SHC: Crusheen make history
October 18, 2010Crusheen created history today at Cusack Park, Ennis as they clinched their first ever senior hurling title after they dethroned defending champions Cratloe in an exciting game. Much of the talk in the lead up to this game was whether the Crusheen backs could hold the highly rated Cratloe forwards and if the Crusheen forwards could infiltrate the Cratloe defence. Crusheen welcomed back Cathal Dillon from suspension as Paddy Meaney dropped to the bench as they went in search of an historic first ever title. The 2009 champions Cratloe had one change in their starting line-up as Martin "Oige" Murphy was considered fit enough to start and this saw Murphy come into the side instead of Sean Chaplin. Crusheen won the toss and decided to play with the breeze. the first attack of the game saw a long range free by Ciaran O'Doherty drop around the danger area and was collected by Fergus Kennedy who made no mistake from ten yards to give Crusheen an early goal and the best possible start. This goal was not long being cancelled out as two points by the fourth minute from danger man Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney reduced the lead to one before McInerney and McGrath got in behind the Crusheen defence in the fifth minute to set up the unmarked Conor Ryan who crashed the ball to the net to give Cratloe a 1-2 to 1-0 lead. A fine effort from Ciaran O'Doherty got Crusheen going again before Enda Boyce sent over from forty yards as not long after Conor McGrath saw his effort for a point from an acute angle hit off the upright and go wide. By the tenth minute Cratloe were two to the good after Pat Vaughan, from a 65, and Sean Collins swapped scores. The sides were level by the fifteenth minute thanks to efforts from Joe Meaney and Pat Vaughan (free). Indeed, Vaughan could have put his side into the lead again only for the Clare senior to see his two placed ball efforts from narrow angles go narrowly wide. The "Blood and Bandages" did manage to go into the lead again in the twentieth minute thanks to a Pat Vaughan free and remarkably this was to be a lead they held right up to the end. Conor McGrath, from a free, tied the game again before Vaughan had the final say of the first half from another placed ball after Barry Duggan brought down Gerry O'Grady. As the teams headed for the dressing room the Crusheen men went in with a narrow lead, 1-6 to 1-5. At the interval the 1985 winning Kilmaley team was introduced to the crowd as patrons eagerly awaited the start of the second half. Cratloe got off the mark first when Damien Browne, now operating around midfield, sent in a pin point pass to Cathal McInerney and the teenager made no mistake to level the game. The Crusheen response was almost instant as Vaughan sent over a placed ball to regain the initative. In the thirty-fifth minute the sides were level once again as McGrath finished off a good move. A notable feature of this game was the performance of the Crusheen backs led by the superb Cian Dillon as they constantly broke down attacks. Another Vaughan free by the fortieth minute and a good effort from play from teenager Conor O'Donnell gave the Crusheen men a two point lead with twenty minutes remaining. At this stage Paddy Meaney was introduced to the Crusheen attack and soon after Gerry O'Grady had his first score of the day to send his troops three clear. With Crusheen dominating in the half back line and Cronan Dillon doing well on McGrath any Cratloe attacks were cut off with gusto. The Crusheen half forward line particularly David Forde were winning their fair share of possession as it finally seemed as if Crusheen would end their final hoodoo. The defending champions were not going to go down without a battle and Cathal McInerney sent over his third of the day to reduce the deficit to two. By this stage Sean Chaplin was brought on to the Cratloe side in place of Martin Murphy as the game entered the final quarter. However, two minutes later Vaughan restored Crusheen's three point advantage before Conor McGrath sent over a free to ensure an exciting finish. The game's most crucial score came with just over three minutes remaining as substitute Paddy Meaney caught Pat Vaughan's long range free before side stepping his marker and hammering the ball into the corner of the Cratloe net to give Crusheen a five point lead. Straight from the puckout Cratloe bounced back with Sean Chaplin splitting the posts before Paddy Vaughan fired over his eight score of the day as the game entered added time. The fourth offical signalled three minutes of added time and during these three minutes Crusheen tacked on points from Joe Meaney and his older brother Paddy as Seanie McMahon blew the full time whistle to spark scenes of joyous celebrations as Cusack Park was enveloped in a sea of red and white. This historic victory is Crusheen's very first senior championship making up for the disappointment of 1970, 1974 and 2007 where they fell at the final hurdle to Clarecastle, Newmarket and Tulla. It also represents a sweet championship victory for Crusheen manager Michael Browne as three years ago the Crusheen man was on opposite sides to his native parish when he was manager of the 2007 winning Tulla team. After the game Crusheen captain Gerry O'Grady was presented with the Canon Hamilton trophy as Cian Dillon was a deserving recipient of the man of the match award. A presentation for the 2010 top score award was also made after the game to Sixmilebridge forward Niall Gilligan who scored 4-57 in this years championship.
Crusheen: Donal Tuohy, John Brigdale, Cronan Dillon, Alan Brigdale, Ciaran O'Doherty, Cian Dillon, Cathal Dillon, Tony Meaney, Paddy Vaughan (0-8; 7 fs), Gearoid O'Donnell, Joe Meaney (0-2), David Forde, Conor O'Donnell (0-1), Gerry O'Grady (C) (0-1), Fergus Kennedy (1-0).
Sub's: Paddy Meaney (1-1) for G.O'Donnell, Alan Tuohy for J.Brigdale and Patrick O'Grady for Vaughan (injury).
Cratloe: Sean Hawes, Philip Gleeson, Barry Duggan (C), David Ryan, John O'Gorman, Michael Hawes, Liam Markham, Enda Boyce (0-1), Martin "Ogie" Murphy, Sean Collins (0-1), Conor Ryan (1-0), Damien Browne, Cathal McInerney (0-3), Conor McGrath (0-5; 3 frees), Padraig Collins.
Sub's: Sean Chaplin (0-1) for Murphy. Tweet
