17 March 2012
Loughgiel are All Ireland champions for the second time after a landmark and comprehensive victory over Offaly's Coolderry.
Leading by 9 points at half-time thanks to a hat trick from man of the match Liam Watson, the Antrim champions weathered an early second half fight back when Coolderry narrowed the gap with 5 unanswered points.
However, the Shamrocks weathered the storm and more than matched their opponents in the last quarter to lift the Tommy Moore cup for a second time.
Congratulations to them from all Antrim Gaels.
Full match reports to follow.
From BBC:
Liam Watson hit 3-7 as Loughgiel stunned Coolderry in the All-Ireland Club Hurling Final at Croke Park.
Shay Casey kicked Loughgiel's first goal before Coolderry drew level.
However, Watson's first goal put Loughgiel four up and he then struck two goals in a minute before half-time.
He gambled as he struck a 20-metre free to the net for his second goal before another glorious finish for his third and while Coolderry threatened after the break, Loughgiel regained control.
Loughgiel's victory amid high emotion ended a 29-year wait for their second All-Ireland title after their 1983 success .
And it was a thoroughly deserved victory for the Shamrocks who are the only Ulster club to have lifted the title.
Watson's scoring exploits will rightly be lauded but it was a tremendous team display by PJ O'Mullan's side.
The sense that it was going to be Loughgiel's day came when Watson rocketed in his second goal from the 20-metre free two minutes before the break.
His manager surely would have wanted the forward to take his point but the enigmatic Watson had other ideas as he lashed an unstoppable strike past the five men on the goal-line and into the roof of the net.
Two minutes later, Watson beautifully controlled a long ball from the outstanding Eddie McCloskey and he only needed two more touches on the stick before sliding the ball under keeper Stephen Corcoran.
The goal gave the Ulster champions an astonishing 4-6 to 0-8 lead although Damian Murray did add a further Coolderry point in first-half injury-time.
Casey kicked Loughgiel's opening goal to put his side 1-1 to 0-2 ahead after good work by Joey Scullion.
Efforts from play from Eddie McCloskey and Brendan McCarry then had Loughgiel 1-3 to 0-3 ahead only for Coolderry to draw level, helped by two Brian Carroll scores.
But Loughgiel were four to the good by the 20th minute as Watson slammed to the net from close range after keeper Corcoran had saved a point-blank Casey shot.
Coolderry were still within striking distance at 2-6 to 0-8 as half-time approached but then came the crucial period of the match as Watson completed his hat-trick of goals.
After going in nine points ahead at the break, Loughgiel's nerve threatened to fail them at the start of the second half as Coolderry hit four unanswered points, with sub Kevin Connolly getting two of the scores.
But Watson pointed a crucial free won by himself in the 37th minute and a reply from Murray was then followed by three more unanswered
Loughgiel points, with Barney McAuley's long-range effort adding to two more Watson scores.
Coolderry reduced Loughgiel's lead to six by the 53rd minute but the contest was effectively over within a minute as Watson's 70-metre free was followed by McCarry's second score of the day.
With an unassailable lead, Loughgiel were able to enjoy something of a lap of honour in the closing minutes with McCarry tagging on a closing point.
From Irish Times
Loughiel 4-13 Coolderry 0-17: Loughgiel Shamrocks have taken the AIB All-Ireland club hurling title to Ulster for only the second time and the first since the club’s previous victory 29 years ago.
The foundations of an outstanding success were laid in a first-half force de frappe from man of the match Liam Watson, who scored 3-7 on the day and 3-3 before half-time, to leave the Antrim champions nine points clear at the interval.
Their shell-shocked opponents couldn’t get in for a goal despite three early half-opportunities for their prolific corner forward Eoin Ryan but either the final ball wasn’t delivered or the chances went otherwise a begging.
Coolderry launched a spirited counter in the third quarter but their best efforts were thwarted by some excellent defensive work, which squeezed nearly all of the attacking movement and forced the Offaly champions to take points when they found the way to goal blocked.
Loughgiel struck for goal as early as the sixth minute when a low ball into Shay Casey allowed the corner forward slip the defence and kick the ball beyond Stephen Corcoran for a 1-1 to 0-2, a lead they would relinquish for a couple of minutes over the remainder of the match.
Watson started relatively slowly but his first score from play, a point in the 17th minute opened the floodgates. A minute later he followed up when Corcoran saved from Casey to ram in the second goal and added numbers three and four in the dying minutes of the half.
