diego
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Posts: 1,099
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Post by diego on Jan 25, 2015 15:55:47 GMT
All over, draw after extra time. Brosna 0-10 Rock St Patrick's 1-7.
Another day in it.
Epic commentary by Timmy Moynihan on Radio Kerry!
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Post by kerrygold on Jan 25, 2015 18:25:49 GMT
Congrats to Ardfert, a big achievement to get back to another final.
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Post by fireeye2014 on Jan 25, 2015 19:35:36 GMT
Well done to Ardfert - once they get out of Kerry they do the business - biggest surprise was them getting out of Kerry!!
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 25, 2015 19:54:22 GMT
In their forays outside Kerry in the junior and intermediate championships, Ardfert have played three Ulster clubs and they have beaten all three.
This was a gripping contest between two evenly matched teams. The ref was excellent. Fair and consistent. The game was played in perfect conditions on Portlaoise's lovely pitch and was clean and sporting with Ardfert clapping their opponents off the field at the end.
Both of Warrenpoints midfielders are on the Down panel apparently as their Ross McGarry their number 15.
Ardfert had the breeze in the first half but WP dominated the first 15 minutes. They kicked a few scores and Ardfert were trying to get a foothold. Ominously for Ardfert John Egan looked to be at odds with his game at corner forward but given his long season in the Christy Ring Cup, the shinty, the hurling championship and the intermediate football championship it is understandable.
Ardfert got a long range free 40 yards out on the sideline and Damien Wallace pointed.
This settled them. Wallace kicked a peach of a point then and it was 4-2 after 20 mins. Then came the goal. A line ball to Ardfert was misread by the corner back and Shane Griffin cut on from the side as the keeper came out to narrow the angle. Griffin didn't shoot though. He has the presence of mind to see Egan arriving through the middle. A pop pass to Egan and Egan netted and Ardfert were never to be behind in the game after that.
It was 1.05 to 0.05 at half time.
WP regained the initiative in the second half and cut the lead to one on a few occasions but they couldn't find the equalizer. Ardfert kicked three of the finest points I have seen from play in the second half.
WP weren't prepared for the relentless tackling, covering, blocking of Ardfert. The ending was frenetic with WP fighting like drowning men for an equalizer with Ardfert manning every barricade. Time after time WP tried to recycle the ball only for a black jersey to nip in to turnover the ball and then a massed defence turned into massed attack.
Ardfert have a lot of great footballers. Their spine up the middle is savage. A sound keeper with a great kickout. Rory Horgan at fullback, Daniel Collins at CHB, John Dowling and Kevin Shanahan at midfield, Darren Wallace at 11 and Damien Wallace at 15. Trevor Wallace at 5 is another serious footballer.
Daniel Collins at CHB is a young lad from Kilmoyley. He gave a passable impression of Seamus Moynihan today. He was my man of the match. His ability to read the play, make interventions and cover back was outstanding.
Ardfert kicked 1.06 of the 1.08 from play and the points were exceptional efforts. They did kick some bad wides but better to kick a wide that into the keepers hands. Ardfert have options off the bench too with Eoghan Courtney and Brandon Barrett showing up well when introduced. Barrett struck the butt of the post for another goal.
For a tenner in, it was hard to beat and the joy at the final whistle was matched by the despair of a gallant WP side.
This side contains about 5 of the side that won the last intermediate All Ireland.
The final is on Valentines night at 5pm.
On the way home I had to pull in and park the car to listen to Radio Kerrys commentary of the Brosna game. He was fantastic.
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Post by Tadhgeen on Jan 25, 2015 20:11:57 GMT
Congratulations to Ardfert today - fair dues to all involved. Thanks Mick for the great report.
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Post by veteran on Jan 25, 2015 20:31:07 GMT
Mickmack,
Thanks for the great report.
Is that Daniel Collins the young hurler?
You spoke about having to pull in in order to concentrate on the Brosna radio commentary. It reminded me of the Kerry/Sligo match in 2009. I was driving back from Dublin that day and was listening to the radio commentary but had to pull in because I was losing concentration on my driving. Indeed, this has happened on a few occasions where I have had to turn off the radio if it was not safe to pull in. I suspect that listening to live sports commentaries on the car radio is the cause of some road accidents.
It would be great if someone at the Brosna match could emulate Mickmack's report.
