Midleton crowned All-Ireland club champions

Midleton 3-8 Athenry 0-9

Since they won the county senior hurling championship title in 1983, hurling in Midleton was on the crest of a wave and after they succeeded in retaining the county senior hurling championship title in 1987, they travelled to Cushendall in the Glens of Antrim to play the Antrim and Ulster club champions in the All-Ireland semi-final in mid-February.

The game was played on a Sunday and after a stylish and sporting contest they defeated the Ruairy Óg by 3-11 to 2-5 en-route to the All-Ireland final, to be played St Patrick’s Day.

The feast day of St Patrick on 17th March, 1988 will be forever enshrined in the proud annals of Midleton hurling as the day the county and Munster champions were crowned All-Ireland club champions. They defeated the Galway champions Athenry by 3-8 to 0-9 on the hallowed sod of Croke Park, captained by star goalkeeper Ger ‘King’ Power.

Midleton: Ger Power, Denis Mulcahy, Mick Boylan, Sylvie O’Mahony, Edser Cleary, Sean O’Brien, Pat Hartnett, Tadhg

McCarthy, Mick Crotty, John Fenton, John Hartnett, John Boylan, Ger Fitzgerald, Colm O’Neill, Kevin Hennessy. Subs introduced: Ger Glavin, Vincent O’Neill, Jerry Smyth.

Youghal 4-6 Kilbrittain 2-11

After an epic encounter than ebbed and flowed throughout, Youghal regained the county intermediate hurling championship title for the first time since 1969 after they defeated a gallant Kilbrittain side in the final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Although they defeated Blackrock, St Vincents and St Catherines (after a replay), they were underdogs contesting the decider. Kilbrittain seemed destined to take the spoils, but a four goal salvo in the last quarter, courtesy of Tony Coyne, Seanie Ring, Tommy O’Connell and Mick Butler, turned the tide in favour of the Seasiders, thus enabling them to take the honours by the narrowest of margins.

Youghal: Daithi Cooney, Ger Motherway, Con Spillane, Kevin Curtin, Pat Grace, Liam O’Leary, Seanie Ring, Mickey Walsh, Matty McCarthy, Victor O’Shea, John Walsh, Christy Hennessy, Brian Buckley, Tony Coyne, Tommy O’Connell. Subs introduced: Mick Butler, Tony Hannon, John O’Connell.

Killeagh 1-10 Midleton 1-8

In a low scoring contest Killeagh annexed the divisional junior A grade hurling championship title after they defeated Midleton’s second string selection in a replayed final at Ballynoe (drawn game Killeagh 1-5 Midleton 0-8).

Killeagh: Adrian Budds, Eddie Landers, Damien Irwin, Pat Galvin, Tommy O’Regan, Matty Treacy, Brendan Galvin, James Walsh, Ger Fitzgibbon, Mark Landers, Andy Leahy, Ger Scully, Colman Galvin, Tomás Fitzgibbon, Paudie Power. Subs introduced: Richie Landers, Timmy Scanlon.

Midleton: Robby Fitzgerald, Simon Lenihan, Jerry Smyth, Brendan Burke, Willie Lawton, Colman Quirke, John Power, Donie Fenton, Jerry O’Farrell, Kevin Roche, Eddie O’Farrell, Jim O’Sullivan, Paudie O’Brien, Aidan Goldspring, Niall O’Neill. Sub introduced: John Hennessy.

Cobh 1-9 Youghal 1-8

Cobh captured the divisional junior A grade football championship title after they defeated Youghal by the narrowest of margins in a hard fought replayed final at Shanagarry (drawn game Youghal 0-8 Cobh 0-8).

Cobh: Pat Kavanagh, Owen O’Connell, Stephen Mulvihill, Sean Hurley, Brendan Frahill, Conor McCarthy, Keith Kenny, John Morgan, John Butler, Mick Daly, Magnus O’Driscoll, John Hegarty, Joe Murphy, Pat Noonan, Ger Morgan.

Youghal: Jim McCarthy, Don Mulcahy, Maurice O’Mahony, Mickey Walsh, John O’Connell, Ger Cotter, David Swayne, Liam O’Leary, Fergus Quill, Vincent Murray, Matty McCarthy, Jimmy O’Halloran, Conor Buckley, Dave Loughman, Michael O’Herlihy. Subs introduced: Joe Lawlor, Mickey

Downing.

THE INTER COUNTY SCENE Cork 1-14 Kerry 0-16

After defeating Limerick by 0-9 to 1-3 in the semi-final, Cork retained the Munster senior football championship title when they defeated old rivals Kerry by the narrowest of margins in the final. They completely dominated and outscored Ulster champions Monaghan by 1-14 to 0-6 in the All-Ireland semi-final but were defeated by Meath by a single point, 0-13 to 0-12, in a replayed All-Ireland final (drawn game Cork 1-8 Meath 0-11).

