Match Reports

Knockout Championship Final 2008

Sunday June 1st vs Melbourne Shamrocks

Garryowen 1-08 Melbourne Shamrocks 1-05

"Twas on a dreary New years Eve, as shades of night came down…"
Well not quite, but it was dark outside on a cool June Sunday afternoon when captain Brian Gannon lifted the cup after Garryowen clinched their third consecutive Victorian hurling championship with a rousing win over arch rivals Melbourne Shamrocks. In a low scoring final the champions combined a free-scoring start with some solid second-half defending to record the historic win.

"A lorry load of volunteers approached a border town…"
It hasn't been an easy year as both Sinn Fein and Shamrocks have produced some quality players and the standard of hurling at Gaelic Park has been higher than many a year. But no doubt that Garryowen are the team who peaked at the critical period and having played a game to extra time against Shamrocks and then beating Sinn Fein in a close semi-final the boys in red and white were fired up for this final.

A great start to the game saw Garryowen solid at the back through Deccie Hourihan & Paddy Fitz and sharp in the forwards with the Mulligan brothers and most of the forward line racking up early scores. The Rebel underage star Guskey rattled the net as a convincing half-time lead of 1-7 to 0-4 was established.

"There were men from Dublin and from Cork, Fermanagh and Tyrone…"
The Hennessy brothers from Ardmore were in fine form with Richie in particular putting in a man of the match performance at centre half back. The second half was tight with Garryowen adding just one more point but with the Erin's Own boys starring all over the field there was only ever going to be one winner. The final whistle brought scenes of celebration that carried on for some days.

The Shamrocks players (if not their management) were gracious enough to admit they were soundly beaten by the better team on the day. The dressing room rocked to the singing and you know you have achieved something special when men with many years experience with Garryowen describe it as one of the finest wins at the club. For days afterwards, the celebratory song rung in my head: "And the leader was a Limerick man, Sean South from Garryowen"

Team: Declan Hourihan (Corcaigh) (0-1); Brian Gannon - Captain (Cill Chainnigh), Patrick Fitzgerald (Corcaigh), Darragh O'Donovan (Port Lairge); John Geary (Corcaigh), Richie Hennessy (Port Lairge), Robert Kennedy (Tiobraid Arann); Padraig Butler (Laois), Niall Hennessy (Port Lairge) (0-1); Ronan Mulligan (Doire) (0-2), Fergus Murphy (Corcaigh) (1-1), Colin Cumiskey (Ard Mhacha) (0-1); Ruari Mulligan (Doire) (0-1), Patrick Walsh (Corcaigh), Alan Meagher (Tiobraid Arann) (0-1); Subs: John Kelly - Player Coach (An Lu), Albert Treacy (Gaillimh), Patrick O'Callaghan (Corcaigh), Fraser Gallacher (Scotland), Thomas Murphy (Luimneach), Eoghan Greenan (Muineachan).

Knockout Championship Final 2007

Sunday August 19th vs Melbourne Shamrocks

Garryowen 2-04 Melbourne Shamrocks 0-07

This was a great all round performance from the Garryowen hurling team to retain the championship won in 2006. Playing the full game with a one-man deficit to Melbourne Shamrocks the hurlers dug deep to edge a close first half, hit a couple of vital second half goals and survive a tight finish to run out worthy winners.

Having struggled to find players all year Garryowen again lined out with 14 players to the Shamrocks 15 (and 2 interchange players) and every team member raised their game accordingly to make up for the extra man. Padraig Butler and Darragh O'Donovan had the best of some fiery early exchanges i lar na pairc and the five Garryowen forwards contended well with the extra defender to pick off a couple of early points.

Ronan Mulligan (our own Teddy McCarthy having picked up a football championship medal earlier in the day!) was precise in his free-taking and landed four crisp first half points as Shamrocks shot a number of wides. He was ably supported in the forward line by the tireless work of Brad Hogan, Keane Scanlon and Jackson Johnson.

The Garryowen half back line had their hands full with some skilful Shamrocks forwards but Brian Gannon, Robert Kennedy and Luke Ferriter kept them in check to ensure the sides were level at 0-4 each at half time.

Early in the second term Ruairi Mulligan raced through to rattle the net and Ronan obliged with another long-range free which dropped into the Shamrocks goal, ensuring the Co. Derry brothers kept the scoring in the family. A five point lead at that stage was substantial in a low-scoring game and the full back line of young David Meagher, recent recruit Francis McDermott and Brendan McAleer (finding his niche after being wasted in the forwards!) was in fine form.

