This article is from page 70 of the 2011-11-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 70 JPG
Crusheen 0-14 – Na Piarsaigh 1-11 at Semple Stadium, Thurles
STRANGE game really.
There were times when Crusheen looked to be on their way to the title, when they were so utterly in control of things that victory was a given.
Like when they hit five unanswered points before half-time to open up a 0-9 to 1-3 interval lead.
Like when the biggest roar of the day rose up from the Crusheen kop five minutes into the second half after Fergus Kennedy’s point put them four clear for the first time.
But that was it really – from there the county champions were fighting a rearguard action against what was a one-man show from Shane Dowling, who chipped away at Crusheen’s lead, all the time the Na Piarsaigh tide rising.
So much so that when David Breen landed his first point of the hour in the 57th minute, the Limerick champions sensed history, while Crusheen seemed had seemed burdened by the prospect of same for much of that second half.
It would have been rough justice on Crusheen had they lost – after all five of their forwards had scored from play, while theirs was a more rounded performance against a Na Piarsaigh outfit too reliant on Shane Dowling’s frees for scores.
That it didn’t happen was down to Paddy Vaughan’s 58th minute free that restored parity, with a mightily relieved Crusheen glad to hear Johnny Murphy’s final whistle and escape with their title ambitions still afloat.
Just about. The final 20 minutes of this game had belonged to Na Piarsaigh, as Crusheen’s trademark second half performance had failed to materialise and they fell very flat.
They showed admirable fortitude in the first half when, after an unsteady start, as Paddy Vaughan missed a few scoreable frees and then the concession of a goal from a Shane Dowling penalty on 17 minutes left them 1-3 to 0-4 in arrears.
However, from there they hit Na Piarsaigh for five points, while the backs were totally dominant against a one-dimensional Na Piarsaigh side for whom their trump cards Shane Dowling, Kevin Downes and David Breen were making no headway against Crusheen’s inspirational set of backs.
Cronan Dillon the rock at full-back – the Brigdales on either side of him were terrier-like, while the half-back line was also well on top.
A couple of smart Paddy Meaney points from play got Crusheen going by the 20th minute and leveled matters before an effort from play by Fergus Kennedy and pointed frees from Ciaran O’Doherty and Paddy Vaughan put them in firm control by half-time.
Positional switches made during that first half had worked well, with Fergus Kennedy growing into the game around midfield, while his point five minutes into the second half after an earlier strike from Gerry O’Grady helped them into a 0-11 to 1-4 lead.
From there it was hard to see Crusheen not become Munster champions, but just when everyone thought they’d up the ante like they did against Sixmilebridge and Carrigtwohill in previous games, they gradually lost their way and were left hanging on for dear life at the end.
Shane Dowling’s accuracy was key – a couple of frees by the 40th minute changed the whole complexion of the game and brought the gap back to two points. From there it was all about Na Piarsaigh as they upped their performance level around the field, while Crusheen flagged, especially among the forwards where the scores dried up completely.
In the end it was only Paddy Vaughan who kept them afloat. After another Dowling free in the 43rd minute reduced the margin to the minimum, it was Vaughan who stopped the rot with a 46th minute free.
Then he intervened again in the 51st minute to restore Crusheen’s lead with a brilliant point from play after Cathal King had raided from corner back to land a point and another Dowling free had brought the sides level for the first time since the 20th minute.
But the sea was very blue in Thurles as Na Piarsaigh seemed to be on their way to winning Limerick’s first Munster club title in 17 years when substitute John Madden and countyman David Breen fired over inspirational points by the 57th minute to edge them a point clear.
They had out-scored Crusheen by 0-7 to 0-2 in the previous 20 minutes and looked set for victory until Paddy Vaughan’s 58th minute free saved Crusheen’s blushes.
It would have been an awful game to lose, given how much control they exerted either side of half time.
They didn’t. It could make them, but the fact that Na Piarsaigh played so poorly for so long and still drew could give them the confidence to finally break Crusheen’s resolve.
Sunday next will tell all.