The Official 2011 Club Championship Thread

Sport
41

Kelly strikes to seal UL win

University of Limerick 1-15 UCC 0-16
By Fintan O’Toole

Friday, January 28, 2011

TIPPERARY senior Paul Kelly pounced for a crucial 55th minute goal that swung yesterday’s Fitzgibbon Cup Group D tie in Limerick in the direction of his UL team.

This was a tight and keenly contested battle throughout and the type of game where a goal was always likely to have a decisive impact. UL struck at a decisive time when Bill Beckett, who won a Fitzgibbon Cup medal in 2009 with UCC, knifed through the centre of the defence and off-loaded to Kelly. He managed to get a shot away under pressure and the ball bounced off goalkeeper Darren McCarthy’s hurley and into the roof of the net. UCC’s retort consisted of a fine point by Dean Brosnan but it was not adequate to rescue this tie, consigning them to a deflating start to their campaign. Their prospects of making the knockout stages are still in good shape with a tie against DCU to come but it’s difficult now to see them securing a coveted home quarter-final.

In contrast this result injected a huge boost to UL’s aspirations as they managed to replicate last season’s quarter-final victory over UCC at the same venue. Kelly’s priceless strike came just 19 minutes after they had trailed by 0-13 to 0-6 and looked to be on course to succumb to an impressive UCC side.

However UL slowly chipped at UCC’s lead to plot their way back into contention. They were aided by a few brilliant defensive performances that provided a solid foundation for recovery. Limerick senior Seamus Hickey and captain Kieran Joyce were to the fore, while Clare’s Brendan Bugler was outstanding at centre-back.

Kieran Morris, who featured for the Tipperary U21s last season, led the scoring drive from his corner-forward berth. The Moycarkey-Borris player fired over four frees and registered a sublime effort from play in a 10-minute spell to leave UL trailing 0-14 to 0-12 with 12 minutes left. UL then drew level with midfielder Patrick Cronin splitting the posts in the 50th minute and Kelly tying the game a minute later with a neat score. UL wing-forward David Burke and UCC substitute Paul Haughney traded points before Kelly’s critical intervention saw the only green flag of the game raised.

It was a tough defeat for UCC to take. They contributed handsomely to a high-quality opening half that saw 10 points registered by the 13th minute as the teams were locked together at 0-5 apiece. Despite powerful displays by Bugler and Cronin in key areas, UL’s shooting betrayed their approach work as they chalked up five wides in that period as well.

In contrast UCC’s finishing carried greater accuracy and their slick play saw them prise open the UL defence to create point-scoring opportunities. William Egan was in fantastic form at left-half back, competently fulfilling his defensive duties and also booming over two massive long-range points. Shane Bourke and Darach Honan looked dangerous when supplied in attack and when Egan pointed a free from distance in first-half injury-time, UCC held a 0-9 to 0-6 advantage. UCC exploded from the blocks for the second half. Full-back Phillip O’Loughlin bedded down their challenge while the influence of Waterford senior Kevin Moran grew considerably at centre-back. They rifled over a series of fine points with Bourke, James Cassin and Daniel Kearney on target from play while Keehan split the posts from a placed ball. Despite playing into a stiff breeze, the style of UCC’s play and the momentum they generated appeared to signal that a victory was imminent. UL’s composure meant they never panicked as they picked off a series of points and Kelly’s late goal crowned a fine afternoon’s work.

Scorers for UL: K Morris 0-7 (five frees); P Kelly 1-2; D Burke 0-2; J Gallagher, P Cronin, M Boran, B Beckett 0-1 each.

UCC: K Keehan (three frees), W Egan (one free) 0-3 each; S Bourke, D Honan, D Brosnan 0-2 each; J Cassin, P Haughney (one free) 0-1 each.

UL: T Lowry (Tipperary); M Malone (Kilkenny), M Walsh (Kilkenny), S Hickey (Limerick); A Hogan (Tipperary), B Bugler (Clare), K Joyce (Kilkenny); P Cronin (Cork), J Gallagher (Tipperary); M Boran (Kilkenny), B Beckett (Kilkenny), D Burke (Galway); K Morris (Tipperary), P Kelly (Tipperary), M Heffernan (Tipperary).

Subs: P Murphy (Tipperary) for Boran (40), A Quinn (Clare) for Heffernan (50), B Carroll (Offaly) for Cronin (52), T Connors (Waterford) for Gallagher (56).

UCC: D McCarthy (Cork); C O’Sullivan (Cork), P O’Loughlin (Limerick), M Cahill (Tipperary); J Nagle (Cork), K Moran (Waterford), W Egan (Cork); D Kearney (Cork), P Mahony (Waterford); S Bourke (Tipperary), K Keehan (Galway), D Brosnan (Cork); D Honan (Clare), J Cassin (Kilkenny), G Mulcahy (Limerick.

Subs: P Haughney (Cork) for Mulcahy (41), L O’Farrell (Cork) for Cassin (49), S Harnedy (Cork) for Kearney (50).

Referee: John Sexton (Cork).

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/k....l#ixzz1CJ9Kowwi

What age is Paul Kelly, he must surely be 31 or 32

42

Al too easy for wily St Pat’s in campaigner opener

St Pat’s-Mater Dei 2-22 UU Jordanstown 0-10
By John Harrington

Friday, January 28, 2011

ST PAT’S-Mater Dei know they’ll face much stiffer tests than this further down the road, but they’ll still be pleased with themselves for getting their Fitzgibbon Cup campaign off to such a positive start.

They had far too much craft and guile for a game but limited UUJ and in the end won the game at a canter.

It was a perfect illustration of just how big a difference snappier wrists and quicker speed of thought makes in a game of hurling.

