Munster club SFC: Kilmurry back in final
November 23, 2009
Clare champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane reached their second successive Munster club football final following this three-point win over Stradbally at rain-lashed Dungarvan.
Kilmurry-Ibrickane...0-9
Stradbally..0-6
While the visitors deserved their win, Stradbally will have reason to rue a missed penalty in the first half and the dismissals of Shane Lannon and John Hearne for separate offences late in the game.
Favoured by the elements in the first half, Kilmurry-Ibrickane had built up a 0-5 to 0-0 lead by the 20th minute thanks to three frees from Odran O'Dwyer and further scores from Noel Downes and centre back Enda Coughlan.
Stradbally closed the gap with pointed frees from Niall Curran and Shane Aherne, but they still trailed by 0-2 to 0-7 at half-time. However, Stradbally missed a glorious opportunity to reduce the deficit when Aherne drove a controversial penalty wide.
Despite dominating possession after the restart, it took Stradbally 13 minutes to open their second half account, by which time they had fallen a further point in arrears.
They were always going to need a goal to win the game and they almost got it when substitute Pat Weldon was put clean through on goal, but he blazed over.
Another free from Niall Curran left the Waterford champions trailing by three points with 10 minutes remaining, but they couldn't get any closer as Kilmurry-Ibrickane held on for a place in the final against Kerins O'Rahilly's.
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