St. Joseph’s Miltown 0-9 Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9
A draw was probably a fair result at Cusack Park on Sunday when holders St. Joseph’s and Kilmurry Ibrickane finished level after an underwhelming contest.
The West Clare neighbours and fierce rivals live to fight another day, as Kilmurry goalkeeper Ian McInerney saved their campaign with a pointed free in injury time.
Kilmurry Ibrickane, seeking a 16th title, had the first score of the game, a Keelan Sexton pointed free, in a tense opening half. Eoin Cleary opened Miltown’s account in the 11th minute and the sides went in locked at four points apiece at half-time.
Joseph’s Cormac Murray put his team in front for the first time in the 36th minute with a right footed effort. Kilmurry then equalised through a defensive error, with Miltown full-back Seanie Malone’s powerful shot across his goal sailing over his own crossbar.
Miltown seemed to have garnished a two-in-a-row in injury time when Conor Cleary put his side ahead but McInerney’s free from 45 meters at the death sent the tie to a replay.
St. Joseph's: S O'Brien, E O'Brien, S Malone (0-1), E O'Gorman, A McGuane, Gordon Kelly, G Curtin, O Looney, C Cleary (0-1), M Murray, E Cleary (0-2, 0-2 frees), K Malone (0-2), B Curtin, D McDonagh, C Murray (0-2, 0-1 free).
Subs: E Curtin (0-1) for M Murray (44), Graham Kelly for Looney (59).
Kilmurry Ibrickane: I McInerney (0-1, 0-1 free), M Killeen, D Hickey, M McMahon, D Sexton, C Morrissey, D Walsh, K King, A McCarthy, M Hogan (0-1), S Hickey, K Sexton (0-6, 0-6 frees), E Coughlan, D Coughlan, N Hickey. Own point: S Malone (0-1).
Subs: E Bracken for N Hickey (40), S Moloney for Hogan (51), D Callinan for E Coughlan (52), M O'Dwyer for D Sexton (59), D King for K King (59).
Referee: C Maguire (Wolfe Tones na Sionna).
Waterford SFC final
Rathgormack 2-6 Ballinacourty 1-6
Rathgormack claimed a first Waterford Senior Football title in 20 years at Fraher Field, seeing off a fancied Ballinacourty despite landing only two second half points.
At the break, Rathgormack led by 2-4 to 0-5, the goals coming from Paul Drohan and Willie Hahessy in the 16th and 22nd minutes respectively.
A brilliant Stephen Enright save denied Rathgormack’s Jason Curry an early goal, while Stephen Curry saw his effort cannon off the Ballinacourty post before Jason Gleeson pulled a 16th minute shot wide.
Three frees from David Looby kept Ballinacourty in touch and their early second half goal, the final touch attributed to Rathgormack corner-back Cathal Crowch, kept them in the contest.
But points from Jason Curry and Jason Gleeson in the 42nd and 44th minutes proved enough to secure a 10th senior title for Rathgormack before 2,095 patrons.
Rathgormack: P Hunt; C Crowch, C Walsh, L Connolly; W Hahessy (1-0), M Curry, T Walsh; J Curry (0-1, 0-1 free) , R Flynn; B Power, S Curry (0-2), J Power; C Murray, J Gleeson (0-3; 0-1 free), P Drohan (1-0).
Subs: John Kirwan for P Drohan (44 mins), D Hennebry for S Curry (58), R Cahill for R Flynn (59), R Crotty for B Power (60), Jamie Kirwan for J Power (64).
Ballinacourty: S Enright; J Elsted, B Looby, D McGrath; N Montgomery, R Foley, D Collins; C Prunty, J Beresford; D Looby (0-3, 0-3 frees), M O'Halloran, M Twomey; S Whelan-Barrett (0-2), M Ferncombe (0-1), M Maher. Own Goal: C Crowch 1-0.
Subs: P Hurney for M Twomey (30 mins), J Hurney for J Beresford (HT), M Kiely for D Looby (47), T Looby for M Maher (51), J O'Mahony for S Whelan-Barrett (59).
Referee: Anthony Fitzgerald.
