that the decision was incorrect. However Molohan pointed before playing a clever one-two with Gary Egan for Miltown’s second score two minutes later.
Michael Hogan pointed his second point a minute later, after Enda Coughlan had raided from the Kilmurry half-back line. Micheál Malone and Ian McInerney, after Peter O’Dwyer was fouled, traded points, while Molohan kicked his third point of the half in injury time, leaving the Cusack Cup holders trailing 1-5 to 0-4 at half time.
With the rain now plummeting down and the skies darkening, Miltown emerged with much more energy and resolve. They placed Micheál Malone at midfield with Michael Barry and possession-wise, Miltown dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Yet they only added a single pointed Eoin Curtin free to their total after Curtin himself was fouled. Had Miltown added another score or two at this juncture, they would have made a real go at reeling in their neighbours.
Instead, Kilmurry kicked four unanswered points between the thirteenth and 24th minutes. Peter O’Dwyer fired over two of these scores while Ian McInerney kicked two frees, won by O’Dwyer and Johnny Daly, who netted but Michael Rock had blown his whistle for a free before the net shook.
Rock had earlier ordered irate Kilmurry secretary Michael Considine to leave the sideline. He was enraged that Enda Coughlan wasn’t awarded a free for a late Graham Kelly shoulder in the 17th minute.
The referee allowed play to continue as Kilmurry had the advantage but didn’t issue any yellow card subsequently. 
In injury time, Eoin Curtin kicked Miltown’s last score from a free as Kilmurry qualified for their first final since 2009.
Michael Hogan played superbly for Kilmurry in the first half as did Niall Hickey, who was very surprisingly substituted 12 minutes into the second half. 
Peter O’Dwyer and Seamus Murrihy won a plentiful supply of ball at midfield, while Enda Coughlan excelled at centre-back.
Seán Meade played solidly at full-back for Miltown and kept Noel Downes quiet, while Graham Kelly was much tighter on Michael Hogan during the second period. Up front, Dessie Molohan scored two nice points from play, while Micheál Malone also worked hard.

Kilmurry Ibrickane: Peter O’Dwyer; Martin McMahon, Darren Hickey, John Willie Sexton; Evan Talty, Enda Coughlan, Thomas Lernihan; Peter O’Dwyer (captain), Seamus Murrihy; Mark McCarthy, Michael Hogan, Ian McInerney; Stephen Moloney, Noel Downes, Niall Hickey.
Subs: Johnny Daly for Niall Hickey, Seamus Lynch for Stephen Moloney, Michael O’Dwyer for Noel Downes,Vinny Talty for Peter O’Dwyer, Thomas O’Connor for Thomas Lernihan.
Scorers: Ian McInerney (0-4f), Enda Coughlan (1-0 pen), Peter O’Dwyer, Michael Hogan (0-2 each), Niall Hickey (0-1).
Wides: 12   Frees won: 16   45s: 0
Yellow cards: Evan Talty, Martin McMahon.

Miltown: Niall Quinn; Enda Malone (captain), Seán Meade, David Cleary; Gearóid Curtin, Graham Kelly, Michael Hehir; Michael Barry, John Meade; Gary Egan, Eoin Curtin, Micheál Malone; Joe Curtin, Dessie Molohan, Darragh McDonagh.
Subs: Kevin Burke for Enda Malone (injured), Seánie Malone for Gary Egan, Ger Malone for Darragh McDonagh, Seán O’Connell for Joe Curtin.
Scorers: Dessie Molohan (0-3, 0-2f), Eoin Curtin (0-2f), Micheál Malone (0-1).
Wides: 6   Frees won: 29   45s: 1
Yellow cards: Michael Barry, Graham Kelly, Michael Hehir.
Referee: Michael Rock (Ennistymon).

 

Lack of conviction sees St Joseph’s lose out

Doonbeg 0-13
St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-5

What will disappoint St Joseph’s most is that they never tore into Doonbeg with real conviction.
While it must be noted that the game was hindered by an exceptionally strong wind blowing towards the scoreboard in Kilmihil, Barefield didn’t manage a single score in the first half.
They will regret missing an excellent goal chance in the fourth minute though, when Greg Lyons kicked wide from close range after Nigel Dillon had spilled possession. Cathal Duggan also had a reasonable goal chance just before half-time.
If they had netted either of these, the game would have been much more competitive. By the time David O’Brien scored Barefield’s first point 10 minutes into the second half, Doonbeg had 10 on the board.
Inspired principally by wing-back Mark Raftery, who scored three second half points from play, St Joseph’s at least put scores on the board in the last 10 minutes when they kicked 1-4. Damien Kennedy netted their goal three minutes from time, with Paul Dullaghan laying it on.
Although Doonbeg led 0-6 to 0-0 at half time they didn’t score until the eleventh minute, when Shane Killeen pointed. Doonbeg’s second point was an excellent score, starting with Joe Blake at corner-back before Eamon Tubridy pointed at the far end. Kevin Nugent, courtesy of a Colm Dillon run, David Tubridy and the excellent Paul Dillon soon had the winners 0-6 to 0-0 up, although they didn’t add to their total in the last seven minutes of the first half. Doonbeg kicked 10 first-half wides although their tackling was more impressive; they conceded a mere three frees in the first half and none until the 25th minute. Doonbeg finished off St Joseph’s when they kicked the first three points of the second half. Paul Dillon kicked the first and was fouled for the second, while David Tubridy kicked that free and an excellent 45’ into the wind. Eamon Tubridy, David Tubridy and Paul Dillon completed Doonbeg’s scoring. Raftery led St Joseph’s mini fight back but they never threatened a realistic challenge to Doonbeg.
Joe Blake, Richie Vaughan, Colm Dillon and man of the match Paul Dillon all played well for Doonbeg, while Mark Raftery and Seán Flynn were best for St Joseph’s.

Doonbeg: Nigel Dillon; Joe Blake, Padraig Gallagher, Conor Whelan; Brian Dillon, Padraic Aherne, Richie Vaughan; Colm Dillon, Enda Doyle; Conor Downes, Shane Killeen, Eamon Tubridy; Paul Dillon, Kevin Nugent (captain), David Tubridy.
Subs: Jim Bob Griffin for Padraig Gallagher.
Scorers: David Tubridy 0-5, (0-2f, 0-1 45’), Paul Dillon 0-4, Eamon Tubridy 0-2, Shane Killeen, Kevin Nugent 0-1 each.
Wides: 11   Frees won: 13   ‘45’s: 1
Yellow cards: Enda Doyle.

St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield: Declan O’Keeffe; Ger Fannin, Kevin Dilleen, Seán Flynn; Mark Raftery, Damien Kennedy, Stephen Collins; Mark Hallinan (captain), Cathal O’Sullivan; Greg Lyons, David O’Brien, Paul Dullaghan; Aidan O’Connor, Johnny O’Brien, Cathal Duggan.
Scorers: Mark Raftery 0-3, Damien Kennedy 1-0, David O’Brien, Johnny O’Brien 0-1 each.
Wides: 9  Frees won: 12   45s: 1
Subs: Chris O’Brien for Cathal Duggan, Colm Mullen for Aidan O’Connor, Eoin Kane for Johnny O’Brien. 

Referee: Tom Stackpool (Ennistymon).