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 25, 2015 20:37:59 GMT
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 26, 2015 8:09:14 GMT
Awesome Ardfert returning to Croker
Monday, January 26, 2015
By Eoghan Cormican. O’Moore Park
Ardfert (Kerry) 1-8 St Peter’s, Warrenpoint (Down) 0-10: AIB All-Ireland Club IFC semi-final: Pat O’Driscoll spent most of January watching videos of Warrenpoint’s Ulster club championship campaign.
The consummate ease in which the Down outfit secured provincial honours made for uncomfortable viewing, the Ardfert manager doubting whether his charges would be able to live with their semi-final opponents.
By 3.30pm yesterday, all doubts were laid to rest, every last avenue of energy and effort exhausted in the process. Ardfert were returning to Croke Park.
Eight second-half wides pointed to Ardfert’s dominance, but equally, their wastefulness in front of goal. Said wastefulness left the door ajar for Warrenpoint and successive points from John and Ryan Boyle on 53 and 55 minutes respectively had reduced the gap to the minimum, 1-8 to 0-10. Cue the tensest and most dramatic finish January’s GAA activity is likely to serve up.
Ardfert’s Damien Wallace and Warrenpoint’s Ross McGarry kicked successive wides, before Caolan McLoughlin had the chance to force extra-time in Portaloise.
The St Peter’s substitute, collecting possession from centre-forward Jamie Grant, slipped inside two black shirts and employed the left boot from 40 metres.
Supporters clad in blue rose in expectation of a point, McLoughlin’s effort taken from underneath the crossbar by Ardfert ‘keeper Nicholas O’Sullivan.
The Kerry and Munster champions stormed down the field, a sweeping passage of play ending with substitute Brandon Barrett driving the ball low against the right post. Warrenpoint continued to hold on and made one final push in the second minute of time added on. Pass after pass was strung, all the while inching closer to the Ardfert goal. Ciarán McCartan sought to offload to Grant in front of the stand, but Daniel Collins threw his body in front of the ball to cut out the pass. The final whistle sounded and the Ardfert players celebrated a third All-Ireland semi-final victory since 2006.
The two previous trips to GAA HQ yielded silverware.
“This was the best win ever,” declared O’Driscoll. “From what I saw in the videos, I knew they were an outstanding team. Part of me was saying ‘do we have enough to win this?’ We knew if we weren’t at our best, we would be nowhere near these guys. It was an unbelievable display from our guys. They are a special group. The last couple of minutes, in particular; we had old legs, we were out on our feet, but we got over the line. Thankfully it didn’t go to extra-time because we probably wouldn’t have had the legs for them.”
He added: “Our plan worked. We kept number 12 (Aaron Magee) out of it. He was huge for them in Ulster. We questioned them to see had they other forwards who would step up to the mark.”
Irrespective of their success in negating Magee, it was the Down champions who emerged sharper from the blocks — Ryan Mallon, Jamie Grant, Donagh McAleenan and Ross McGarry splitting the posts to establish a 0-4 to 0-2 advantage after 18 minutes.
Darren Wallace and McGarry traded points in the subsequent action, before the game’s crucial period.
David Griffin, set-up by Shane Griffin, reduced the gap to the minimum and the Kerry club hit the front when John Egan, collecting a Shane Griffin offload, calmly slotted beyond Warrerpoint ‘keeper Conor D’Arcy. Damien Wallace kicked his second free of the afternoon thereafter to move Ardfert 1-5 to 0-5 clear at the interval.
Shane Griffin, Trevor and Damien Wallace were on the mark at the change of ends, McGarry (0-2, 0-1 free) and McLoughlin replying for the Mourne men. Fives missed efforts in the third quarter alone saw Ardfert’s wides tally spiral well into double figures.
It almost came back to haunt them.
Scorers for Ardfert: J Egan (1-0); Damien Wallace (0-3, 0-2 frees); Darren Wallace (0-2); T Wallace, D Griffin, S Griffin (0-1 each).
Scorers for St Peter’s, Warrenpoint: R McGarry (0-4, 0-1 free); J Boyle, C McLoughlin, R Boyle, J Grant (0-1 free), R Mallon, D McAleenan (0-1 each).
ARDFERT: N O’Sullivan; D Dineen, R Horgan, M Moloney; T Wallace, D Collins, S Leen; J Dowling, K Shanahan; D Griffin, Darren Wallace, F Horgan; S Griffin, Damien Wallace, J Egan.
