The Rossies roar to success in mighty Munster full-blooded battle
Kilrossanty's Alan Dunwoody celebrates at the final whistle after victory over The Banner.
The Kilrossanty faithful rose to their feet at the final whistle as the green and gold emerged from a full blooded Munster championship battle with The Banner by the narrowest of margins on a Saturday afternoon of sunshine and showers.
A topsy-turvy encounter saw Maurice Dee's men go from five points down with eleven minutes gone to six points up with ten remaining. The Banner, led by the brilliant Shane Meehan, made it a nail-biting finish. The All-Ireland winner with Clare struck six points from play. Twice, they got within a point of the home side but couldn't find an equaliser. A last gasp wide from Matthew McGrath was celebrated like a score by the Kilrossanty fans!
Alan Dunwoody was a target man at the edge of the square throughout. The Déise footballer shot 1-2 and got fouled for two frees that top scorer Padraig Fitzgerald converted. Twin brother Seamus enjoyed a storming second half as sweeper. His interceptions, his distribution and his ability to win relieving frees lifted the locals.
The Lemybrien pitch withstood all the thundery showers from the night before. The sun shone as ‘Caledonia’ and ‘Cod Liver Oil’ were played out over the PA beforehand. The local Garda and the Kilrossanty Under 13s also got a mention! We were also informed that flapjacks and ice cream were on sale in the shop!
With Kilrossanty coming off a nine-week break, a physical Banner outfit got to the pitch of the game a lot quicker. Four points in as many minutes silenced the home crowd. Ronan Kilroy nailed a free from his own 45 before Shane Meehan added one from play. Matthew McGrath won the next puckout and shipped a big hit from Martin Dunne before he split the posts. Thomas Meenaghan made it four-nil from a tight angle. Darragh Walsh finished a fine hand passing move in the sixth minute for the hosts before another solo run from McGrath created another Meehan point at the dressing room goal. A Jack Power point attempt was spilled by Banner goalkeeper Darren Meehan but Alan Dunwoody blasted left and wide. Shane Meehan was electric for The Banner despite the best efforts of Donie Fitzgerald. His third point gave them a 6-1 lead by the eleventh minute.
Kilrossanty had eight first-half wides and three short, but a Dunwoody goal on the quarter hour ignited the team and the supporters. Again, Meehan fumbled a Jack Power point attempt, and this time Dunwoody flicked the sliotar to the net (0-6 to 1-2). The noise levels increased as Pa Cunningham levelled. Dunwoody then beat three defenders and sent them a point ahead. “Up the Rossies” roared the young fans in the stand.
It was tit for tat approaching the interval. Donie Fitzgerald took a break from chasing Shane Meehan to land a point from the stand side. Shane Meehan made it all square at the end of a lively opening half when he pounced on a ball that Josh Kay misjudged (1-7 to 0-10). The Kilrossanty Under 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s all raced onto the field. ‘It’s a long way from Clare to here’ blasted out over the speakers!
The dark clouds and the rain arrived for the second half. Dunwoody edged Kilrossanty back in front before Padraig Fitzgerald fired four frees in a row over the green and gold spot (1-12 to 0-10). Seamus Fitzgerald mopped up at the back and won two frees.
Shane Meehan drifted out the field and The Banner drifted out of the game as a result. The Clare side didn’t score in the third quarter, but three Diarmuid Toner frees got them back on track.
With ten minutes left, Rian Hogan played a short puckout to Martin Dunne, and he launched a long ball into the Kilrossanty attack. It dropped in behind the full forward line, and Eoin Power went through one-on-one. He finished past Darren Meehan, and the roof nearly lifted off Páirc Naomh Bríd (2-13 to 0-13).
Kilrossanty thought they had done enough and gave away a succession of frees. Five Banner points in four minutes meant that it was game on again. Toner slotted two points from dead balls. Shane Meehan went back into the full forward line and got two from play. Ronan Kilroy scored one and set up one.
A Padraig Fitzgerald 65 settled the leaders. A Kilroy run was cut off by Seamus Fitzgerald, but Toner split the posts from 60 metres to make it a one-point game once more. It was edge-of-the-seat stuff, entering two added minutes as Padraig Fitzgerald struck a ball wide. A Martin Dunne catch brought loud roars from the stands. The Banner got a chance to force extra time, but Matthew McGrath pulled it wide.
Fortress Lemybrien remains intact! Two Munster hurling matches, two wins for Kilrossanty.
Padraig Fitzgerald 0-9 (6fs, 1 65), Alan Dunwoody 1-2, Eoin Power 1-0, Donie Fitzgerald, Pa Cunningham, Darragh Walsh 0-1 each.
Diarmuid Toner 0-7 (6fs), Shane Meehan 0-6, Ronan Kilroy 0-3 (2fs), Thomas Meenaghan 0-2, Matthew McGrath 0-1.
Rian Hogan; Paul Keating, Donie Fitzgerald, Martin Dunne; Frankie de Paor, Caoimhin Walsh, Josh Kay; Seamus Fitzgerald, Darragh Walsh; Pa Cunningham, Jack Whyte, Jack Power; Alan Dunwoody, Padraig Fitzgerald, Eoin Power.
Paul Whyte for Jack Whyte (53).
Darren Meehan; Eoin Walsh, Cian Rynne, Brian McDonald; Oisín McMahon, Justin McGrath, Oran Rynne; Eoin Fitzpatrick, Seán McMahon; Matthew McGrath, Diarmuid Toner, Ronan Kilroy; Cailum Henchy, Shane Meehan, Thomas Meenaghan.
Jonny Martin for Henchy (HT), Niall Walsh for Oran Rynne (HT).
Cian Ryan (Tipperary)
Banner full forward Shane Meehan was unmarkable throughout.
That late miss from Matthew McGrath.
The lively public address in Lemybrien!
Kilrossanty will enjoy another home game against Cahir or Rockwell Rovers on November 15.
