2016 review: Best upsets

December 28, 2016

Longford manager Denis Connerton and his backroom team celebrate a famous victory over Monaghan.
©INPHO/Presseye/Andrew Paton.

Every neutral loves a good upset and 2016 saw some remarkable ones in both the hurling and football championships.

The early signs were there in May when New York very nearly sent Roscommon crashing out of the Connacht SFC, only for Senan Kilbride's late intervention recusing sparing the Rossies from embarrassment in the Bronx. The surprise package of the National League ended up holding on for a slender 1-15 to 0-17 win over the Exiles.

The first legitimate upset in the football championship came a month later when Tipperary shocked Cork with a thoroughly deserved 3-15 to 2-16 victory at Semple Stadium, where the hosts had gained their first Munster championship win over the Rebels since 1944. Liam Kearns' side would go one better when they sent Connacht champions Galway crashing out of the championship in August.

The Tribesmen's defeat of six-in-a-row chasing Mayo in the western province earlier in the summer and Wexford's 0-23 to 1-17 triumph over Cork in the All-Ireland senior hurling championship qualifiers are other honourable mentions, but here are our Top 3 picks: 

 

3. Longford end Monaghan's season in Clones

The dreaded six-day turnaround hit Monaghan hard in July after losing out to Donegal in an Ulster SFC semi-final replay. Denis Connerton's Longford side were ready to pounce and did so by edging a fantastic battle with the Farney men in Clones.

Having handed Down an 11th defeat in 11 competitive games two weeks previous, the Midlanders hit the hosts with an early Mickey Quinn goal before falling behind at half-time as the then Ulster champions fired 1-6 without reply.

The game's final quarter saw a third outing in 14 days take its toll on Monaghan and when Robbie Smyth lashed home his side's second goal it put the Leinster side on their path to a memorable qualifier victory.

 

2. Banner men bury the Rossies

Wins over Sligo and Laois had already put the Clare footballers on many people's radar by mid-July, but their victory over Roscommon in the fourth and final round of the qualifiers wasn't something that had been envisaged.

Colm Collins' side seemed comfortable in handing the beaten Connacht finalists from six days previous a 2-12 to 1-9 defeat in Salthill. The Banner's inside men had done the damage, with Eoin Cleary (0-6) and David Tubridy (1-2) hitting crucial scores at crucial times, while Gary Brennan was a colossus in the middle of the field.

The win qualified Clare for their first ever All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, which would end in defeat to Kerry, and eventually saw the resignation of Fergal O'Donnell from Roscommon's joint-management team alongside Kevin McStay.

 

1. Westmeath U21s pull off the unthinkable

Westmeath's hurling star has been on the rise for some time now, but no one could have predicted the result they pulled off in the Leinster U21 championship this past May.

Adrian Moran's 20/1 outsiders stunned Kilkenny (1/66) with a 1-11 to 0-12 win in Mullingar, where there were scenes of joyous celebrations from the Lake County's hurling contingent afterwards.

Ace attacker Darragh Clinton struck all but three of the winners' points and midfielder Warren Casserly registered the game's only goal early in the second-half, as the Cats were sent packing and Westmeath marched on to a provincial semi-final date against eventual champions Dublin.

Needless to say, Twitter exploded after the maroon men's historic win in the Midlands:

 


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