Subs: B Barrett for Horgan (46 mins), J Wallace for Shanahan (55, bc), E Courtney for Griffin (59).
ST PETER’S, WARRENPOINT: C D’Arcy; R McAleenan, R Boyle, M O’Hare; Cormac McCartan, J Boyle, Ciarán McCartan; J Cowan, R Mallon; A Magee, J Grant, R Magee; D McAleenan, G Boyle, R McGarry.
Subs: C McLoughlin for A Magee (40 mins), N McGovern for G Boyle (41).
Referee: J Hickey (Carlow).
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 26, 2015 8:11:05 GMT
Brosna and Rock St Patrick’s must meet again
Monday, January 26, 2015
By Daragh Small
Brosna (Kerry) 0-10 Rock St Patrick’s (Tyrone) 1-7 (AET): AIB All-Ireland Club JFC semi-final: Brosna and Rock St Patrick’s must meet again to see who enjoys a St Valentine’s date in Croke Park.
Extra-time failed to separate the pair in a tense All-Ireland Club JFC semi-final at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe yesterday.
Rock, looking for their first All-Ireland JFC final appearance since they lost to Cork’s Canovee in 2008, played with the breeze in the first-half and led 1-4 to 0-3 at the interval. The game’s only goal came from Eamon Ward. That strike, added to an earlier score from Conor McCreesh, came before Tom McGoldrick got Brosna on the scoreboard after seven minutes.
Brothers James and Conor McCreesh had the final say of the first-half with points and the Tyrone men led by four.
McGoldrick came to the Kerry side’s rescue in the second-half – he kicked Brosna’s first point and added two more before 60th minute.
Points from Ryan Crilly and Diarmuid Carroll looked to have it out of reach for the Kerrymen but Adam Brady got two points to tie it up.
Extra-time was required but Rock’s Aidan McGarrity and McGoldrick of Brosna were the only ones to take their chances.
Scorers for Brosna: T McGoldrick 0-5 (5f); A Brady 0-2; M Finnegan 0-1, T Finnegan 0-1, T Fitzgerald 0-1
Scorers for Rock St Patrick’s: E Ward 1-0; C McCreesh 0-2 (2f), A McGarrity 0-2; J McCreesh 0-1, R Crilly 0-1, D Carroll 0-1
BROSNA: C Kelly; S Fitzmaurice, M Murphy, A Cahill; T Fitzgerald, E Kiely, F McAuliffe; D Curtin, S Curtin; D McAuliffe, T McGoldrick, P Curtin; T Finnegan, M Finnegan, A Barry.
Subs: M O’Keefe for Kelly (inj, 8), P O’Keefe for P Curtin (24), J O’Donnell for P O’Keefe (blood, 36), S McAuliffe for D Curtin (85), G Nash for J O’Donnell (black, 90)
ROCK ST PATRICK’S: N Mullan; M McAleer, P Girvan, R Crilly; T Bloomer, A Girvan, P Ward; M McCreesh, C Gourley; E Williams, C McWilliams, A McGarrity; E Ward, C McCreesh, J McCreesh
Subs: D Carroll for J McCreesh (46), N McWilliams for P Ward (46), E Mallon for McGarrity (85)
Referee: James Molloy (Galway).
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 26, 2015 8:12:07 GMT
Valentia make it a Kerry clean sweep of club titles
Monday, January 26, 2015
By John Redington
Valentia-Daribhre Young Islanders (Kerry) 0-12 Kildimo-Pallaskenry (Limerick) 1-8: Munster JBFC final:
Valentia made it a clean sweep of titles for Kerry in Munster Club football when they beat Kildimo-Pallaskenry in the Provincial JBFC final in Knockaderry. Though they dominated for long stretches the victors endured a nervous final five minutes. They were stunned when Peter Nash’s 14m free in injury time rocketed through the packed goal line and moments later sub Ciarán Ryan’s shot skimmed just wide to dismay of the Kildimo-Pallaskenry fans. But anything other that a Kerry win would have been a travesty. Key to their win was skipper Brendan O’Sullivan in midfield. He hit three fine points but also delivered quality ball into an eager forward division. Kildimo’s attacks were based heavily around getting Nash into the scoring zone and his scores before the break had his side 0-5 to 0-4 clear at the interval.
Scorers for Valentia-Daribhre Young Islanders: J Shanahan 0-7 (1f), B O’Sullivan 0-3, P O’Connor 0-2.
