*Éire Óg’s Manus Doherty. Photograph: Mike Brennan
ANOTHER frustrating provincial exit for Éire Óg who were expertly kept at arm’s length by Loughmore-Castleiney to fall at the Munster Semi-Final stage for a third time in four seasons.
Loughmore-Castleiney 3-9
Éire Óg 2-7
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Having already suffered defeats on the road to St Finbarr’s (2021) and Kerins O’Rahilly’s (2022), a first home semi-final offered great hopes of a first ever Munster Senior Club Final appearance for the Ennis side, However, they ended up predominantly chasing the dual Tipperary champions who remarkably completed a first provincial senior win in any code since 2007.
In truth, Loughmore-Castleiney were the more balanced and hungrier side throughout, with the Clare winners fortunate to be the minimum ahead by half-time after a grandstand opening half finale of 1-2 without reply.
It only papered over the cracks though as with a winter wind now at their backs, Loughmore wrestled back control all too easily with the first four points of the new half and would never be caught thereafter.
Timely clinching goals through substitute pair Ciaran Connolly and Philip O’Connell finally sealed Éire Óg’s fate as the bizarrely patchy form demonstrated against Adare last time out was again prevalent over this hour.
Aaron Fitzgerald, Ciaran Russell, Manus Doherty and Mark McInerney did their utmost to turn the tide but ultimately while some players and management pointed to referee Brendan Griffin’s performance that saw him issue eleven cards including a red each for a mentor on either side, the Kerry official wasn’t to blame for the Townies’ downfall.
That introspection will have follow over the winter recess as another glorious chance to make history disappointingly slipped from Paul Madden’s sides grasp.
Loughmore had a point to prove too though, having fallen to Ballygunner by ten points in the hurling equivalent seven days earlier.
They certainly began with intent as only 45 seconds into the tie, great work from John McGrath released his younger brother Brian to ramble a shot over the line.
While Éire Óg’s radar was initially off up the other end, the home side did spring to life in the sixth minute thanks to a superb Ikem Ugwueru run that ended up with the centre-back earning a penalty that Mark McInerney dispatched to the bottom left corner of the net at 1-0 apiece.
They failed to build on that shot-in-the-arm though as the wide count mounted and Loughmore punished through Liam McGrath, Ciaran McGrath, the Impressive Liam GTreavy and John Ryan at 1-4 to 1-0 by the 23rd minute.
Amazingly, a wind-assisted Éire Óg would lead going into the break though as Ronan Lanigan and Ciaran Russell combined to pass across the square for Gavin Cooney to flick to the net at the back post in the 26th minute before Mark McInerney completed the turnaround with a late brace to inch 2-2 to 1-4 clear by the break.
In front of only 928 supporters, a resilient Loughmore-Castleiney son got back on track on the resumption as four unanswered points powered the visitors four clear by the 36th minute.
Luke Pyne and Mark McInerney slashed the arrears to just the minimum but they just couldn’t get their noses in front at any stage and would be subsequently floored when John McGrath and Tommy Maher played in replacement Ciaran Connolly for a 54th minute goal at 2-9 to 2-5.
With nothing to lose, the hosts threw everything at the Tipperary champions for the remainder, with Luke Pyne pointing before Manus Doherty just cleared the crossbar in injury-time at 2-9 to 2-7.
Having gone for broke, Éire Óg was always vulnerable to a counter-attack as from the kick-out John McGrath played in the unmarked Phillip O’Connell to race through and finish low to the net to catapult Loughmore-Castleiney into a first Munster Senior Club Football Final in 51 years against Dr. Crokes in a fortnight’s time.
Scorers for Loughmore-Castleiney: Liam McGrath 0-3 (2f); Brian McGrath, Ciaran Connolly, Phillip O’Connell 1-0 each; Liam Treacy, Ciaran McGrath 0-2 each; John Ryan, Tomás McGrath 0-1 each
Scorers for Éire Óg: Mark McInerney 1-4 (1-0 Pen, 1f, 1’45); Gavin Cooney 1-0; Luke Pyne 0-2; Manus Doherty 0-1
Loughmore-Castleiney
1: Joey Hennessy
2: Lorcan Egan
3: Willie Eviston
4: John Ryan
5: Tommy Maher
6: Tomás McGrath
7: Eoin O’Connell
9: Liam Treacy
15: John McGrath
10: Darragh McCahey
11: Brian McGrath
12: Eamon Connolly
13: Liam McGrath
8: Noel McGrath
14: Ciaran McGrath
Subs
20: Ciaran Connolly for D. McCahey (47)
22: Paul McCahey for E. Connolly (47)
18: Phillip O’Connell for C. McGrath (53)
17: Aidan McGrath for T. McGrath (55)
30: John Meagher for Treacy (59)
Éire Óg
1: Shane Daniels
2: Ronan Lanigan
3: Aaron Fitzgerald
4: Dean Ryan
5: Ciaran Russell
6; Ikem Ugwueru
7: Manus Doherty
8: Darren O’Neill
9: David McNamara
10: Niall McMahon
21: Gavin Murray
11: Darren O’Brien
15: Mark McInerney
14: Gavin Cooney
19: Luke Pyne
Subs
17: Jarlath Collins for McMahon (36)
20: Einne O’Connor for McNamara (52)
22: Philip Talty for Pyne (58)
Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)
