Crusheen stay calm to earn another chance

NEITHER OF these teams needed proof that a first Munster title does not come easily but this entertaining match proved that to them anyway.

It was a first provincial final for both these clubs and both had half-chances during a hectic closing 10-minute period which hinged on what appeared to be an audacious attempt at a goal from Shane Dowling when a point looked on.

The 18-year-old had a smashing game for the Limerick champions, striking 1-7 from a penalty and frees and using his strength and athleticism to cause the highly-organised Crusheen back-line ever increasing problems. Whether or not Dowling was going for a late goal was the chief talking point among the crowd of 2,893.

Afterwards, he hinted that he may have miss-hit his final strike but he reflected the mood of both sides in looking forward to next Sunday’s replay (2pm, Thurles).

“Yeah, I think it was a fair result. It was a very tough, physical game with a lot of hard hitting.

“But there were no dirty strokes at all. It was just a great game to be involved in. We knew what we expecting coming into the game. Crusheen . . . like you can’t win back-to-back county championships and be unfortunate in last year’s Munster club and be a bad team so it was a fair result.

“I was disappointed with the way I struck the last ball. You can look at it both ways but that’s the way it goes and at least I’ll get another chance next week.”

Reports that Pat Vaughan, the linchpin of the Crusheen team, is due to get married next week were previous. The midfielder has a fortnight before that appointment and this draw makes for an even more hectic December. Vaughan shook off the frustration of two early wides to land a wonderful point from play with five minutes left when his team badly needed a score. He also converted the last score of the match after the enterprising Fergus Kennedy was pulled down in possession.

Na Piarsaigh were in the ascendancy during the last quarter of their game, with the constant pressure of their direct game, predicated on big men like David Breen, Kevin Downes and the imposing Dowling winning possession, beginning to pay off.

In fact when Breen whipped over his first point in the 57th minute to give the Limerick champions a 1-11 to 0-13 lead, they might have felt their nerveless season was set to continue with more silverware.

That would have been a tough finish to Crusheen, who had coped well with Na Piarsaigh’s attack, apart from the penalty they conceded in the 16th minute when Cronan Dillon hauled down Kevin Downes after the full forward made a fine catch.

Dowling’s finish was emphatic and Na Piarsaigh led by 1-3 to 0-4.

The response of the Crusheen team to the concession of that penalty must have been hugely heartening to the Clare supporters. The five points they scored without reply were filled with sharp thinking and clever hurling.

Switching Fergus Kennedy to midfield reaped dividends while at full forward, Gerard O’Grady began to make a nuisance of himself under the dropping ball.

Patrick Meaney, the lively corner-forward, was perfectly placed to make use of O’Grady’s industry, clipping two first-half points.

Had Meaney managed to catch a perfectly weighted pass that O’Grady delivered on 21 minutes, he would have had the Na Piarsaigh goal at his mercy. Crusheen were playing well throughout the field at this point.

The Limerick champions rained decent ball in on Kevin Downes but the Crusheen back three stayed sharp and calm, with Cronan Dillon competing for possession and the Brigdale brothers rushing in to sweep up possession.

A wonderful turn on the run by Cian Dillon, the impressive centre back, highlighted Crusheen’s general composure and set in motion another Crusheen score, this one a free from Ciaran O’Doherty.

They led by 0-9 to 1-3 at the break and opened the second half with two fine points from O’Grady and Kennedy, despite solid tackling and cover from the Na Piarsaigh men.

That four-point lead was swiftly eradicated by a series of Dowling frees and the last quarter was helter-skelter. Players made mistakes – on a heavy Semple Stadium pitch that was inevitable – but the desire to atone was strong.

Alan Dempsey chided himself for blowing a scoring chance for Na Piarsaigh but seconds later cut out a Crusheen possession with a brilliant catch and set up an attack which finished with a point for John Madden. Na Piarsaigh are a young team but were able to call upon 40-year-old former All-Star Damien Quigley for the closing exchanges.

“Wasn’t it great to see Damien come in?” marvelled Dowling. “He’s been flying in training.”

The momentum was with the Limerick men in the closing phase. Crusheen, however, stayed calm and engineered the late free to earn a deserved replay.

CRUSHEEN: F Touhy; S Brigdale, Cronan Dillon, A Brigdale; C O’Doherty (0-1, free), Cian Dillon, Cathal Dillon (0-1); P Vaughan (0-5, one 65, three frees), J Meaney; G O’Donnell, J Fitzgibbon (0-1), D Forde (0-1); P Meaney (0-2), G O’Grady (0-1), F Kennedy (0-2). Subs: C O’Donnell for D Forde (55 mins).

NA PIARSAIGH P Kennedy, C King (0-1), K Breen, K Bermingham, B Hartnett, J O’Brien, A Dempsey; K Kennedy, K Ryan, D Breen (0-1), S O’Neill; S Dowling (1-7, pen, six frees), K Downes, A Breen (0-1). Subs: D Lynch for A Breen (half-time); A Hennessy for K Bermingham (44 mins); J Madden (0-1) for P Gleeson (50); D Quigley for S O’Neill (60).

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).

Next Up . . .

Next February, Coolderry will take on Galway champions Gort in the All-Ireland semi-final. In the other semi-final, the winners of the replay between Crusheen and Na Piarsaigh will take on the Ulster champions Loughgiel Shamrocks.