Scorers for Kildimo-Pallaskenry: P Nash 1-6 (1-3f), D O’Connell, M Lynch 0-1 each.
VALENTIA-DAIRBHRE YOUNG ISLANDERS: B O’Connor; C Casey, P O’Sullivan, G O’Shea B; J Murphy, J Curram, S Lynch; B O’Sullivan, B Falvey; M Lynch, A Quigley, G O’Shea P; P O’Connor, J Shanahan, M Moriarty.
Subs: L George for M Lynch (53), J Daly for M Moriarty (58).
KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: J Fitzgerald; B Howard, S Hodnett, M Delap; B Walsh, T McCarthy, M Sheehan; S Guerin, J McHale; D Deegan, P Nash, R McKeogh; E Cuddihy, T O’Shea, D O’Connell.
Subs: M Nunan for M Sheehan (26), C Ryan for E Cuddihy (48).
Referee: S Stokes (Cork).
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved
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Post by buck02 on Jan 26, 2015 9:48:56 GMT
When I saw how written-off Ardfert were during the week I felt there would only be one result here. You have to admire their spirit, if nothing else. At the time they were drawn to play Mitchels, the way both teams were going, you'd have fancied Mitchels. The game got put off a couple of months and inevitably Ardfert won. Desmonds were fancied to beat them in the semi final, Ardfert swallowed up Thomas Hickey and won comfortably. Against Spa, Spa should have won easily but Ardfert hung in there, showed Spa's young lads how to win a championship game and got the cup in the end.
How they can handle being hot favourites in the final will be interesting but its hard to see them not make it 3 All Ireland club titles in a few weeks.
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Post by homerj on Jan 26, 2015 11:16:39 GMT
Brosna have had some year of replays and extra time this year. great battling from them and hopefully they will pull it off in the replay.
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Jan 26, 2015 11:58:37 GMT
Fair play to Ardfert- they are some dogged team with no little skill and Pat O driscoll is a fine coach. Was unlucky with the Kerry minors as he came across a great Tipp team- would leave to see him given another chance at intercounty level
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Post by finuge86 on Jan 26, 2015 13:16:39 GMT
The first time a kerry team has beaten a down team in championship football at any grade or level massive achievement by ardfert well done to all involved
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 26, 2015 18:34:07 GMT
Austin Stacks V Slaughtneil Sunday 15th February, O'Moore Park, Portlaoise @ 4pm
Wouldn't it be great if the Brosna replay was on before it. Rocks might feel that this would be giving Brosna an advantage. Tis a fair distance from Pomeroy to Port Laoise.
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mossie
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Post by mossie on Jan 26, 2015 18:43:19 GMT
Any Kerry under 21 selectors at the game Mickmack? Collins is under 21 as is Kevin Shanahan. Both should be kept in mind
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mossie
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Post by mossie on Jan 26, 2015 18:49:46 GMT
Fair play to Ardfert- they are some dogged team with no little skill and Pat O driscoll is a fine coach. Was unlucky with the Kerry minors as he came across a great Tipp team- would leave to see him given another chance at intercounty level Pat Driscoll has some record with Ardfert in football. Throw in winning the senior hurling championship with them as well for their 1st senior hurling title in 23 years in 2013. He deserved a third year with the minors. It was knee jerk to let him go. Other managers at minor and under 21 have been given more leeway.
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Jan 26, 2015 18:57:24 GMT
Fair play to Ardfert- they are some dogged team with no little skill and Pat O driscoll is a fine coach. Was unlucky with the Kerry minors as he came across a great Tipp team- would leave to see him given another chance at intercounty level Pat Driscoll has some record with Ardfert in football. Throw in winning the senior hurling championship with them as well for their 1st senior hurling title in 23 years in 2013. He deserved a third year with the minors. It was knee jerk to let him go. Other managers at minor and under 21 have been given more leeway. Exactly! It was knee-jerk in the back of losing to Tipp, who then went on to win the All Ireland. Every team that he has coached- he has substantially improved, he did some very good work with St.Brendans (divisional side) in the mid to late 00's aswell
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Post by ansúilleabhánach on Jan 27, 2015 6:35:18 GMT
The first time a kerry team has beaten a down team in championship football at any grade or level East Kerry would like a word with you...
