Odds shorten dramatically for Drom to take Munster
AHEAD of their outing with Nemo Rangers at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
Team of the Decade Dromcollogher/Broadford were generally around 25/1
with the bookmakers to win out the AIB Munster Club Senior Football
Championship.
Some shrewd punters weighed in with some serious bets, while others were happy just to avail of the equally generous odds of 8/1 to put the Cork representatives to the sword. The odds now on Dromcollogher/Broadford making the provincial breakthrough have shortened dramatically, and will most likely start as favourites against Kilmurray-Ibrickane of Clare in Sunday week’s decider at Pairc na nGael.
“This was the greatest day in our 120 year history,” summed-up club official and former Limerick PRO Denis O’Carroll. “It’s incredible to believe that we have actually beaten one of the greatest club teams ever in the history of the tournament, a club that have won more Munster and All-Ireland championships than anyone else. This is a very special time to be involved in Dromcollogher/Broadford.”
At the outset of the year, legendary manager Maurice McCarthy – who steered basically the same group of current players through county junior B, junior A, intermediate and ultimately senior success – opted to drop down to a selectors role and former club performer John Brudair was chosen as the new boss, with the management structure further strengthened by the arrival of Ned English of Duhallow in Cork.
English had never managed to put-one over on Nemo during his involvement with Duhallow over the last few seasons. The nearest his troops came to winning was a drawn encounter (losing the replay by two points), while earlier this season Duhallow were “rather unluckily” beaten by two points. “This so was very sweet, very sweet indeed,” he commented.
“We’ve talked about winning this game all week. We believed we could win the game. We came into the match with total belief. We realised we had a hard battle, but realised also that we had the ammunition to win. We believed in our players, and they believed in our system. And, we knew our work rate would be up to scratch. We were quite happy just to be able to curtail Nemo in the first half, knowing that we would finish strong.”
The portents of the ways things would unfold at headquarters were evident by half-time, as Dromcollogher/Broadford, who had faced into a wicked howling gale in the first 30 minutes, retired in front by a couple of points. The anticipated Nemo revival materialised in the third quarter, but with captain Tom McLoughlin, Tommy Stack and Neil Conway all solid the visitors were greatly restricted in terms of scoring chances.
It was level at five points apiece with ten minutes remaining, but in the stretch Derry McCarthy and Garrett Noonan (his second) pointed to earn Dromcollogher/Broadford a historic final berth.
Drom-Broadford stayed ‘grounded’
THEY may have felled the hottest of favourites to earn a place in Sunday week’s Munster Senior Club Football Final, but Dromcollogher/Broadford are keeping their feet firmly on the ground for the time being.
The Limerick champions sent tremors through the club championship contenders with a marvelous 0-7 to 0-6 win over unbackable Nemo Ranges at the Gaelic Grounds, an outcome that has been rewarded with a home draw against Clare challengers Kilmurray-Ibrickane, a fixture that has been confirmed for the Gaelic Grounds on the first Sunday of next month.
“I told the lads that they’ve won nothing yet. No team that I coach disrespects the opponent. We may have won this game but would it would be disrespectful for us now to disrespect anyone else we will face,” said Ned English, coach of Dromcollogher/Broadford.
Added captain Tom McLoughlin: “Obviously we’re delighted but we have won nothing yet. Still it’s a great result, outstanding really, and I still can’t quite believe it. This will probably take a few more days to really sink in. Fair play though to Nemo who gave us a great game and they proved out there that haven’t won county, Munster and All-Ireland titles for nothing. For us, it’s another day out and something that will help shorten the Winter.
“We stuck with our game plan, much the same as the county final. We knew that Nemo would be a step up from Bally’ but we just stuck with what we had said all week in terms of our game plan and were lucky, perhaps, to hold for a great result. This was a real squad effort, all the players, management and supporters too had a role in this win. Let’s hope now we can take it that extra step.”
At the start of the new half, Dromcollogher/Broadford were 0-4 to 0-2 in front but were pinned in their own half for long periods. “We kind of set up tent at the back in the second-half,” conceded McLoughlin. “But that was always going to come about, especially against a team of the caliber of Nemo Rangers.”
The teams were tied for a third time at 0-5 each before the home outfit went for the kill in the final quarter, with vital scores arriving from Derry McCarthty and Garrett Noonan.
Earlier Drom/Broadford points came from top marksmen Seanie Buckley (3) and Michéal Reidy.
An important superb early save from veteran Eamon Scollard was also important on an afternoon of limited scores. The former county netminder brilliantly tipped away a powerful Paul Kerrigan shot as early as the fifth minute.
GREAT CLUB HURLING FINAL IN STORE
ADARE and De La Salle are new to the whole experience of an AIB Munster Club Hurling Final but a cracking showpiece is set for Semple Stadium, Thurles on Sunday next (2pm).
Four-time winners of the Limerick championship, Adare only managed their first victory outside of the county when they shocked Toomevarra at the Gaelic Grounds a few weeks ago. On the same afternoon, the debut Waterford winners survived an absorbing contest to eliminate Sarsfields of Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 0-18 to 0-16.
Adare would be well advised to take note of post-match comments offered by Sarsfields manager Bertie Óg Murphy. “Brian Phelan (0-5) in particular I thought had an exceptional game. He was exceptional in the county final and he brought that form with him into the game. He got crucial scores. I have to say that the best team won on the day. They played with that little bit more intensity and they threatened a goal a few times which we never did.”
County star John Mullane stated that winning against the odds on Leeside had earned De La Salle the right to be taken more seriously going into the provincial final. “I’m 27 and I’m waiting all my life for this. It’s finally happened. There’s a lot of belief in this team. These fellows are after wining three tough games in Waterford and they answered all the questions again against Sarsfields.”
DLS manager Owen Dunphy commented: “Adare have to be a good side to have beaten Toomevarra. They will have to be respected.”
Conor Fitzgerald, top scorer with six points in the thrilling win over Toomevarra, Aidan O’Rahilly and Mike Noonan are all injury concerns for Adare in the lead-up to the final but it’s anticipated that all will be available for the outing at the Theatre of Dreams. Manager Ger O’Loughlin has tasted success himself as a player in the past, with Clarecastle a decade or so ago.
“We’re new to this and they’re new it, but it’s there for us win it now. It’s really about who wants it the most,” O’Louglin said. “After winning a county championship, it’s all about trying to get it into the players heads the bigger picture, in terms of striving for more glory, And if you do, and you want it badly enough and are prepared properly you might just get that breakthrough.”
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