Kilmurry victory in free-ridden Cusack Cup final

Kilmurry-Ibrickane  0-10

St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield  0-6

THE €10 handed over by the people who attended The Clare Champion-sponsored Cusack Cup final in Kilmihil last Sunday evening wasn’t the wisest note they’ve ever spent.

While Kilmurry-Ibrickane went home with the cup still in their possession, the paying customers were presented with a turgid, stop-start game, which produced 54 frees evenly split, a red card each and a combined eight yellow cards.
St Joseph’s kicked just two points from play and Kilmurry didn’t score from play in the first half, which imparts some further evidence that this was not thrill-a-minute stuff.
A minute or so after Ivor Whyte kicked wind-assisted St Joseph’s in front, Kilmurry centre-back, Paul O’Connor was sent off on a straight red card following an incident with Greg Lyons. St Joseph’s Seán Flynn had hit the Kilmurry man with a fair shoulder seconds before the incident involving Lyons and O’Connor, which happened in front of the stand. It seemed a yellow card, perhaps armed with a warning, would suffice but referee Pat Cosgrove deemed a red was warranted. Just two minutes later, Kilmurry’s Thomas O’Connor was yellow-carded for what looked a more definite connection between himself and Ivor Whyte, while six minutes before half-time, Greg Lyons was equally lucky not to see red for a frontal challenge on Seamus Murrihy. Lyons was shown a second yellow in the last minute. However, if red was required to punish Paul O’Connor, both of the others should have received the same card. Although in truth, yellow cards would have been sufficient in all three incidents.
There hasn’t been much mention of the game of football yet. That’s largely because there wasn’t much, definitely not in the first half.
Cathal Duggan, from frees won by Cathal O’Sullivan and himself, pointed two dead balls, while Declan O’Keeffe landed a 45’, which helped St Joseph’s into a 0-4 to 0-2 half-time lead.
Ian McInerney and Enda Coughlan, from frees won by Darren Hickey and Peter O’Dwyer, put over Kilmurry’s first-half points.
Kilmurry lost Johnny Daly to injury in the 15th minute, with McInerney coming in. In first-half injury time, Doora-Barefield had a decent goal-scoring chance when Alan O’Neill burst clear of Enda Coughlan but he shot his goal-scoring chance at Peter O’Dwyer, who diverted the ball around the post for O’Keeffe’s converted 45’.
St Joseph’s didn’t make sufficient use of either their extra man or the strong wind in the first half. They were difficult to break down defensively and got plenty of players behind the ball but their attack lost shape and didn’t threaten enough. When a St Joseph’s player had possession outfield, his options inside were too limited and several deliveries from distance ended up going frustratingly wide.
The opening minutes of the second half didn’t herald a significant increase in the standard of play. Peter and Michael O’Dwyer, followed by Martin McMahon kicked successive wides, while Ivor Whyte did likewise at the far end.
Enda Coughlan and Ian McInerney eventually found their range, tying the teams at 0-4 each, nine minutes into the second half.
Kilmurry let plenty of direct ball into their full-forward line and while it didn’t always work, Niall Hickey picked up a break to point the holders 0-5 to 0-4 up, two minutes after McInerney’s point.
Just when it seemed Kilmurry were going to take over, Duggan pointed a free won by Mark Hallinan, while Enda Lyons kicked St Joseph’s a point up, 14 minutes from time. Lyons carried the ball at Kilmurry and offered a real threat during his time on the field. However, his score was St Joseph’s last point.
Eight minutes from time, Keith King won a crucial ball in the air at midfield, which culminated with Noel Downes equalising.  Niall Hickey and McInerney, from play, put Kilmurry two points up, while the latter and Coughlan kicked a free apiece in the closing minutes to seal the Cusack Cup for Kilmurry.
Peter O’Dwyer’s first-half save was a crucial moment, while Darren Hickey was involved in setting up several Kilmurry moves, courtesy of his support play. Declan Callinan and Martin McMahon also defended solidly in the Kilmurry defence. Remember, they conceded just two points from play.
Further up the field, Niall Hickey and Enda Coughlan contributed well, while Ian McInerney showed good form and hunger, following his introduction in the first half.
St Joseph’s will be concerned at Alan O’Neill’s fitness for their championship quarter-final against Cooraclare this weekend. The midfielder had to retire injured a couple of minutes from time and would be a huge loss. He worked hard for his side as did Kevin Dilleen, Stephen Collins and Enda Lyons once introduced.
This game won’t last long in anybody’s memory bank but the records will show Kilmurry have added the 2012 Cusack Cup to the O’Gorman Cup, the final of which featured the same teams. The big one has yet to be fought for.

Kilmurry Ibrickane: Peter O’Dwyer; Declan Callinan, Darren Hickey, Shane Hickey; Thomas O’Connor, Paul O’Connor, Martin McMahon (captain); Peter O’Dwyer, Keith King; Seamus Murrihy, Michael O’Dwyer, Niall Hickey; Enda Coughlan, Noel Downes, Johnny Daly.
Subs: Ian McInerney for Johnny Daly (injured – 15), Evan Talty for Seamus Murrihy (38), Thomas Lernihan for Thomas O’Connor (58).
Scorers: Ian McInerney (0-4, 0-2f), Enda Coughlan (0-3, 0-2f), Niall Hickey (0-2), Noel Downes (0-1).
Wides: 7; frees won: 27; 45s: 1.
Yellow cards: Thomas O’Connor, Darren Hickey, Michael O’Dwyer.
Red card: Paul O’Connor (Third minute).
Doora-Barefield: Declan O’Keeffe; Paudie Nugent, Kevin Dilleen, Declan Malone; Seán Flynn (captain), Stephen Collins, Martin Brooks; Alan O’Neill, Mark Hallinan; Paul Dullaghan, Greg Lyons, David O’Brien; Cathal O’Sullivan, Ivor Whyte, Cathal Duggan.
Subs: Enda Lyons for Martin Brooks, Luke Brannock for Cathal O’Sullivan (both 45), Cathal O’Sullivan for Alan O’Neill (injured 58).
Scorers: Cathal Duggan (0-3f), Ivor Whyte, Enda Lyons (0-1 each), Declan O’Keeffe (0-1 45).
Frees won: 27; wides: 10; 45s: 1.
Yellow cards: Greg Lyons, David O’Brien, Cathal O’Sullivan, Martin Brooks, Alan O’Neill.
Red card: Greg Lyons.
Referee: Pat Cosgrove (Corofin).