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 28, 2015 17:53:40 GMT
Any Kerry under 21 selectors at the game Mickmack? Collins is under 21 as is Kevin Shanahan. Both should be kept in mind Well I didn't see any under 21 selectors anyway Mossie. While Ardfert has a good few wides in the second half the situation was uncannily similar to Kerry in the second half of the final V Donegal. They didn't miss clear cut chances but they took potshots for points from distance when they were faced with a massed defence. Clearly they wanted to avoid losing possession in a situation where the opposition could mount an all out attack while their own defence was out of position. For the resultant kickout they had a 50;50 chance of regaining possession. I cant recall Warrenpoint having any clear shot for a goal in the whole game. It seems to me that a lot of science goes into game nowadays and defensive coaching/tactics are as crucial as offensive tactics. Any word on when and where the Brosna replay is?
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Post by Mickmack on Jan 29, 2015 10:13:40 GMT
All Ireland Junior Club Semi Final REPLAY: Brosna V Rock St. Pats Sunday Feb 1st at 2 PM in Ballinasloe
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Post by mitchelsontour on Feb 1, 2015 16:43:43 GMT
Well done to Brosna on their win today.
All-Ireland club JFC semi-final replay Brosna 1-8 Rock 0-7,
Should be a good night in the Sportsfield.
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Post by haryegsnbaken on Feb 1, 2015 17:18:45 GMT
Outstanding stuff...Well done Brosna
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Post by Mickmack on Feb 1, 2015 18:29:51 GMT
This is just fantastic.
Twill be like the Con Curtin Festival on Tour on Valentines night in Croker
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Post by misteallaigh abú on Feb 1, 2015 18:47:09 GMT
Well done Brosna, fantastic performance.
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Post by walker07 on Feb 1, 2015 22:16:11 GMT
Brosna will play John Mitchels Liverpool, who lost to skellig Rangers in 2009 last time kerry did the club double in croke park hopefully it will happen again
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Post by copthat on Feb 1, 2015 23:27:23 GMT
Kerry teams Do. Not. Lose. Replays
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Post by Mickmack on Feb 2, 2015 7:57:40 GMT
Brosna leave Rock in Finnegan’s wake
Monday, February 02, 2015
By Daragh Small
Brosna (Kerry) 1-8 Rock St Patrick’s (Tyrone) 0-7: AIB All-Ireland Club JFC semi-final: Brosna are on the cusp of All-Ireland Club JFC glory after staging a dramatic late rally to win this semi-final replay at Duggan Park at Ballinasloe.
The Kerry champions will face John Mitchels from Liverpool in the decider in a fortnight.
Yesterday’s semi-final replay was a tough and physical encounter from the outset, and ultimately Rock’s ill-discipline cost them dearly.
It was 0-7 to 0-4 in favour of Brosna at half-time but Rock took control in the second half despite Ryan Crilly seeing red and their captain Aidan Girvan getting black.
They tied the game with time running out but Mike Finnegan hit 1-1 in the final five minutes for the Kerry champions to book their place in Croke Park
Brosna raced from the blocks and star forward Adam Barry got their first point inside a minute, Aidan Girvan equalised moments later.
They went score for score until a 10-minute spell before half-time when Brosna punished Rock’s ill-discipline in defence.
Tom McGoldrick kicked five frees before Conor McCreesh’s effort left the Tyrone champions trailing by three (0-7 to 0-4) at half-time.
Brosna wouldn’t score again until the 56th minute but Rock had troubles of their own.
Crilly got red for a high tackle on McGoldrick minutes after McCreesh had brought his side within two points, and after Martin McCreesh put the minimum between the sides, the Tyrone men lost Aidan Girvan to a black card.
Ciarán Gourley’s point drew the sides level for a fifth time but the extra-man advantage was going to tell in the closing stages.
Brosna launched one decisive attack with four minutes remaining and following a goalmouth melee, the ball found its way to Mike Finnegan, who rifled home to the bottom corner.
And his point moments later sealed a memorable win for the Kerry representatives.
Scorers for Brosna: T McGoldrick 0-5 (5f); M Finnegan 1-1; A Barry 0-2.
Scorers for Rock St Patrick’s: C McCreesh 0-4 (2f); A Girvan, M McCreesh, C Gourley 0-1 each.
BROSNA: E Prendeville; S Fitzmaurice, M Murphy, A Cahill; T Fitzgerald, E Kiely, F McAuliffe; D Curtin, S Curtin; Don McAuliffe, T McGoldrick, P Curtin; T Finnegan, M Finnegan, A Barry.
