Sport

Crusheen advance to first final

Crusheen 0-19 Carrigtwohill 1-10: AN EXCELLENT second-half performance propelled Crusheen into a first-ever Munster club hurling…

Mon Nov 14 2011 - 00:00

Crusheen 0-19 Carrigtwohill 1-10:AN EXCELLENT second-half performance propelled Crusheen into a first-ever Munster club hurling final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday afternoon.

Trailing by 0-8 to 0-6 having played against the wind in the first period, the Clare champions outscored their opponents by 0-6 to 0-1 in the 10 minutes after the restart, and from there they always looked likelier to progress.

While attackers Jamie Fitzgibbon, Patrick Meaney and David Forde were prominent in the turnaround, it was in defence that Crusheen had their real heroes. Time and again Carrig’ forwards found themselves bottled up.

Despite getting the game’s first two points, Crusheen soon found themselves behind as Carrig’ reeled off four points in quick succession, Niall McCarthy with the best of them in the 13th minute.

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Crusheen pulled level again, but Carrig’ once again pushed on – McCarthy, Stephen Dineen and Liam O’Sullivan on target.

The early second-half exchanges proved key, Crusheen going 0-12 to 0-9 ahead after a brilliant effort from corner back Alan Brigdale, while Donal Tuohy denied Carrig’s Mickey Fitzgerald a goal with a brilliant save.

Crusheen pushed on again, and while Fitzgerald cut the gap to four with a late goal, points by Crusheen’s Pat Vaughan and Gerard O’Grady sealed the win.

CRUSHEEN: D Tuohy; J Brigdale, Cronan Dillon, A Brigdale (0-1); C O’Doherty, Cian Dillon, Cathal Dillon; P Vaughan (0-6, five frees, one 65), J Meaney; G O’Donnell (0-1), J Fitzgibbon (0-3), D Forde (0-3); P Meaney (0-3), G O’Grady (0-1), F Kennedy (0-1). Subs: S Dillon for J Meaney (16-20 mins, blood), C O’Donnell for Kennedy (46 mins), A Meaney for Forde (56 mins).

CARRIGTWOHILL: W McCarthy; P O’Sullivan, R Power, M Foley; C O’Connell, N Furlong, M O’Riordan; D O’Mahony, L O’Sullivan (0-1); S Dineen (0-1), T Hogan (0-1), N McCarthy (0-3); R White, B Lordan (0-1), M Fitzgerald (1-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: A Gosnell for Foley (39 mins), S O’Farrell for Hogan (43 mins), S Kidney for Lordan (57 mins).

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).

Na Piarsaigh and Crusheen will meet in the Munster club senior hurling decider on Sunday, November 27th. Venue TBA.