Three of four hurling semi-finalists chasing first title

Three of the four semi-finalists in the AIB GAA All-Ireland senior hurling club championships have never won the title before, which greatly increases the chances of new champions being crowned in Croke Park on St. Patrick’s Day.

The exception is Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim), who won the title in 1983. Now, they are back in the semi-final where they play Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) in Parnell Park, Dublin next Saturday (2.0) while, on the same afternoon, Gort (Galway) take on Coolderry (Offaly) in the Limerick Gaelic Grounds (2.0) in the other semi-final.

COOLDERRY v GORT

Coolderry are seeking a first appearance in the All-Ireland final, having won the Leinster title for the first time last November when they beat Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) in the final.

Gort are also chasing their first All-Ireland title but have reached the final before. In 1984, they beat Midleton (Cork) by 1-11 to 2-4 in the semi-final before drawing with Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) in the final (1-10 each). However, they lost the replay by 1-10 to 0-7. Gort also reached the 1981 All-Ireland semi-final where they lost to James Stephens (Kilkenny) by five points.

Several fathers of current players were on the Gort teams of the 1980’s, as was current manager, Mattie Murphy. He crowned a great year by steering Gort to their first Galway title since 1983 last November, having led Galway minors to All-Ireland glory two month earlier.

Gort underlined their pedigree by beating Clarinbridge, the reigning All-Ireland champions, in the Galway county final. Captained by Andy Coen, they won by 0-17 to 1-12 in a game where Gerry Quinn scored 0-7 and Aidan Harte 0-5 for the winners. Harte was aboard the Galway senior squad last year. As Galway champions, Gort were automatically crowned Connacht champions.

Having dethroned Clarinbridge, Gort will fancy their chances of reaching the final as part of their wider ambition to become the 7th Galway club to win the All-Ireland, following in the illustrious footsteps of Castlegar (1980), Kiltormer (1992), Sarsfields (1993-94), Athenry (1997-2000-2001), Portumna (2006-2008-2009), Clarinbridge (2011).

Coolderry are attempting to become the second Offaly club to win the All-Ireland title (Birr won in 1995-98-2002-2003). Coached by former Tipperary star, Ken Hogan, Coolderry made an impressive advance through Leinster, beating highly rated Ballyboden St.Enda’s (Dublin) and Oulart-The-Ballagh (Wexford).

They beat Ballyboden by 1-18 to 0-15, with Damien Murray scoring 0-8, Cathal Parlon 0-6 and Eoin Ryan 0-4 while the goal came from Barry Teehan.

Parlon (1-3) and Murray (0-6) were again hugely prominent in the Leinster final, as was Brian Carroll who scored 0-3. It was an excellent all-round performance by Coolderry, for whom Joe Brady was outstanding at centre-back as Coolderry won by four points.

How they reached the semi-final

Coolderry 1-18 Ballyboden-St.Enda’s (Dublin) 0-15 (Leinster semi-final)
Coolderry 1-15 Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 1-11 (Leinster final)
Gort qualified automatically for the All-Ireland semi-final as Galway champions.

LOUGHGIEL SHAMROCKS v NA PIARSAIGH

A first appearance in the All-Ireland semi-final for Na Piarsaigh while Loughgiel are in their sixth semi-finals having lost in 1971-72-1990-2011 and won in 1983, the year they went on to become the first – and so far only – Ulster club to win the hurling title.

Loughgiel are back in the semi-final for a second successive season, having lost to O’Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) last year. However, they regained momentum in the Antrim championship, powering to another title before beating Kevin Lynch’s (Derry) and Ballycran (Down) in the Ulster campaign. They were easy winners on both occasions, winning by 16 points. Interestingly, they scored 2-18 in both games.

Liam Watson scored 1-7, Bennie McCarry 1-3 and Declan Laverty 0-3 for Loughgiel against Kevin’s Lynch’s while Eddie McCloskey (1-2) and Brendan McCarry (1-1) were top scorers in the final against Ballycran.

Now, Loughgiel are up against the highly ambitious Na Piarsaigh, who enjoyed their best ever year in 2011, winning the Limerick and Munster titles for the first time. They are now hoping to become the first Limerick club to reach the All-Ireland final since Kilmallock in 1993. No Limerick club has ever won the All-Ireland senior club title so there’s a massive incentive for Na Piarsaigh.

Managed by former Clare star, Sean Stack, they saw off a highly-rated Ballygunner (Waterford) side in the Munster semi-final (3-9 to 0-12) in a game where teenage star, Shane Dowling scored 1-4 while Kevin Downes and David Breen landed a goal each.

Crusheen (Clare) were Na Piarsaigh’s opponents in the Munster final, where it took two games to separate them. Crusheen led by 0-11 to 1-4 early in the second half of the drawn game but, inspired by Dowling, who scored a total of 1-7, the Limerick champions clawed their way back.

Crusheen led by three points midway through the second half of the replay but, once again, Na Piarsaigh finished very strongly and eventually ran out comfortable seven-point winners, 1-13 to 0-9. This time, it was another teenager, Adrian Breen (19) who took the scoring honours for Na Piarsaigh, notching 1-3 while Shane Dowling landed 0-3.

Captained by Kieran Bermingham, it was a special day for Na Piarsaigh as they brought the Munster crown back to Limerick for the first time in 17 years (Kilmallock won in 1994 but lost the 1995 All-Ireland semi-final to Birr).

How they reached the All-Ireland semi-finals

Loughgiel 2-18 Kevin Lynch’s (Derry) 1-5 (Ulster semi-final)
Loughgiel 2-18 Ballycran 0-8 (Down) (Ulster final)

Na Piarsaigh 3-9 Ballygunner (Waterford) 0-12 (Munster quarter-final)
Na Piarsaigh 1-11 Crusheen (Clare) 0-14 (Munster final)
Na Piarsaigh 1-13 Crusheen 0-9 (Replay)

Senior Hurling Provincial results 2011 & 2012 All-Ireland fixtures

LEINSTER

November 6: Quarter-finals: Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 2-12 James Stephens (Kilkenny) 0-15; Ballyboden St.Enda’s (Dublin) 2-12 Clonkill (Westmeath) 1-13.

November 13: Semi-finals: Oulart The-Ballagh 3-12 Clough-Ballacolla (Laois) 2-11; Coolderry (Offaly) 1-18 Ballyboden St.Enda’s 0-15.
November 27: Final: Coolderry 1-15 Oulart-The Ballagh 1-11.

MUNSTER

October 30: Quarter-final: Ballygunner (Waterford) 2-15 Drom & Inch (Tipperary) 1-13.
November 13: Semi-finals: Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 3-9 Ballygunner 0-12; Crusheen (Clare) 0-19; Carrigtwohill (Cork) 1-10.
November 27: Final: Crusheen 0-14 Na Piarsaigh 1-11.
December 4: Final (replay): Na Piarsaigh 1-13 Crusheen 0-9.

ULSTER

October 9: Semi-final: Loughgiel (Antrim) 2-18 Kevin Lynch’s (Derry) 1-5.
October 23: Final: Loughgiel 2-18 Ballycran (Down) 0-8.

ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINALS

Next Saturday (2.0): Coolderry (Offaly) v Gort (Galway), Gaelic Grounds, Limerick; Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim) v Na Piarsaigh (Limerick), Parnell Park.

ALL-IRELAND FINAL

March 17, Croke Park.