Subs: P O’Keefe for P Curtin (37), J O’Donnell for D McAuliffe (53), S McAuliffe for T Finnegan (60)
ROCK ST PATRICK’S: N Mullan; M McAleer, P Girvan, R Crilly; T Bloomer, A Girvan, P Ward; M McCreesh, C Gourley; E McWilliams, A McGarrity, C McWilliams; E Ward, C McCreesh, J McCreesh.
Subs: N McWilliams for T Bloomer (8), K Kolbohm for J McCreesh (37), D Carroll for A Girvan (Black, 47)
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo).
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved
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seamo
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Post by seamo on Feb 2, 2015 13:39:56 GMT
Well done to Brosna, fantastic achievement. Hopefully they can now go one step further.
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Post by Mickmack on Feb 8, 2015 20:08:12 GMT
Croan's finals romance with dream date on Valentine's Day
Valentine's All-Ireland final was not on radar of excited community
'It's going to be one hell of a week in Ballintubber," promised the captain of St Croan's, Gregory Grogan, when they won the 2014 Roscommon intermediate football championship in October. They also won the intermediate title in 2009, so he may have been speaking from experience, but in truth he didn't know the half of it. The celebrations in store for the players and all connected would run much longer than a week. The story was only beginning.
Now, four months on, the captain is refining his lines without wishing to tempt fate. They find themselves at the gates of Croke Park for an All-Ireland final against Kerry's Ardfert next Saturday. That it falls on St Valentine's Day seems wholly apt. They are in a kind of wonderland and have been on an odyssey since landing the county title, going on to win the Connacht championship and then, in a hair-raising All-Ireland semi-final, defeating Louth's Seán O'Mahonys to claim their dream date.
It is not the biggest club game of the day; it can't pretend otherwise. The All-Ireland champions, St Vincent's, are meeting a highly-regarded Corofin in the senior semi-final, a game that has VIP status and is undoubtedly the pick of the day. It could turn out to be the club match of the year. But for a team like St Croan's to be heading to Jones's Road for an All-Ireland final is bordering on fantasy. Corofin have been there before. St Vincent's have too. Even Ardfert have been in two All-Ireland finals, winning the junior version in 2006 and adding the intermediate a year later.
The junior and intermediate club championships have been running a little over 10 years and have given obscure clubs, the very epitome of small and remote, a shot at the big time. Croke Park on St Valentine's Day will see St Croan's and Ardfert do battle in the late afternoon, under the hot lights, while the curtain-raiser is a junior final contest between another Kerry team, Brosna, and John Mitchels from Liverpool.
It is indicative of the competition's innocence that after winning the semi-final against Rock St Patrick's from Tyrone, the Brosna manager Jimmy Keane referred to their impending final opponents as "the boys from England" - admitting that he knew nothing about them. He'll have picked up a bit more since then, naturally. John Mitchels proudly boast the distinction of being the only men's Gaelic football club outside of Ireland to contest an All-Ireland football final, that being their 2009 junior meeting with Skellig Rangers from Kerry, which they lost by a point.
The Lancashire region is also toasting the feat of Fullen Gaels in reaching the All-Ireland junior hurling final, where they face a formidable challenge from Bennettsbridge on Sunday next. The intermediate hurling final the same afternoon also involves a team from outside the island. Kilburn Gaels, the self-declared "biggest and most vibrant" hurling club in London, prepare to meet O'Donovan Rossa of Antrim, who contested an All-Ireland senior club final 26 years ago. Kilburn Gaels is the only club in London to field at all grades from under-eight up to senior.
Big and vibrant is not what you would associate with St Croan's, drawn from the parishes of Ballintubber and Ballymoe. They are managed by the former Roscommon footballer David Casey, who was forced to retire from playing due to knee injuries. He arrived from Boyle over a year ago with the sole intention of providing a good organisational structure and making them hard to beat. Ending up in an All-Ireland final was not on the radar.
"You never dream of an All-Ireland final in Croke Park," he says. "You would be hoping when you take it on to get to your own county final, but it has just kept building and building. We were not fancied to beat Ballyhaunis (in the provincial semi-final), but we won and were in the Connacht final. Again, we were underdogs against Killannin from Galway. In the All-Ireland semi-final, we were fortunate really. Look it's fairytale stuff. I am from Boyle, which would be a bigger town. This is the last place you would expect would be in an All-Ireland final. Football is everything. They are all involved.