The third was fitting retribution for a cynical foul perpetrated on him by Trevor Corcoran, who received a yellow card. Watson slammed the free past defenders and goalkeeper. The original ball delivered to the full forward had been from Eddie McCloskey and he also provided the opportunity for his full forward to scramble his hat-trick goal into the net.
Although Cathal Parlon tried to lead the resistance and Damien Murray was reliable from frees, Coolderry couldn’t make significant inroads and the margin never dipped below five points.
Loughgiel absorbed their best efforts and countered fluently for a comfortable and historic victory.
LOUGHGIEL: D Quinn; P Gillan, N McGarry, R McCloskey; J Campbell, M Scullion, J Campbell; B McAuley (0-1) , M McFadden; J Scullion (0-1) , D Laverty, E McCloskey (0-1) ; B McCarry (0-3) , L Watson (3-7, 1-5 frees) , S Casey (1-0) . Subs : S Dobbin for McFadden (half-time), T McCloskey for Dobbin (57 mins), D McCloskey for Casey (61 mins).
COOLDERRY: S Corcoran; B Kelly, T Corcoran, A Corcoran; B O’Meara, J Brady, D King; K Brady (0-1) , K Teehan; B Carroll (0-3), B Teehan, M Corcoran; E Ryan (0-2) , C Parlon (0-2) , D Murray (0-8, frees) .
Subs: K Connolly (0-1) for T Corcoran (half-time), M Bergin for K Teehan (51 mins), B Larkin for Kelly (57 mins).
From Breakingnews.ie:
Loughgiel (Antrim) 4-13 Coolderry (Offaly) 0-17
Loughgiel are All-Ireland champions once again, after Liam Watson superbly invoked the spirit of '83 with a spectacular Croke Park hat-trick.
The Antrim star tore the Coolderry defence to shreds with a wonderful display which saw him pick off a 3-7 tally as the Shamrocks bridged a 29-year gap from their only previous triumph.
Loughgiel’s four goals all came in the first half, giving them a nine points lead that the Offaly men were unable to overhaul.
Appearing in their first final Coolderry started well, but were soon overwhelmed by the goal rush that wrecked their dream.
It was Shay Casey who struck Loughgiel’s first goal, finishing low to the net in the sixth minute after scrapping for possession of Eddie McCloskey’s scuffed delivery.
Coolderry had looked sharp in the opening stages, going in front with points from Damien Murray and Eoin Ryan.
Even after McCloskey and Brendan McCarry had fired over scores for the men from the Glens, the Leinster champions drew level through Brian Carroll and looked to have the measure of the Ulster men.
But in an explosive second quarter, Loughgiel stunned their opponents with three goals, all of them from the brilliant Watson.
He began his one-man demolition act by following up with a close range finish after Stephen Corcoran had saved from Casey.
Then he blasted a 20 metre free to the net in the 28th minute, and completed his hat-trick in spectacular fashion two minutes later, displaying immaculate control to fetch McCloskey’s long ball and beat Corcoran with a majestic finish.
Loughgiel led by 4-6 to 0-9 at the interval, but an inspired Coolderry threw everything into attack on the restart, and withing five minutes they had trimmed a nine-point deficit back to five.
Substitute Kevin Connolly brought a terrific save from DD Quinn, and along with Murray and Parlon, clipped over points to give them renewed hope.
But Loughgiel weathered the storm, thanks in no small part to some heroic defending from Paul Gillan, and hit back with scores from Watson and Barney McAuley.
When Watson landed a marvellous point from a tight angle, the lead had been stretched out to eight, and Coolderry were struggling to rediscover the verve and dash they had displayed in the opening stages of the half.
Murray pulled back a couple of points from expertly struck frees and Eoin Ryan steered over a neat score, but there was to be no stopping the Shamrocks, with Watson powering over an 80 metre free, before McCarry pointed after Stephen Corcoran had pulled off a top quality save from Casey.
From GAA:
Liam Watson’s remarkable haul of 3-7 helped Loughgiel Shamrocks to their second ever AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Club title at Croke Park, where they beat Coolderry of Offaly by 4-13 to 0-17.
The game, in truth, was over by half-time. Rarely has Croke Park witnessed a performance as electrifying as that of Watson, the Ulster champions’ top scorer and star man. By the break he had snaffled 3-3, including a goal of stunning beauty and skill that broke Coolderry hearts on the stroke of half-time. He added four more points to his haul after the break to complete a tour de force performance.
