Loughmore Castleiney into first Munster Football final in 51 years after exciting win in Ennis

AIB Munster Club Football Championship Semi-Final

Loughmore Castleiney 3-9

Éire Óg Ennis 2-7

Substitutes Ciaran Connolly and Phillip O’Connell will be the toast of Loughmore Castleiney GAA on Sunday in Cusack Park Ennis, as their second half goals paved the way for the Mid Tipperary club to beat Éire Óg Ennis in the AIB Munster Senior Club Football Championship semi-final and set a date for their first Munster Club Football final since 1973.

In a brilliant performance considering the team were essentially playing Éire Óg at a more than home venue, the Loughmore players were fully deserving of their win with purple patches in either half creating the scores to push them over the line in what was an intense, and at times, fiery affair with six yellow cards and two red cards being brandished between players and management team in the contest.

Trailing by a point at half-time despite playing the better football, Loughmore book-ended the second half in emphatic fashion with four points in six minutes at the start of the resumption and two goals in the final ten minutes sending them on their way to a famous victory.

The swirling gale in the first half was difficult for the teams to get a grasp of early on, with the strong tailwinds from Storm Bert playing havoc with moving ball and, as such, the teams were keen to keep the risk in possession minimal as a result.

Loughmore made the perfect start despite the conditions with the first attack of the half resulting in a major for Brian McGrath who was set through on goal by older brother John and despite a drag back from his marker, Brian got enough on his strike off balance to beat Shane Daniels in the Éire Óg goals.

That was a big fillip for the Tipp champions to get the blood up and it certainly told in the first 20 minutes, but Éire Óg managed to respond with a goal of their own in the seventh minute after a misplaced pass in midfield fell to the wrong man from a Loughmore perspective; Clare county player Ikem Ugwueru powering down the middle of the Loughmore defence and was duly fouled in the square and with Mark McInerney dispatching the resulting penalty, it was a goal apiece early on. An exciting start to this semi-final.

The concession of that penalty would have annoyed the Loughmore management given it came from an error on the ball, but the players didn’t let it affect their game as the Tipp champions went on the own possession thereafter, manufacturing some good points from the 11th to the 23rd minute with patient build up giving Liam McGrath, Ciaran McGrath, Liam Treacy and John Ryan sights at goal that they didn’t turn down; Loughmore ahead 1-4 to 1-0 after 23 minutes.

Indeed, there was space being opened up down the middle of the Éire Óg defence and Ciaran McGrath had a good chance at goal when scoring that aforementioned point in the 15th minute, but considering that Éire Óg had the benefit of the wind blowing into the left corner of the Loughmore end, it was a good spell for the Mid club.

However, Éire Óg finished the half extremely well with a second goal kicking off a six minute purple patch with Ronan Lanigan sending Ciaran Russell in toward goal on the end line and the experienced wing back squared a hand pass for Gavin Cooney who batted home well under intense pressure.

That swung the momentum of the contest greatly as Éire Óg - through Mark McInerney - fired over a free and a raking point from play late in added time to give the Clare champions a narrow one-point lead, somewhat against the run of play it must be said. (2-2 to 1-4)

At half-time, the fear was that despite playing the better of the teams, Loughmore were trailing going into the second period, but the Tipp champions responded well as whatever was said at the break had the desired effect on the players.

Within six minutes of the restart, Loughmore had regained the lead, scoring four points in the process with a classy Liam Treacy point with the outside of his boot from a tight angle getting them off the mark, while a Liam McGrath free and a lovely floated score from Ciaran McGrath added to the total.

In that flurry, Tomás McGrath pointed after a sojourn from deep saw him get put through on goal and with the goal in front of him, he just got under the ball too much and blasted it over the crossbar. A big chance spurned but Loughmore now led 1-8 to 2-2.

That early pressure was welcomed for Loughmore but Éire Óg settled themselves after that early scoring concession spree with a well constructed Luke Pyne effort floating over before Mark McInerney struck a fantastic 45 over against the wind, just a point in it with the final quarter to come.

Liam McGrath settled the Loughmore nerves in the 48th minute when he manufactured and converted a lovely free out of his hands and with time ticking it was getting into the championship minutes.

Shane Hennessy went to the subs bench to inject fresh energy into the team and what an inspired substitution it was to introduce Ciaran Connolly. Some really cleverly interplay involving Tommy Maher and John McGrath inside the Éire Óg 45 led to Connolly being fed in close to goal and his left footed effort scurried in under the Éire Óg goalie. A huge score.

Now leading 2-9 to 2-5 Loughmore were in the driving seat to clinch the win and with the experience of John Meagher and Aidan McGrath being introduced to bring the composure late on, they looked to seal the win.

Éire Óg had a glimmer of a goal chance with three minutes to go but some excellent scramble defence eventually led to Éire Óg having to settle for a point through Luke Pyne and with the game now down the three points at 2-9 to 2-6 it was a case of hang onto your seats for Loughmore supporters with five minutes of injury time being announced in Cusack Park.

The defensive structure was set now for Loughmore with Éire Óg pouring forward to try and get the scores needed and they nearly had the goal they craved in the 62nd minute when county player Manus Doherty had a glimpse of goal on the 14-yard line which he fired over to reduce it to two points.

However, it was Loughmore’s day and with the Éire Óg press high up from the resulting kick out, Brian McGrath won the Hennessy kickout and played substitute Phillip O’Connell in behind with the whole of the Éire Óg back line emptied and he showed great composure to bare down on goal and slot a right footed effort to the net.

A brilliant win for Loughmore Castleiney considering the disappointment of the Ballygunner loss in the hurling last weekend, and they can now look forward to a Munster final date with Kerry champions Dr. Crokes on December 8th.

Scorers: Loughmore Castleiney: Liam McGrath (0-3, 0-2f), Phillip O’Connell, Ciaran Connolly, Brian McGrath all 1-0 each, Ciaran McGrath, Liam Treacy 0-2 each, Tomás McGrath, John Ryan 0-1 each.

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

Loughmore Castleiney: Joey Hennessy; Lorcan Egan, Willie Eviston, John Ryan; Tommy Maher, Tomás McGrath, Eoin O’Connell; John McGrath, Liam Treacy; Darragh McCahey, Brian McGrath, Eamon Connolly; Liam McGrath, Ciaran McGrath, Noel McGrath.

Subs used: Ciaran Connolly for D McCahey (46); Paul McCahey for E Connolly (46); Phillip O’Connell for C McGrath (53); Aidan McGrath for T McGrath (55); John Meagher for Treacy (59).

Éire Óg Ennis: Shane Daniels; Ronan Lanigan, Aaron Fitzgerald, Dean Ryan; Ciaran Russell, Iken Ugwueru, Manus Doherty; Darren O’Neill, David McNamara; Niall McMahon, Darren O’Brien, Gavin Murray; Luke Pyne, Gavin Cooney, Mark McInerney.

Subs used: Jarlath Collins for McMahon (37); Einne O’Connor for McNamara (52); Philip Talty for Pyne (57).

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)