"I think it's fantastic. You have a club here who might not have the population or the firepower to compete at senior level (St Croan's were relegated from the senior league in 2014). It's a great chance to expose players to bigger occasions. Like, here you have a village of 600 people and now 40 of them have Connacht medals and will play in an All-Ireland final."
The community has been thinking of little else. A song has been composed to grace the occasion. There are people coming back from all parts of the globe for what Casey describes as a "once in a lifetime" opportunity. The sponsor, Michael Holland Tyres, will get unimaginable bang for its buck, a backer since 1997 that never expected much in return. "It's an absolutely wonderful achievement for the club," says Mr Holland, who has a son on the team. "We are a small club really, a very small rural club, and for us to get to an All-Ireland final is a serious achievement."
Majella Smyth, the club secretary, says the decision to appoint Casey was a new departure in going outside the club. If there were reservations initially, there are fewer, if any, now. The All-Ireland intermediate and junior hurling finals offer similar narratives the following day. In 2012, Mount Leinster Rangers won the intermediate final, narrowly against Middletown of Armagh, and used that to launch a successful challenge on the Leinster senior title a year later. There were wins for Clonkill of Westmeath in 2008 and London's Robert Emmetts in 2007, but the rest of the titles have been mopped up by traditional counties, Kilkenny with four, Cork taking two and Tipperary on one.
In junior hurling, Cork and Kilkenny clubs won the first six since the competition began in 2003 and three of the five that followed. The exceptions were wins for Limerick's Blackrock in 2010 and Antrim's Kickhams Creggan last year. But even the traditional counties produce clubs that are of humble origins and for whom a day in Croke Park is still something rare and a memory to keep for life.
In 2012, the manager of the St Patrick's team from Ballyragget that defeated Charleville by one point, Maurice Aylward, articulated what it meant. Having led famed Ballyhale Shamrocks to an All-Ireland senior title previously, he said: "I think this is every bit as good as Ballyhale, because Ballyhale were expected to win. You had superstars on that team - this was just an ordinary hurling team, no great superstars, but some terrific hurlers. It's unbelievable what this is going to do for Ballyragget."
In 2002, Drumgoon of Cavan became the first winners of the All-Ireland junior club football championship when they overcame Belmullet. The club, which is located near Cootehill, will soon celebrate another honour when native Aogán Ó Fearghail takes over from Liam O'Neill later this month as GAA president. He played football for Cootehill Celtic because Drumgoon had no juvenile team in his time.
But tradition still talks. Kerry clubs have won the junior competition a record five times, including three in a row - Skellig Rangers, Castlegregory and St Mary's - between 2009 and 2011. They also lead the intermediate roll of honour with three wins, yet there has been room for victories for Fermanagh and Monaghan clubs. The first winners of the intermediate title were Ilen Rovers, a small club in west Cork with some very talented players like Fachtna Collins and Diarmuid Duggan. They went on to reach a Cork senior final in 2007, losing to Nemo by three points, and have held their senior status since.
After Ardfert defeated Warrenpoint last month to qualify for a third All-Ireland final, their manager Stephen Wallace proudly told Radio Kerry that they had won without a county player. "I am sick of hearing we grind out results, we are strong, we are never beaten, we have a damn good bunch of footballers as well. They would do anything I'd ask them, they are unbelievably dedicated. These guys are serious footballers. They deserve a bit of recognition now I think."
All the teams are serious and well prepared, but there are still occasional reminders that they are not part of the elite. When Ballinasloe turned up in Croke Park without their jerseys for the All-Ireland junior final in 2013, they had to borrow a set from Na Fianna at nearby Mobhi Road. They won, so they were able to laugh about it afterwards. "We just left them behind us," said their manager Seán Riddell. "It was unfortunate, but we used it as a bit of banter inside. But the lad that forgot the jerseys never forgets anything and he was in bits. All the lads, they didn't care. If we had to go out in pink jerseys, we didn't care. We had a mission and we really wanted to do it."
Ballinasloe had fallen on hard times after winning a stack of senior county football championships in the early part of their history. This odd and special day will forever stand alone. Every club can aspire to one like it, to win an All-Ireland, no matter how modest their origins or scant their tradition of winning. As next weekend will show us, it's no longer an impossible dream.
Sunday Indo Sport
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