Kilmurry will celebrate Christmas and Munster title as All-Ireland semi awaits
Club Jfc Final Picture: After Winning The Kilmurry Firies Munster Gleeson Against Brendan Celebrating Kerry's
Christmas has come early in Kilmurry. The present left under the tree is exactly as they wrote away for.
Christmas in Kilmurry wasn’t as they wished or wrote away for the past two years. In 2022, the Cliffords and Fossa comprehensively unwrapped their Munster final bid. Twelve months ago, there was nothing wrapped or unwrapped to be found under the tree. Munster final disappointment at the hands of Listowel followed county final heartbreak against the Barrs' second team.
This December is different. Cork premier junior silverware, captured at the neighbour’s expense. And now Munster junior silverware - at long, long last.
An All-Ireland semi-final to pine and prepare for on the far side of the Holidays. Their stocking overflows.
“It is an early Christmas present for Kilmurry,” manager Cormac Linehan said of securing All-Ireland semi-final involvement on the weekend of January 4/5.
“You have to navigate the Christmas now, which is uncharted territory for us. You have to navigate the celebrations because you have to celebrate these wins. So, navigate that, navigate Christmas, and get ready for an All-Ireland semi–final. It is the best complaint in the world to have.”
Firies have no complaints. An unexpected county title did not continue on with typical Kerry dominance of this competition. They became only the third Kingdom outfit to lose a Munster Club junior decider. They were outrun and outworked. They couldn’t match the hunger of a side who had suffered repeatedly at this altar.
“It has been three long years,” Linehan continued.
“There's third time lucky. There's third time's a charm. You eventually get there, but you got to keep plugging. The lads knew they really had to go for it tonight. They knew there was no Munster next year.
“When you, as a junior club, go back to your community with a Munster cup and as Munster champions, it is uncharted territory. It is a privilege to represent Cork. It is an amazing thing to win it.
“It means so much to the community, young and old. Everybody in the community has been behind the team the whole time. It means so much to win it for the people of Kilkmurry.”
If it is too much to say the Muskerry men had Saturday's final won by half-time, they at least had one hand welded onto the main prize. They had played into a gale and come out the far side one in front. It was a phenomenal half hour of relentless running and line breaking.
So impressive was the winning half that it almost reduced all the not so impressive second-half carry on to forgotten footnotes. Kilmurry's failure to add to their tally from the 47th minute. The second yellow card shown to James O’Mullane on 51 minutes. The sending off of his midfielder partner, Kyle Kelleher, in second half injury-time. The red card correctly shown to the Kilmurry backroom member who gave the linesman an awful earful over one particular decision.
All overshadowed and overlooked when put beside their stunning against-the-elements effort.
Liam Wall delivered the final’s sole goal on six minutes. Llyod Aisling provided the driving run. John O’Mullane did superbly well to hold onto Aisling’s pass. He, in turn, shuffled possession onto Wall who forced possession across the line.
The early green flag and early lead was a necessary buffer as Firies subsequently rose their tally and Kilmurry rose their count of wasted opportunities.
Five-in-a-row from Jake Flynn, Darragh Brosnan, and Horgan shoved the Kerry champions two in front on 21 minutes. They never threatened, though, to build a lead the gale demanded.
Lawrence Aisling and the incredibly lively Denis O’Mullane (free) returned Kilmurry level. Wall (free) and Rory Duggan returned them in front, 1-5 to 0-7, at the break. There they stayed. The first Cork champions of the Munster Junior Club since Knocknagree in 2017. Only the fourth Cork champions overall.
“It is awesome,” said Linehan.
“We worked so hard during the game tonight, from start to finish. You couldn't fault any of our players for effort. In the second half, we had to start and go again. In fairness, they drove at Firies in the second half. They kept at it and never let up until the very end.
“If you don't let up and keep working as hard as that, it is very hard for the opposition to get a foothold in the game, and I don't think we gave Firies any real foothold in the game.
“This is big bonus territory for any Cork club, especially for us in Kilmurry.”
L Wall (1-4, 0-3 frees); Lawrence Aisling (0-2); K Kelleher, R Duggan, D O’Mullane (free), John O’Mullane (0-1 each).
J Horgan (0-5, 0-2 frees); D Brosnan (0-2); M Daly, J Flynn (0-1 each).
J McDonnell; A O’Mahony, W Ronan, S O’Leary; B Hinchion, T Collins, A Asling; K Kelleher, James O’Mullane; L Wall, Lawrence Asling, R Duggan; Lloyd Asling, John O’Mullane, D O’Mullane.
Joe O’Mullane for John O’Mullane (59).
B McCarthy; C Palmer, D Brosnan, B O’Leary; T Clifford, N Donohoe, D O’Mahony; J Flynn, P De Brúin; D Donohoe, J Horgan, D Brosnan;
S Cooper for D Donohue (38 mins); P Daly for Doe (45); L Brosnan for Daly (55).
E Morrissey (Waterford).