Tag Archives: Na Gaeil

Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship Final Na Gaeil (Kerry) 6-15 Corofin 1-12 KERRY’S unrelenting superiority of the Munster Intermediate Club Championship continued unabated when brushing aside the determined challenge of Corofin to cement a first ever crown in Mallow, reports Eoin Brennan. Able to fend off the first two blows to the solar-plexus to only trail by three by the break, Corofin would be finally knocked to the canvas on the restart when Na Gaeil upped the ante considerably to clinically kick three more goals and finish the game as a contest at 5-12 to 0-08. Taking history into consideration alone, the fact that Na Gaeil’s victory ensured a 14th provincial intermediate title for Kerry in the last 15 seasons showed how much Corofin were up against it from the outset. However, in a first half that they arguably edged, goals at the start of the first two quarters through Diarmuid O’Connor and Jack Bourke would hamper the Clare champions’ …

Heading in to this Sunday’s Munster Intermediate Club Final, Corofin manager Douglas Hurley is aware his side need a strong showing around the middle third if they are to cause an upset. Corofin come up against a Na Gaeil outfit who certainly don’t lack in the midfield department with Stefan Okunbor, who impressed in Kerry’s comfortable McGrath Cup win over Limerick last week, Jack Barry and Diarmuid O’Connor all capable of dominating the aerial exchanges. Hurley knows his side face a tough task in this sector as they come up against a fancied Na Gaeil outfit. “They have three potential Kerry midfielders. If we can be 50-50 in that area of the field then we will be doing well. If we can win our own ball and try disrupt theirs then we have a chance. If we come out with any type of parity then we will be doing well.” “There are a lot of areas they can hurt you. …

Munster Intermediate Club Championship Final Na Gaeil (Kerry) v Corofin at Mallow, Sunday 1.30pm (Jonathan Hayes, Limerick) The wheel has come full circle for Corofin who, 15 years after being Clare’s first Munster Intermediate Club Final representatives, are back vying for honours once more against Kerry opposition this Sunday. Only a late Ardfert goal denied the North Clare side of a historic provincial breakthrough in the Gaelic Grounds in 2006, which would prove a major turning point for both sides. Victory that day would have been a crowning achievement for Corofin goalscorer Colm Clancy and his brother player/manager Seamus, the duo that had been instrumental in a similar provincial giant-killing feat for Clare over Kerry at the same venue 14 years earlier. On the flip side, Ardfert went onto capture Kerry’s first All-Ireland Intermediate success for what was the start of an utter dominance of the grade. Since Ardfert’s 2006 trail-blazing feat, Kerry clubs have annexed 12 of the last …

Gearoid Kelly knows that Corofin are heavy underdogs heading in to their Munster Intermediate Final against Na Gaeil this Sunday but remains undaunted, writes Ivan Smyth. While he is aware his side face a tough challenge when taking on the star studded Kerry outfit, he insists that Corofin will not be overawed by the abundance of talent at their opponent’s disposal. “They will be good no doubt but at the end of the day it’s 15 lads against 15. We will give them as much respect as they need but we will be concentrating on ourselves. We shouldn’t fear anyone. We respect them but we are going out to win. Against Newmarket we were not favourites and we managed to turn them over.” Although the 28-year-old insists himself and his teammates are just focused on the task at hand this weekend, he knows there has been large excitement in the village for this game during the Christmas period. “There is …