CHARLEVILLE…………….1–17
FULLEN GAELS…………0-6
This AIB All Ireland Junior Hurling Clubs Championship semi final at Walsh Park Waterford on Sunday was rather one sided. Over the hour Charleville were by far the better side and they could have won by more in the end. Exchanges in the opening quarter were very close.
Charleville had the aid of the stiff breeze in the first period. James O’Brien opened the winners account with a pointed free. Fullen Gaels replied with a pointed free by Kevin Codd after a foul on Kevin Hayes. Gaels goalie John Farrell was in great form over the hour with David Neylon at full back also impressive. Gaels took the lead with another pointed free by Codd. Good work for Rathluirc by Danny O’Flynn and Mark Kavanagh led to a foul on Mervyn Gammell and James O’Brien levelled from the free. By the 12th minute Charleville had 3 wides to just one for the Gaels. Good work by Colm O’Flynn and Derry Murphy led to the first point from play by Andrew Cagney. Mervyn Gammell played deep for Charleville and he was involved in very much of the play until replaced late in the second half. Gammell dispossessed Eamon Hansberry and sent a very good cross to the well placed Derry Murphy who sent over. Fullen Gaels had their third pointed free, a long range effort by Kevin Codd, before the impressive James Casey picked out James O’Brien for an excellent point. By now Charleville were beginning to exert control in the half back line and midfield sectors. Barry McCarthy made a massive run through for 30 yards before picking out Andrew Cagney who was denied by a splendid save from John Farrell. Conor O’Flynn was excellent at centre back while Brendan Dennehy was solid on the other wing. All this meant that the Rathluirc full back line were never really tested over the hour. Gaels forced another long range free and Kevin Codd had his 4th pointed free: 0-5 to 0-4 after 19 minutes. Quickfire points by Andrew Cagney, James O’Brien (2) had Charleville double scores ahead. Charleville’s Alan O’Con-nor should have goaled coming up to the break but John Farrell came off his line and did very well to dispossess the centre forward who was destined for goal. Gaels defence was under a lot of pressure but they did well enough. In the dying moments Brendan Dennehy and James O’Brien linked up well for James Casey to send over. In injury time Brendan Dennehy pointed a long range free to leave the score 0-10 to 0-4 at the break.
Gaels introduced two substitutes for the second half. It made no real difference as the pace, experience and teamwork of Charleville was just too much. James Casey placed Mark Kavanagh for a point and Andrew Cagney added another. James Casey with a well taken sideline cut found James O’Brien who struck over to put 10 points between the sides, 0-14 to 0-4. David Neylon continued to do well at full back for Gaels but he got little support from his corner backs who were constantly punished by Andrew Cagney and James O’Brien. In the 43rd minute the only goal of the game arrived. A free by James O’Brien on the right flank was flicked to the net by Mark Kavanagh, 1-14 to 0-4. Gaels, who hadn’t scored since the 19th minute, had their 5th pointed free in the 45th minute. They had their only other score two minutes later by Kevin Hayes from play. Both sides introduced a number of substitutes with the final quarter being played out rather tamely. Charleville had three more points by James O’Brien, Brendan Casey and Derry Murphy (free) to run out very easy victors. They will now face St Patrick’s (Ballyragget) in the All Ireland Final on February 10th in Croke Park at 5.15pm where they can expect far tougher opposition.
Scorers for Charleville : James O’Brien 0 -7 (0-3f) Mark Kavanagh 1-1, Andrew Cagney 0-3, Derry Murphy 0-3(0-1f) Brendan Dennehy 0-1f Fergus O’Callaghan 0-1, James Casey 0-1.
Fullen Gaels : Kevin Codd 0-5f, Kevin Hayes 0-1.
Charleville: Seán O’Connor, Michael O’Flynn, Conor Fitzgerald, Alan Dennehy, Barry McCarthy, Colm O’Flynn, Brendan Dennehy, James Casey, Derry O’Flynn, Derry Murphy, Alan O’Connor, Mervyn Gammell, Andrew Cagney, Mark Kavanagh, James O’Brien, Subs James Foley for James O’Brien, Gavin Kelleher for James Casey (inj) Denis O’Sullivan for Andrew Cagney, Brendan Casey for Mervyn Gam-mell, Fergus O’Callaghan for Mark Kavanagh.
Fullen Gaels: John Farrell (Tipperary) Ruairi Wedel (Cork) David Neylon (Galway) Brendan Griffith (Kilkenny) Eamon Hansberry (Galway) James O’Shaughnessy (Cork) Conal Maskey (Antrim) Kevin Codd (capt.) (Wexford) Alan Morrissey (Cork) Dan Moore (Limerick) Seamus Carey (Tipperary) Ray McEntee (Galway) Padráig McHugh (Tyrone) Kevin Hayes (Cork) Conor Cafferkey (Wexford) Subs: Ross O’Connor (Offaly) for Eamon Hansberry, Ciaran Vaughan (Clare) for Dan Moore, Niall McNamee (Galway) for Padráig McHugh, Daire Maskey (Antrim) for Ray McEntee, Paddy Breen (Donegal) for Brendan Griffith.
Referee: David Hughes (Carlow)