St.Josephs Miltown's hopes of back to back Cusack Cup titles were ended last weekend when they went down to Kilmurry Ibriackane in this years semi final. In a game played in terrible weather conditions, Miltown played below par on the evening and never threatened to upset the favourites. Attention will now turn to the next game in the senior championship against Shannon Gaels on the weekend of August 14th. The report below is from this weeks Clare Champion.
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
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