Number 13 – lucky for Kilmurry

Kilmurry-Ibrickane 0-10  Doora-Barefield 0-4

Despite not scoring in the last 22 minutes of the 2012 senior football county final, Kilmurry Ibrickane coasted to the parish’s 13th county title and their fourth in five years.

Incredibly the first half was a near exact repeat, scoring-wise, of last year’s final between the clubs. Twelve months ago Kilmurry led 0-8 to 0-0 at half time. Last Sunday they led by seven points, 0-8 to 0-1.
Cathal O’Sullivan scored St Joseph’s only first half point in the 30th minute.
It wasn’t that Kilmurry burst from the blocks and ran through St Joseph’s in the opening minutes. However, once man of the match, Niall Hickey, pointed the games first score in the eighth minute, a sense of foreboding enveloped Cusack Park. Even most of the Kilmurry supporters in the small crowd would have liked to witness a competitive final after their 12-point win over St Joseph’s last year.
However Kilmurry showed no mercy and putting pressure on Declan O’Keeffe’s kick-outs, Thomas O’Connor and Peter O’Dwyer shot the champions into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead by the tenth minute.
Before Ian McInerney landed a majestic 48 yard free, St Joseph’s had half decent chances but O’Keeffe and David O’Brien were off the mark from frees, while Ivor Whyte did likewise from play.
McInerney’s first point was from a free won by Noel Downes, while a foul on Thomas O’Connor helped McInerney kick Kilmurry 0-5 to 0-0 in front.
Noel Downes and Niall Hickey added to Kilmurry’s total, the latter score thanks to more good work from Thomas O’Connor. In a two-minute spell five minutes from half time, Alan O’Neill twice burst forward but shot weak wides, while substitute Enda Lyons was also wide from play.
Johnny Daly landed Kilmurry’s eighth point two minutes before half time after Evan Talty had been fouled. Only O’Sullivan’s point managed to shake that familiar, blank look from the scoreboard from a St Joseph’s viewpoint.
If somebody had accidentally wandered into Cusack Park at half time, they would have wandered out just as quickly, realising from the low-key atmosphere that this game was well and truly over.
Points from Niall Hickey and McInerney put Kilmurry 0-10 to 0-1 ahead eight minutes into the second half and that was that. Perhaps had Cathal Duggan scored a goal a minute before McInerney’s free, St Joseph’s might have made a game of it. Picking up a break off Alan O’Neill, who spent some of the game at full-forward, Duggan’s shot was well saved by Kilmurry goalkeeper Peter O’Dwyer.
Nine points down and having to deal with Kilmurry’s deployment of Enda Coughlan as an extra defender, St Joseph’s can at least be credited with not totally throwing their eyes to heaven and giving up. Duggan kicked all of their remaining points, two from frees.
Like the 2011 final, this one was not a contest. While St Joseph’s started Alan O’Neill at midfield, he was moved to full-forward very early in the game. This was a clear effort by St Joseph’s to exploit apparent weakness in the Kilmurry full-back line, which Kilrush had exposed. The tactic didn’t work however with Darren Hickey dealing capably with any ball contested between himself and O’Neill, who did his best work at midfield.
A terrible day wasn’t helped when Greg Lyons was shown a second yellow card by Michael Rock, nine minutes from time.
While Niall Hickey was awarded man of the match, other Kilmurry players to turn it on included Michael O’Dwyer who worked exceptionally hard, Darren Hickey at full-back, centre-back Paul O’Connor and his brother Thomas, Peter O’Dwyer in goals and full forward Noel Downes who was fouled for two of McInerney’s frees and showed incessantly for the ball.
Alan O’Neill, Paudie Nugent and Cathal Duggan were best for a St Joseph’s team who will find it hugely challenging to come back stronger from this defeat. 

Kilmurry Ibrickane: Peter O’Dwyer; Martin McMahon (captain), Darren Hickey, Shane Hickey; Thomas O’Connor, Paul O’Connor, Declan Callinan; Peter O’Dwyer, Ian McInerney; Evan Talty, Johnny Daly, Niall Hickey; Enda Coughlan, Noel Downes, Michael O’Dwyer.
Subs: Seamus Murrihy for Evan Talty (49), Odran O’Dwyer for Johnny Daly (50), Mark McCarthy for Peter O’Dwyer (58), Ciaran Morrissey for Ian McInerney (60).
Scorers: Niall Hickey (0-3), Ian McInerney (0-3f), Thomas O’Connor, Peter O’Dwyer, Noel Downes (0-1 each), Johnny Daly (0-1f).
Wides: 5   Frees won: 25.
Yellow cards: Evan Talty, Ian McInerney.
Doora-Barefield: Declan O’Keeffe; Paudie Nugent, Steven Collins, Martin Brooks; Seán Flynn (captain), Kevin Dilleen, Declan Malone; Alan O’Neill, Mark Hallinan; Paul Dullaghan, Cathal O’Sullivan, Greg Lyons; Cathal Duggan, Ivor Whyte, David O’Brien.
Subs: Enda Lyons for Declan Malone (23), Brian Clancy for David O’Brien (42), Christy O’Brien for Mark Hallinan (48), Luke Brannock for Paul Dullaghan (50), Eamon Clohessy for Cathal O’Sullivan (60).
Scorers: Cathal Duggan (0-3, 0-2f), Cathal O’Sullivan (0-1).
Wides: 8   Frees won: 33   45s: 1.
Yellow cards: Declan Malone, Steven Collins, Seán Flynn, Greg Lyons, Enda Lyons.
Red card: Greg Lyons.
n Referee: Michael Rock (Ennistymon).