Caherline march into Munster final with comfortable win
Opening half goals from Hugh Murnane as well as a healthy spread of scorers helped the Caherline to the comfortable win over Dr Crokes
GAA Coverage in association with Lyons of Limerick Ford
CAHERLINE eased into their maiden Munster Junior Hurling Championship final, thanks to a 13-point victory over Dr Crokes on home soil. Cork side Kilshannig will provide the opposition in the final on November 28.
Opening half goals from Hugh Murnane as well as a healthy spread of scorers helped the Limerick Premier Junior A runners-up to a healthy 13-point interval lead, having played with the wind.
Caherline were representing Limerick in the third tier provincial competition, with Doon's second team ineligible under the competition rules.
There was a stirring individual display from the evergreen Andrew Brennan, who helped himself to six points from play, in an all-action display from wing-forward.
It was a result that rarely looked in doubt, despite the Kerry intermediate champions starting the second half with the first five scores.
However, the Caherline defence held firm, and after a painful county final loss to Doon last month, they rebounded in some style to win their first game in Munster competition.
Páraic Wixted scores within seconds of the star before Hugh Murnane found the net inside two minutes. They were among eight first half scorers, which included three from Andrew Brennan.
The Kerry side could only manage five first half points from Mark Heffernan (four frees and one 65) with the breeze blowing towards the scoreboard end in Fr Hayes Memorial Park.
A second goal, created by Pádraig McCarthy and finished by Murnane copper fastened their dominance and opened up a nine point lead after just eleven minutes.
Seán Whelan and Brennan punished poor Crokes play, while Jake Kennedy and McCarthy both landed points late in the half – to ensure all six starting forwards had scored from play.
Turning to face into a strong breeze, Mike Hickey’s side sat deeper but this initial invited trouble. An early save from Jack Enright preserved his clean sheet but the next five points were Crokes’ , which narrowed the gap to nine points. A goal at this juncture could have changed the energy, but it never materialised.
Murnane picked off an important point before two more from Crokes, including as their midfielder Heffernan brought his tally to double digits. Caherline’s foul concession rate was far too high and was often punished – certainly that will require improvement against the Cork outfit.
Brennan accounted for the next three Caherline points – in a five-minute spell – to erode and hope of a miraculous comeback.
In truth, Dr. Crokes were not playing near their best hurling, having not played a competitive game since late July. That said, Caherline certainly raised the bar having done some portion of soul searching after that county final reverse.
Their use of the ball, their work rate, and their turnovers in all lines of the pitch will be on the lists of positives. There was however, concern for captain Páraic Wixted, who retired at half-time, owing to injury.
Murnane, sub-James Enright and another from Whelan all pointed to the delight of the home support.
SCORERS - CAHERLINE: Hugh Murnane 2-5 (3f); Andrew Brennan 0-6; Páraic Wixted and Seán Whelan 0-2 each; Sam McElligott, Aaron Power, Pádraig McCarthy, Jake Kennedy and James Enright 0-1 each; DR CROKES: Mark Heffernan 0-12 (9f, 2 ‘65); Michael Horgan 0-1.
CAHERLINE: Jack Enright; Dean Power, Diarmuid Murnane, Seán Tiernan; Seán Whelan, Kevin Wixted, Daniel Murnane; Conor O’Dwyer, Páraic Wixted; Sam McElligott, Aaron Power, Andrew Brennan; Pádraig McCarthy, Hugh Murnane, Jake Kennedy; Subs: Seán McCarthy for P Wixted (h-t); David Wixted for P McCarthy (52 mins); Brendan Hourigan for McElligott (53 mins); James Enright for Kennedy (58 mins).
DR CROKES: Dave Kenny; Mark O’Connor, James Murphy, Seán Barry; Michael Horgan, Conor O’Hare, Davie Carroll; Mark Heffernan, Tom Doyle; Jack O’Riordan, Kieran O’Connor, Adam Byrne; Nathaniel Doncel, Fionn Dineen, Aaron O’Connor; Subs: Anthony Keogh for A O’Connor (h-t); Kevin Landers for Doncel (42 mins); Killian Collins for O’Riordan (49 mins); Stephen Noonan for K O’Connor (52 mins); Colm Ó Cuiv for Barry (54 mins).
Referee: Patrick O’Mahoney (Cork).