O’Curry’s lose out by narrowest of margins

St Vincent’s (Cork)    0-7      O’Curry’s (Clare)  0-6
Clare intermediate champions, O’Curry’s, gave their all in Pairc Uí Rínn in last Sunday’s Munster intermediate quarter-final but fell to a late point from St Vincent’s Cian Barry.

Ger Quinlan scored five of O’Curry’s six points from frees, with Jack Scanlan their only player to score from play. He pointed four minutes from time to tie the game at 0-6 each.

The winners led 0-3 to 0-2 at half-time. The opening 30 minutes was laced with poor shooting from both teams, who kicked several wides between them and also landed the ball into both goalkeepers hands while shooting.

Anthony Buckley and Derek O’Connor (twice) scored St Vincent’s first-half points, with Ger Quinlan the sole O’Curry’s player to reply from two frees.

O’Curry’s chances of winning increased significantly increased 15 minutes from full-time when St Vincent’s Stephen Ray was sent off on a second yellow card. Johnny Buckley from a free and Derek O’Connor from play extended the winners lead to three points, 0-5 to 0-2. Quinlan then pointed three successive dead balls, to level the game, 0-5 each, 10 minutes from full time.

Derek O’Connor’s fourth point put St Vincent’s back in front before Scanlan equalised. With the game now in injury time, Cian Barry kicked the winning score, which was heart breaking for an O’Curry’s team, who had given their all.

O’Curry’s: PJ Greene; Ollie Quinlan, Michael O’Shea (captain), Paul Roche; Brian Troy, Seán Haugh, Tom Downes; Ger Quinlan, Derek Troy; Eoin Brew, Damien Clohessy, Michael Foran; Eoin Troy, Jack Scanlon, Damien Carmody.
Subs: Michael Carmody for Michael Foran (37); Jim Downes for Damien Clohessy (51).
St Vincent’s: P O’Shea; A O’Callaghan, P Aherne, W Murphy; C Kenneally, K Goulding, D O’Regan; S Ray, S Buckley; T O’Connell, A Harte, D O’Connor; J Buckley (capt), A Buckley, C Barry.
Subs: D Duggan for A Buckley (35); F Murphy for J Buckley (43); G Kelleher for F Murphy (56).
Referee: Maurice Condon (Waterford).