Wednesday, March 17, 2010
KILMURRY-IBRICKANE are a formidable footballing outfit and St Gall’s will be under no illusions about that fact when they go head-to-head in today’s All-Ireland Club final.
The West Clare men have won the Clare senior championship on four occasions since 2002 and this side is built on the back of six domestic U21 successes since 2001.
They have some fine players in their ranks, especially guys like Darren Hickey who was AIB Munster club player of the year, Martin McMahon and a half-back line of Shane Hickey, Enda Coughlan and Declan Callinan.
At midfield Peter O’Dwyer is a fine fielder and he stood tallest and bravest in their narrow victory over Tir Chonaill Gaels in a difficult quarter-final assignment in London. The free-taking of Pato McInerney and Johnny Daly is excellent and the work-rate and vision of wing-forward Stephen Moloney is exemplary.
And yet I am not convinced that they will win today.
Why? Perhaps it is that I have seen St Gall’s on a few occasions this season and their team-work, desire and ball retention has impressed mehugely. In Aodhán Gallagher and Sean Burke they have a outstanding midfield combination and Gallagher is a very mobile and rangy player. He has given buckets of trouble to all the teams they have defeated en route to the final and his tussle with Paul O’Connor and O’Dwyer will be one of the highlights of today’s game.
I would not be surprised if Micheál McDermott puts O’Connor on Gallagher to do a spoiling job. If the Clare man succeeds he would have a great hours work done for the Munster champions.
Forwards win games and it is vital for Kilmurry-Ibrickane that they stop CJ McGourty. He scored 1-9 (7 frees) against Corofin and he will relish the wide open spaces of Croke Park. Martin McMahon has been getting huge praise in Clare and I have heard what a great ball player he is — now is his chance to prove that claim to a national audience.
However, St Gall’s are not a one trick pony and I was very impressed all year with the work-rate and ball winning ability of Kevin McGourty — a big bustling wing-forward — and county player Terry O’Neill.
Rory Gallagher was awful against Corofin, and was substituted by half-time for the lively Karl Stewart. Gallagher will be well pumped up if he gets game time as this may be his last chance to shine on such a stage.
A key guy that the Clare half-forwards must stop is Sean Kelly. He riddled Corofin from number seven and his constant raiding and point taking is a key weapon in St Gall’s arsenal — Michael Hogan must track him every time he moves.
If Kilmurry-Ibrickane are to win they will need a tremendous display from their half-back line, O’Dwyer at midfield and Moloney. Likewise, Noel Downes will have to be at his best.
OFTEN club titles are lost because teams don’t have strength in depth, and at least Kilmurry can turn to the likes of young Mark McCarthy who is a genuine talent and the experience and power of Odhran O’Dwyer. Evan Talty could also be an option.
Johnny Daly at full-forward has kicked 2-21 this season, however the majority of that is from frees. At 32 the question is whether he has the pace to really trouble the St Gall’s full-back line? Andrew McClean the St Gall’s full-back is perceived to be a weak link in their rearguard, so perhaps Daly could be accommodated somewhere else and the likes of McCarthy brought in to give the man on the edge of the square a run around.
The Kilmurry players have had the likes of Oisin McConville, Jack O’Connor, Peter Canavan, Brian Whelehan, Luke Dempsey and Mickey Harte offering advice and a helping hand over the past two years. Such a professional approach has brought them to the cusp of glory. Only one more hour and they will go down in history as one of the great success stories in the All-Ireland series.
I would like to see them achieve that. And they will be close.
However the defeat to Salthill in the 2006 final and the hurt it left in their hearts and minds will drive St Gall’s to victory. They have been driven on by those demons all season and the feeling that they left it all behind that day.
I don’t expect them to make the same mistake twice.
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