Brilliant Charleville battle back to claim a stunning success
Charleville 2-20 Feakle 1-20
FROM the jaws of defeat Charleville pulled off one of the best second half displays ever seen in Limerick last Sunday to confirm, as most of us believed all along, that this is a special bunch of young men.
Charleville are the Munster Intermediate hurling champions for the first time in their history after pulling off what must be considered one of the most impressive comebacks in the provincial competition’s long and illustrious history.
After being totally dominated by Clare side Feakle in the opening 25 minutes the boys from north Cork managed to get a foothold in the game before the break before totally dominating a Clare senior side that looked well on their way to victory only to end up totally shell-shocked at the finish.
Led on the pitch by All Star Darragh Fitzgibbon, Jack Doyle and corner-back Darren Butler, the men from the Limerick border town brought a pace, a passion and a belief that few though possible after being totally outclassed for a 20 minute first half spell.
Fitzgibbon, as one would expect, was imperious in the second half bagging eight points in 30 minutes, nine over all. As the opposition faltered Fitzgibbon and Charleville flourished and the rest as they say is history.
All over the pitch Charleville improved and all over the pitch they got to grips with their markers in a way that seemed impossible in the first period.
Darren Butler, Danny O’Flynn, Darren Casey, Jack Doyle and Finbar Cagney all showed brilliantly with others like Andrew Cagney, Jack O’Callaghan and Jack Buckley all deserving great credit for the way they fought back.
In truth every Charleville player that took to the pitch deserves immense credit for what they achieved and all will likely be the toast of the town for many moons to come.
For Feakle, a bitter pill to swallow no doubt. The Clare champions were well on their way, perhaps too on their way to the win, but they forgot to see it through. The displays of players such as Shane McGrath, Oisin Donnellan and Gary Guilfoyle deserve mention with Donnellan giving a real master class with six of the best points you will see from play.
Raymond Bane’s goal in the ninth minute was not a thing of beauty but it still raised the green flag, a flag that looked like it would be one of the deciding factors as this game headed for a conclusion.
Charleville came out of the blocks impressively racking up the opening two scores, but quickly it became apparent that the North Cork side were up against a serious outfit in Feakle as the Clare side levelled things up in a matter of moments with Shane McGrath and Steven Conway registering their side’s first scores of what would ultimately prove to be a painful day for the Clare champions.
A point a piece in the next few minutes brought some sort of equality to the game but from the ninth to the 20 minute this was all about the Banner men.
A goal from corner-forward and genuine goal machine Raymond Bane rocked Charleville hard but the next seven points on the bounce for the boys in yellow looked like they all, but ended this one as a genuine contest.
Charleville brought on Danny O’Flynn and Darren Casey on 26 minutes and looked to shore up a ship that was dangerously listing to one side.
Donnellan and McGrath were killing Charleville with scores from everywhere, but from somewhere Charleville managed to stop the rot scoring three of the last six points of the half to go in just 10 down. 1-13 to 0-6.
No point in saying that a quick start was required and obviously history shows that Charleville got just that with two points, but again Feakle responded. Four points between the fifth and eight minutes meant the boys in red were in with a small shout however that all looked to be gone with Charleville not only trading scores for the next 12 minutes to the 49th minute.
Another bust of scoring from 51 to 59 minutes brought the unthinkable into clear sight as Charleville hit 1-3 without response to take the lead but Feakle hit back with what many thought was the score to end the game, but Charleville and Casey in particular had other things in mind and the substitute squeezed the ball home to send the Cork players and fans into dreamland.
A mighty result for an even mightier bunch of
players.
CHARLEVILLE: C Collins; D Butler, J Meade, F Cagney; A Dennehy, J Buckley, C Carroll; J O’Callaghan, K O’Connor 0-2; D Fitzgibbon 0-9 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), J Doyle 1-1, M Kavanagh 0-2 (0-1f); C Buckley 0-1, A Cagney, T Hawe Subs: D Casey 1-1 for Kavanagh, D O’Flynn 0-1 for Hawe (both 26); G Hanrahan for S Conway (51)
FEAKLE: E Quilligan; J Nelson, E McMahon, J Noonan; E Conway, E Tuohy, K Bane; S McGrath 0-9 (0-7f), C Smyth; O Donnellan 0-6, E Noonan, S Conway 0-1; R Bane 1-0, M Daly 0-1, G Guilfoyle 0-3 Subs: A McMahon for E Noonan (56); C Naughton for R Bane (60)
REFEREE: K Jordan (Tipperary)