Shay Casey scored Loughgiel’s first goal on seven minutes, turning sharply and kicking to the back of the net. But Coolderry responded well, with inter-county men Brian Carroll and Cathal Parlon impressing, to draw level, 0-6 to 1-3, by the 15th minute.
However, the Coolderry full-back line was in trouble from the start and it was the irrepressible Watson who responded first to a loose ball to hit a ground stroke to the net in the 18th minute after Casey’s shot was saved by Coolderry goalkeeper Stephen Corcoran.
Coolderry, once again hit back, as wing-back Kevin Brady landed a brilliant point after soloing half the length of the field and arrowing a shot over.
Watson was still causing havoc for the Coolderry defence, which was continuously exposed by the use of clever, angled balls from the wings.
Just such a ball from Eddie McCloskey found the marauding Watson on 28 minutes, but he was cynically taken down by full-back Trevor Corcoran. Watson made the Offaly champions pay the ultimate price, slamming a wicked shot to the roof of the net.
If that goal demonstrated his striking ability, his third was all about stickwork and craft. Again, McCloskey supplied the ammunition with a long ball that caught Coolderry sleeping; this time Watson controlled the high ball with his hurley, took a touch and flicked past Corcoran to complete his hat-trick. The Ulster side led by 4-6 to 0-9 at half-time.
Coolderry manager Ken Hogan brought Kevin Connolly on for full-back Corcoran at the break and the sub scored a fine point minutes into the second period as the Offaly side threatened a revival with four points in a row, reducing the gap to just five, 0-13 to 4-6.
But that was as close as Coolderry would come. Barney McAuley landed an inspirational point to lift Loughgiel, and their talisman Watson hit a free and a sweet shot from a tight angle to end any hopes of a late comeback.
When Watson brought his total to 3-7 in the 54th minute with another free, he raised a clenched fist in celebration, a fitting symbol of Loughgiel’s dominance and confirmation that the Tommy Moore Cup was going back to north Antrim for a second time.
From RTE:
Liam Watson inspired Loughgiel to their second All-Ireland Club Senior Hurling Championship title as they beat Coolderry by 4-13 to 0-17 at Croke Park.
The Antrim star finished with a 3-07 tally as he broke the hearts of final first-timers Coolderry as the men from the Glens of Antrim bridged a 29-year gap in glorious fashion.
Loughgiel never looked back after Shay Casey fired in their opening three-pointer early on, and by the halfway stage, Watson had helped himself to no less than three goals.
Coolderry did stage a brief fightback early in the second half, but the Shamrocks' spirit and skill carried them through.
The Antrim men got in for a goal in the sixth minute. Eddie McCloskey's mis-hit shot was picked up by Eddie McCloskey, and the corner forward rounded his marker to finish low to the net.
Coolderry had already eased into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead, with Damien Murray converting a couple of frees, but the goal helped settle the Shamrocks' big-match nerves.
McCloskey and Brendan McCarry fired over points, and they could have had more but for some solid defending from Joe Brady.
They were forced onto the back foot for a spell, with Cathal Parlon and Brian Carroll bringing the Leinster champions level, but a second Loughgiel goal in the 18th minute gave Loughgiel a massive lift.
Ronan McCloskey and Neil McGarry stood firm at the back as Coolderry battled to turn the tide, but two goals in as many minutes from the brilliant Watson left them with a 10 points deficit
He started and finished an 18th minute move, netting from close range after Casey's snapshot had been stopped but not held by 'keeper Stephen Corcoran.
He blasted a 20 metre free to the net in the 28th minute, and two minutes later, Watson displayed skill and artistry in controlling McCloskey's delivery and turning the ball into the net without breaking stride.
Loughgiel led by 4-6 to 0-9 at the interval, but an inspired Coolderry threw everythigbninto attack on the restart, and withing five minutes they had trimed a nine points deficit back to five.
Substitute Kevin Connolly brought a terrific save from DD Quinn, and along with Murray and Parlon, clipped over points to give them renewed hope.
But Loughgiel weathered the storm, thanks in no small part to some heroic defending from Paul Gillan, and hit back with scores from Watson and Barney McAuley.
When Watson landed a marvellous point from a tight angle, the lead had been stretched out to eight, and Coolderry were struggling to rediscover the verve and dash they had displayed in the opening stages of the half.
Murray pulled back a couple of points from expertly struck frees and Eoin Ryan steered over a neat score, but there was to be no stopping the Shamrocks, with Watson powering over an 80 metre free, before McCarry pointed after Stephen Corcoran had pulled off a top quality save from Casey.
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