Mulcahys fire St Catherine’s into Munster junior last four

Rory Galvin, St Catherine's getting between Ardmore players Jack Keane and John O'Brien in their AIB Munster GAA Club Junior Hurling Championship quarter-final match at Fraher Field, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Picture Dan Linehan

Munster JHC quarter-final: St Catherine’s 2-16 Ardmore 1-11 

Second half strikes from cousins Brian and Matthew Mulcahy saw fourteen man St Catherine’s advance to the Munster junior semi-finals at a muddy Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon.

The two corner forwards scored 2-3 between them from play for the Cork runners-up. Sean O’Donoghue dispatched seven frees while goalkeeper Eoin Davis landed four dead balls from distance as the purple and gold bounced back from their county final loss to Erin’s Own.

“We’re thrilled with it,” manager Denis Walsh admitted afterwards. “Taking nothing away from Erin’s Own, we felt that we were fierce flat in the county final altogether. This was fantastic. We put it to the players that, instead of waiting until next August, we were going to get a chance here today to get it out of our system.” 

Seamus Keating slotted nine frees for Ardmore while Kenny Murphy and John O'Brien battled hard. This was their first competitive game in eight weeks.

Ardmore won the toss but captain James Flavin opted to play against the strong breeze. St Catherine’s struck six of the last seven points to head to the dressing rooms 10-6 ahead. It was a stop-start affair in soft underfoot conditions. Only four of the 16 first-half points came from play. Sean O’Donoghue converted five frees for St Catherine’s while goalkeeper Eoin Davis put over two from his own half. Seamus Keating hit five for Ardmore while Kenny Murphy pointed from play after just 12 seconds. 

The best goal chance fell to the Cork side on 24 minutes as Ardmore goalkeeper Jack Walsh denied both Eoin Condon and Matthew Mulcahy. A flare-up just after the half-time whistle saw Seamus Keating and Kyle Wallace yellow carded.

The Waterford champions reduced the deficit to two at the start of the second period through Ciaran and Seamus Keating. On 34 minutes, Jack Walsh saved with his foot from Eoin Condon but Matthew Mulcahy rifled the rebound to the roof of the net (1-10 to 0-8). Another free from Davis gave the visitors a six-point advantage.

On 42 minutes, a John O’Brien solo run opened up the St Catherine’s defence and James Flavin billowed the cobwebs (1-12 to 1-9). The gap stayed at three entering the closing stages as Seamus Keating sent over his ninth free of the afternoon. A mighty catch from Rory Galvin settled the leaders. The number eleven won a free which O'Donoghue converted. In the last minute, Brian Mulcahy finished to an empty net from a tight angle with Walsh off his line.

The Cork side finished with 14 men as Eoin Condon received a second yellow card.

St Catherine’s will face Tipperary representatives Ballinahinch in the last four on November 18.

Scorers for St Catherine’s: S O’Donoghue 0-7 (7fs), B Mulcahy 1-2, M Mulcahy 1-1, E Davis 0-4 (4fs), N Sheehan, R Galvin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ardmore: S Keating 0-9 (9fs), J Flavin 1-0, C Keating, K Murphy 0-1 each.

ST CATHERINE'S: E Davis; F O'Connell, E O'Riordan, L O'Connor; K O'Donoghue, O Fitzgerald, C Hegarty; K Wallace, S Cotter; S O’Donoghue, B Mulcahy, R Galvin; W Leamy, E Condon, M Mulcahy.

Subs: K Neville for O’Connell (43), N Sheehan for Leamy (47), K Barry for M Mulcahy (56), J Neville for K O’Donoghue (62).

ARDMORE: J Walsh; P Foley, E O’Shea, L Murray; M Cronin, D Prendergast, O Dwyer; K Murphy, M Coakley; S Prendergast, J O’Brien, J Flavin; C Keating, S Keating, J Keane.

Subs: L Veale for O’Shea (38), H O’Leary for Coakley (45), J McNamara for Murray (62).

Referee: J Mullins (Clare)