Cork Munster final winning team: John Kerins (St Finbarrs), Tony Davis (O’Donovan Rossa), Niall Cahalane (Castlehaven), Denis Walsh (St Catherines), Stephen O’Brien (Nemo Rangers), Conor Counihan (Aghada), Tony Nation (Nemo Rangers), Teddy McCarthy (Glanmire), Shay Fahy (Nemo Rangers), Paul McGrath (Bishopstown), Larry Tompkins (Castlehaven), Barry Coffey (Bishopstown), Denis Allen (Nemo Rangers), Dave Barry (St Finbarrs), Mick McCarthy (O’Donovan Rossa). Subs: Michael Maguire (Castlehaven), Mick Burns (do), Danny Cullotty (Newmarket), Colm O’Neill (Midleton), Mick Slocum (St Finbarrs), John Cleary (Castlehaven), Jimmy Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers).

Cork 3-11 Tipperary 0-8

After defeating Limerick by 3-10 to 1-4 in the semi-final, a completely new Cork team retained the Munster junior football championship title after they emphatically beat Tipperary by 3-11 to 0-8 in the final, but were defeated by Meath 1-8 to 1-5 in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Cork Munster championship winning team: Micheal Creedon (Naomh Aban), Ger O’Connell ( Kilshannig), Sean Cullotty (Newmarket), JJ Buttimer (Kilmurry), Aidan Crowley (Valley Rovers), Mark Farr (Dohenys), Matty McCarthy (Youghal), Dominic Creed (Iveleary), Stephen Dinneen (Bantry), Jerry Casey (Rockchapel), Paul O’Callaghan (Glanmire), Gerry Ring (Ballincollig), Noel Twomey (Macroom), Con BarryMurphy (Kilmurry), Ger Manley (Inniscarra). Subs: Denis McCarthy (Glanmire), Denis Twomey (Fermoy), Dave Guiney (Rockchapel), Declan Fitzgerald (Carrigaline), John O’Connor (Macroom), Mossy Murphy (Kilshannig), Johnny Allen (Naomh Aban), Niall Murphy (Castletownbere), Kevin Hyland (Mayfield), Jack Neville (Macroom).

Cork 4-12 Kilkenny 1-5

After defeating Tipperary 2-15 to 2-9 in the first round and Clare 2-8 to 1-8 in the semi-final, Cork were crowned Munster U21 hurling champions, after they emphatically defeated Limerick 4-12 to 1-7 in the final. After further emphatic victories over Antrim by 4-21 to 1-3 in the All-Ireland semi-final and Kilkenny 4-12 to 1-5 in the final, the Rebels were crowned All-Ireland U21 hurling champions.

Cork: Tom Kingston (Tracton), Christy Connery (Na Piarsaigh), Damien Irwin (Killeagh), Seamus

O’Leary (St Finbarrs), Cathal Casey (St Catherines), Pat Kenneally (Newcestown), Tony O’Keeffe (Erins Own), Liam Kelly (Tracton), Trevor Cooney (Fermoy), John Corcoran (Erins Own), Ger Manley (Inniscarra), Frankie Horgan (Erins Own), Dan O’Connell (Kilbrittain), Mark Foley (Argideen Rangers), John Fitzgibbon (Glen Rovers). Subs: Paddy Barry (Blackrock), Colman Quirke (Midleton), Kieran Keane (Glen Rovers), Ronan Sheehan (Mallow), Barry Harte (Argideen Rangers), Brian Cunningham (St Finbarrs), John Tobin (do).

Cork 5-7 Tipperary 1-2

After defeating Waterford 2-17 to 0-4 in the semi-final, Cork regained the Munster minor hurling championship title after they annihilated Tipperary 5-7 to 1-2 in the Munster final. They also hammered Antrim by 3-16 to 2-1 in the All-Ireland semi-final but were well beaten 3-13 to 0-12 in the final.

Cork Munster final winning team: Ian Lynam (Glen Rovers), Tom Twomey (Douglas), Darragh Holland ( Inniscarra), William Callanan (Na Piarsaigh), Timmy Dinneen (Midleton), David Quirke (do), Matty Noonan (Castletownroche), Brian Corcoran (Erins Own), Timmy Kelleher (do), Timmy Hurley (Fr O’Neills), Kevin Roche (Midleton), Michael Sheehan (Eire Óg), Paudie O’Brien (Midleton), Brian Cunningham (St Finbarrs), John Dillon (Erins Own). Subs: Charlie Wilson (Newcestown), Eamon Murphy (Midleton), Sean Guiheen (Na Piarsaigh), Peter Smith (Midleton), John McCormack (Rathluirc), Eoin Coleman (Youghal), Robert Ronayne (Midleton), Vincent Murray (Bishopstown), John Coogan (Nemo Rangers).