Jordanstown fought their corner from first whistle until last but simply couldn’t cope with the home team’s ability to create space with the minimum of effort and then take their scoring opportunities ruthlessly.

Even against a stiff breeze in the first half, the Dubliners comfortably held the upper hand and when they led by 1-9 to 0-5 at the break, you knew the match was as good as over.

Their goal was scored by their own keeper, Eoin Reilly, who ran the length of the field Davy Fitzgerald-style and smashed an unstoppable penalty to the UUJ net. From then on, the self-belief drained from UUJ.

St Pat’s-Mater Dei always looked like they had another couple of gears in them for most of the game, but when they did really hurl hard in brief bursts, they were very impressive.

Six unanswered points early in the second half put to bed any ambitions their Belfast hosts might have had about staging a comeback and after that St Pat’s were able to hurl at their leisure and without really extending themselves.

The gap in class between the teams was significant, though UUJ players like centre-back Nathan Curry and full-back Francis Neeson deserve a lot of credit for battling hard for every ball right to the very end. They werefighting against the tide though, and in the closing stages of the match St Pat’s upped the ante once more and fired an unanswered barrage of 1-5 to put a gloss on the final scoreline.

The goal was a fine effort from wing-forward Canice Maher, another Kilkenny man, who lanced the ball to the bottom right-hand corner past a helpless Eoin Gillen.

Credit too goes to substitute Brendan Timmon who scored two of those last five points in an impressive 10-minute cameo appearance that might earn him more significant game-time against GMIT next Wednesday.

Scorers for St. Pat’s-Mater Dei: P Keogh 0-8 (6f, one sideline), L Ryan, JJ Farrell both 0-4, C Maher, E Reilly both 1-0, B Travers, B Timmons both 0-2, A Dermody, G Spollen both 0-1

UUJ: P Henry 0-6 (4f), P McGill 0-2, B Cashman, D Hamill both 0-1

ST. PAT’S-MATER DEI: E Reilly (Laois); D Wafer (Kilkenny), A Murphy (Kilkenny), N Ring (Dublin); W O’Shaughnessy (Wexford), M Quilty (Dublin), C Whelan (Waterford); L Ryan (Kilkenny), B Travers (Wexford); C Maher (Kilkenny), JJ Farrell (Kilkenny), A Dermody (Westmeath); I Duggan (Kilkenny), P Keogh (Carlow), G Spollen (Offaly.

Subs: N Breen (Wexford) for W O’Shaughnessy (45), B Timmons (Tipperary) for A Dermody (50)

UUJ: E Gillen (Antrim); S Dobbin (Antrim), F Neeson (Antrim), N McAuley (Antrim); L Hawkins (Derry), N Curry (Armagh), J Downey (Derry); O McCloskey (Derry), P Murphy (Wexford); P McGill (Antrim), P O’Neill (Down), D Hamill (Antrim); P Henry (Derry), B Cashman (Cork), M Devlin (Antrim).

Subs: D McGurk (Derry) for S Dobbin (30), A Clarke (Down)for B Cashman (37), S Logue (Derry) for M Devlin (45), C Gillen (Antrim) for L Hawkins (47), J Hughes (Down) for N McAuley (59).

Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/a....l#ixzz1CJ9QtP00

43

Christ, what age is Paul Kelly now? Whats he studying?

44

he was minor in 1997 IIRC making him 32 at some stage this year

45

It’s a joke now the Sigerson with all these lads in their late 20s and thirties going back doing courses. They ruined the spirit of the competition when they let all these polytechnics in.

46

Rower/Inistioge men were bossing proceedings in the various Fitzgibbon Cup teams Yesterday,I also notice that our man James Cassin lined out at full forward for UCC whilst the aforementioned on this thread Kieran Joyce hurl all around him whilst captaining UL to victory Yesterday,this going to be our Year lads im fucklin tellin ya.

47

How are ye still intermediate despite having all these supposdly fine hurlers, link…serious question…have nare a decent manager/trainer down there or something

48

I think the answer is to be found in the fact that they’re a windy shower of cunts Puke, but I’m just picking that up from what others on this forum have said.

49

Windy hurlers don’t excel at fitzgibbon level

50

Early days yet Puke, I believe Rower folk fall when you least expect it.

51

It’s not so much that they are windy hurlers on an individual basis, more so as a collective group weighed down by history and baggage of the countless bottling Rower teams that went before them.

52

We have been labelled with the windy tag over the past decade or so but we’re breedin it out of them now and the vast majority of our hurlers are drifting towards the double hard bastard status and quickly aswell,we’ve underachieved with our talent in these Years and may have hid once or twice but those fuckin days are over,swinging hurls at our lads will get ya hurt if ya do it this Year,Callan and all these other hurling teams that think this works will find out all about it shortly.2011 is going to be our Year.

53

Wasnt 2010 going to be your year too Link? Runt summed it up a little more eloquently than I perhaps did earlier.

54

I wouldnt swop our group of hurlers in the 18 to 25 age group with any other bunch in Kilkenny club hurling,they’ll be ending all this bullshit talk very shortly,we’re blessed to have such excellent talent.

55

Talent alone won fuck all

56

Thats true,talent and a raw cunt like Joe Lyng will do the business though.

57

I wish Rower/Inistioge all the best in the 2011 Championship…

I have revised by favourite club sides and the list is as follows:

  1. Clonlara
  2. Sarsfields, Wexford town
  3. Rower/Inistioge
58

Sound,we wont let you down.

59

NIUG 14 points CIT 1-11 with around 20 minutes gone in the second half

60

CIT won 2-12 to 18 points…Fitz is wide open this year