Cornerstone Men advance to Munster Final

 I am around long enough now to know that when it comes to hurling, the later the year goes on, the better Cappoquin can get. You write them off at your Pearl.

On Sunday last we saw this when Cappoquin looking dead and buried in the eyes of some midway through the first half stages a late great surge in the second half to advance to a Munster Intermediate Club Final against Limerick side Bruff when they beat Clare champions Feakle at Sixmilebridge.

Cappoquin were first to score in this game through Shane O’Rourke who was the man of the match in the county final win over Saint Saviours.

However, the Banner champions were soon in their strides and knocked over points from Oisin Donnellan, Shane McGrath, Donnellan again, Gary Guilfoyle and Con Smith to give them a five points to one advantage on the score board.

Shane O’Rourke pulled a point back for the Cornerstone Men from a free but the side playing on a ground that was considered home to them on the day soon hit back with points from Shane McGrath, Henry Hayes, McGrath again and Raymond Bane to give them a 0-9 to 0-2 lead with twenty-three on the clock.

Shane O’Rourke hit back with two points from frees and then scored from play after some good work by Killian O’Sullivan to move within four of the Clare champions, but the home side would retire at the break with a five point cushion after Shane McGrath split the posts from a free.

In my days as secretary of West Waterford Board na nÓg for five years either end of the Millennium, at meetings Clubs were often told that if they were holding tournaments or challenge games they would have to let the board know. This was not a rule invented by the board officers, it was an insurance thing. Most clubs abided by it and officially let me as secretary know what was happening, but one club refused to do to. I am sure not too many guesses to figure out which one.

I would be verbally told that a challenge game would be taking place on a particular Saturday, but I always knew what was actually happening, as I was involved with my own club at the time and as neighbours would be invited to participate in tournaments, and I would often attend helping out with the team on the day.

I never had a problem with these tournaments. In fact I loved them. I believed that allowing younger children play against players of their own age in a relaxed atmosphere learning the skills of the games naturally far out weighted the coaching that the GAA wanted to promote uniformly where young children were all been told they had to do things a certain way.

Every club had these tournaments, but Cappoquin when that step or two further. The famous Mass Lane Cup tournament was also another great way of helping players develop and most if not all of the present Cappoquin team would have come through these tournaments and it is not benefitting them now and playing in such tournaments showed in the second half of this game. Bringing players in to compete in the Mass Lane Cup from neighbouring clubs was also a good idea as it helped players taking part to develop as well but I always had a fear what would happen if one of these players were to get badly hurt, how they would be covered when it came to insurance.  

The second half began with Oisin Donnellan and Shane O’Rourke trading points to keep Feakle five points in front, O’Rourke’s score coming from good work from Andy Molumby and PJ Curran in the build up.

Cappoquin had a chance to cut that lead soon afterwards when they won a sixty five. The ball fell short and as Eibhear Quilligan tried to deal with the ball he failed to do so properly and when it fell to Finnan Murray he tried his luck at having a green flag waved, but his effort was cleared off the line put out for another sixty-five which Shane O’Rourke converted.

He did manage to cut the difference on the score board to four soon afterwards and it was soon down to one, as Finnan Murray set up Andy Molumby and the inter county minor star from 2014 made no mistake in beating Quilligan in the Feakle goal.

The home side enjoyed a period of dominance in the minutes that followed as Colin Nelson, Raymond Bane and Henry Hayes helped them into a 0-14 to 1-7 lead.

Shane O’Rourke hit back with a brace of points for Cappoquin only for Shane McGrath to hit a single score for the Clare side.

Shane O’Rourke and Finnan Murray hit points for Cappoquin to leave one between the sides. Cappoquin were now on a bit of a roll and they soon found themselves with another good goal chance, Eibhear Quilligan doing well to deny Finnan Murray who put the ball out for a sixty-five which Shane O’Rourke unusually missed.

Paul Murray drew the sides level and when the same player followed up with his second of the game, the spirits of the large Cappoquin Support on the day were on a real high.

That lead was extended when the impressive Shane O’Rourke put over from a free but it was cut by one before the end when Colin Nelson hit his second of the game.

The Clare side in the time that remained did try hard to get something from their game, but all they got for their efforts was to have their numbers on the field cut when Shane O’Grady was dismissed on a straight red card late in the game.

Cappoquin march on, and will take on Bruff confident that they can bring the Munster Intermediate Club Championship to Waterford for the first time.

Cappoquin: Donal O’Rourke; Patrick Morrissey, Colm Looby, Timmy Looby; Shane Murray, Conor Murray, David Cahillane; Paul Murray, Finnan Murray; Shane O’Rourke, Andy Molumby, Colin Landers; Shane Coughlan, PJ Curran, Killian O’Sullivan. Sub: Damien McCarthy for Colin Landers.

Scorers: Shane O’Rourke 0-11 (5f, 1 ’65), Andy Molumby 1-0, Paul Murray 0-2, Finnan Murray 0-1.

Feakle: Eibhear Quilligan; Justin Nelson, James Noonan, Evan McMahon; Killian Bane, Eoin Tuohy, Con Smyth; Henry Hayes, Shane McGrath; Enda Noonan, Raymond Bane, Oisin Donnellan; Colin Nelson, Gary Guilfoyle, Martin Daly. Subs: Sean O’Grady for Martin Daly, Colm Naughton for James Noonan.

Scorers: Shane McGrath 0-5 (4f, 1 ’65), Oisin Donnellan 0-3, Henry Hayes, Raymond Bane, Colin Nelson 0-2 each, Con Smyth, Gary Guilfoyle 0-1 each.

Referee: Nathan Wall (Cork).