Loughmore recover to reach second Munster Football Final

GAA: AIB Munster Club Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

Éire Óg, Ennis 2-7

Loughmore/Castleiney 3-9

Report: Stephen Barry at Cusack Park, Ennis

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: John McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney)

SCORERS – Éire Óg Ennis: Mark McInerney 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free, 0-1 45); Gavin Cooney 1-0; Luke Pyne 0-2; Manus Doherty 0-1.

Loughmore/Castleiney: Brian McGrath, Ciarán Connolly, Philip O’Connell 1-0 each; Liam McGrath 0-3 (2 frees); Liam Treacy, Ciarán McGrath 0-2 each; John Ryan, Tomás McGrath 0-1 each.

Loughmore/Castleiney’s central cast of players stood up as always, but substitutes grabbed the headlines in a five-point victory over Éire Óg Ennis in the Munster Club Senior Football semi-final on Sunday.

Their growing panel strength was evident as substitutes Ciarán Connolly and Philip O’Connell fired late goals to secure a first Munster football final appearance since 1973.

They will meet Kerry kingpins Dr Crokes in that decider after they edged a 0-9 to 0-8 nail-biter against Rathgormack of Waterford.

Loughmore’s goal-scoring subs weren’t the only difference-makers sprung from the bench. John Meagher won the kick-out for the third goal and Paul McCahey could’ve raised another green flag.

This impressive performance against a talented Clare side was built on Loughmore’s breaking-ball dominance around the middle third and a series of hard-earned defensive turnovers.

Midfielders John McGrath and Liam Treacy were neck-and-neck for man-of-the-match honours. Treacy kicked two points while McGrath’s fingerprints were on all three goals.

Noel McGrath was hugely influential in that central area, while Brian McGrath hit the net and did endless unseen work to lessen the influence of the fast-starting Ikem Ugwueru.

If the Tipp double champions left Walsh Park with regrets a week previous, there was no room for what-ifs on Sunday. Loughmore fans made up a large majority of the 928 fans at Cusack Park and their team looked tuned in long before the throw-in. With so much provincial heartbreak in recent years, their major motivation was to nail down a first Munster football victory in eight attempts dating back to 1983.

Having suffered from illness in their hurling semi-final defeat to Ballygunner, they showed few lingering aftereffects here. Having contested the throw-in, John McGrath broke the defensive line to take a pass from Treacy and laid off for his younger brother Brian to bundle to the net. One minute on the clock, and a perfect start for the visitors.

Éire Óg were backed by a strong but swirling wind, which they failed to master. They sprayed six first-half wides, dropped two shots short, and saw another rebound off the upright. Loughmore’s Liam McGrath’s first free drifted away from the dramatically swaying goalposts and he had a second attempt from play controversially waved wide soon after.

The hosts levelled in the seventh minute. Ugwueru intercepted a loose ball, exchanged passes with Darren O’Brien, and was fouled approaching goal. Referee Brendan Griffin initially signalled a free but on closer inspection, awarded a penalty. Mark McInerney stepped up to fire home.

As Éire Óg continued to waste point-scoring opportunities, Loughmore proved far more efficient by working the ball close to the target. Lorcan Egan found Liam McGrath for his opener. Treacy laid off to Ciarán McGrath for a point before the captain opened his own account. The latter score was created by superb work by Brian McGrath to dive on a turnover ball before playing the final pass. It was four-in-a-row when corner-back John Ryan, who had been sick during the week, streaked in from the sideline to make it 1-4 to 1-0.

When Éire Óg belatedly hit back in the 26th minute, it was with another goal. Ciarán Russell got in around the end line and looped a handpass across for Gavin Cooney to rise highest and palm in.

Mark McInerney brought them back level before Eoin O’Connell’s goal attempt was blocked on the line by Russell. The Éire Óg counter-attack produced a point for the wide-open McInerney and the half-time advantage; 2-2 to 1-4. It would be their only lead.

Loughmore/Castleiney started the second half as they did the first; with a score from the throw-in. Liam Treacy did the honours with a fine outside-of-the-boot strike. They extended that into another four-point streak. Liam McGrath won and converted a long-range free. A Treacy turnover led to Ciarán McGrath’s second point. Noel McGrath claimed the subsequent kick-out for centre-back Tomás McGrath to stretch the advantage to three; 1-8 to 2-2.

The hosts began to get a foothold with a Luke Pyne point and a McInerney 45 to drag the gap back to the minimum. However, Eoin O’Connell kept raiding forward for Loughmore and he won a free for Liam McGrath to convert before his fisted effort was almost fumbled into the net by the home keeper.

In a feisty finish, referee Brendan Griffin red-carded a member of both backroom teams for separate incidents. Mark McInerney narrowed the gap to one before the vital score arrived in the 55th minute.

From a free, the ball was worked quickly through the hands of Liam McGrath, John McGrath, and Tommy Maher, who teed up Ciaran Connolly to beat the keeper. They led by four, 2-9 to 2-5, but Éire Óg kept probing for a goal. Twice, they had to settle for close-range points from Pyne and Manus Doherty. In between, Lorcan Egan had an important block on McInerney and McCahey was called for overcarrying after hitting the deck close to goal.

Loughmore/Castleiney settled it in the fifth and final minute of added time. Substitute John Meagher won the kick-out and fed John McGrath, who sent Philip O’Connell freewheeling into open country. His cool near-post finish sent the Tipp fans home happy.

TEAMS – Éire Óg, Ennis: Shane Daniels (6); Ronan Lanigan (6), Aaron Fitzgerald (Capt, 6), Dean Ryan (6); Ciarán Russell (7), Ikem Ugwueru (7), Manus Doherty (6); Darren O’Neill (6), David McNamara (6); Niall McMahon (6), Gavin Murray (6), Darren O’Brien (7); Mark McInerney (7), Gavin Cooney (6), Luke Pyne (7).

Subs: Jarlath Collins (6) for McMahon (37); Einne O’Connor (6) for McNamara (53); Philip Talty (6) for Pyne (58).

Loughmore/Castleiney: Joey Hennessy (6); Lorcan Egan (7), Willie Eviston (7), John Ryan (7); Tommy Maher (7), Tomás McGrath (7), Eoin O’Connell (6); John McGrath (8), Liam Treacy (Capt, 8); Darragh McCahey (6), Brian McGrath (8), Eamon Connolly (6); Ciarán McGrath (7), Noel McGrath (8), Liam McGrath (7).

Subs: Ciarán Connolly (7) for D McCahey (48); Paul McCahey (6) for Eamon Connolly (48); Philip O’Connell (7) for Ciarán McGrath (53); Aidan McGrath (6) for T McGrath (55); John Meagher (6) for Treacy (60).

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).