There was some stout defending as Shamrocks brought their spare man forward and piled on the pressure looking for an equalising score but a couple of fine saves from goalkeeper Alan Meagher ensured that the victory was safe and another Sunday night of celebration in Bridie O'Reillys with the cup and a few bars of Sean South from Garryowen was in order.

Team: A Meagher, D Meagher, F McDermott, B McAleer, B Gannon, R Kennedy, L Ferriter, P Butler, D O'Donovan, Ruairi Mulligan (1-0), Ronan Mulligan (1-4), B Hogan, K Scanlon, J Johnson.

Go raibh mile maith agaibh to all who have helped out over the season, both on the playing and organisation front. It was great to round off the season with another cup for the collection. Captain Robert Kennedy rightly paid tribute to John Kelly who has kept things going all year under trying circumstances and who unfortunately missed this final.

Sunday June 25th vs Melbourne Shamrocks

Garryowen 2-07 Melbourne Shamrocks 1-05

In keeping with all previous meetings this season this was another close encounter between Garryowen and Melbourne Shamrocks. With the backpackers departing in search of better weather up the east cost and several of the regulars heading to Ireland (rather surprisingly also for better weather) both teams had reduced numbers on showing up in Gaelic Park for this League match. A ten a side game was agreed with two halves of 25 minutes being plenty on a sunny afternoon.

Garryowen welcomed the return of regular net-minder Alan Meagher as well as a number of new faces in Alan Buckley, Trevor Burns and John Buckley. The sides lined out with four backs and four forwards each and Martin O'Connor was left with the task of patrolling lar na pairce on his own. Garryowen got off to a great start with Trevor Burns goaling inside the first five minutes. The first half was a low-scoring affair as Melbourne Shamrocks defended with sun on their backs. Robert Kennedy and Brian Gannon manned the full back line with dominance and regular captain John Kelly mopped up everything in the region of centre half back. At half time Garryowen led by the minimum advantage, 1-02 to 1-01.

Early in the second term Padraig Fanning used the sun to his advantage as the Shamrocks goalkeeper seemed to lose sight of the ball and the long range effort dropped into the net. Garryowen extended the lead with a number of points as Alan Taylor and Alan Buckley picked off a few classy long range scores. The Garryowen/Cratloe connection carried on this season by Sean Ryan was further enhanced by the appearance of brothers John and Enda Boyce in the full forward line in the second half. The youngsters proved useful subs on the day and John in particular was unlucky not to score after a great solo run and shot on goal.

A bit of late pressure from Shamrocks resulted in Alan Meagher having a characteristic charge out of goal to block and clear. Despite a couple of late points conceded, Garryowen ran out winners on the day by 2-07 to 1-05. That makes it honours even in the League with one win, one draw and one loss against the Shamrocks. Garryowen will be hoping to round off the season by adding to the Championship win with victory in the League final on Sunday 6th August against Melbourne Shamrocks at Gaelic Park.

Team: A Meagher, R Kennedy, B Gannon, J Kelly, A Buckley, M O'Connor, P Fanning, A Taylor, J Buckley, T Burns. Subs: J Boyce, E Boyce.

Darragh O'Donovan recovered from his recent run of injuries to run the line, update the scoreboard, control the interchanges, as well as providing water and replacement hurleys - More work than his normal duties in the corner forward position!

Round 1 - March 5th vs Melbourne Shamrocks

Once again Garryowen and Melbourne Shamrocks provided the days best entertainment with a very tight match. This is the third year in a row that the teams have played each other on National Day, the first year Garryowen won by a point last year Melbourne Shamrocks got one over us by a point so it was probably fitting that it was a draw this year. 2-9 each. Garryowen played with the wind in the first half with some great points from play in particular from Sean Ryan and Daragh O'Donovan who also got our first goal. Our second goal game after a great run from Donal Hayes who laid the ball off to Dessie O'Sullivan to rattle the net. The backs were working very hard to contain Melb Shamrocks forwards on quite a warm day and probably were the least area in which we used the interchange. This could be viewed as poor tactics or a testament to their hard work. The half back line covered some great ground with Shane, Enda and John with the latter revelling in the captain's role.

The second half we seemed to fall asleep for the first ten minutes and we then had to play catch up, however we did have a four point lead but the legs began to tire in the heat and only for some good free taking by Martin and Chris winning the free near the death to draw. We would have been a sorry bunch if we had have lost this game. All in all it was a great team performance, well done to everyone and keep training.

Thanks to all who helped out on the line on the day.

The following is a players rating with a bit of humour thrown in:

1. Alan Meagher: His second game in goals after letting 40 goals in at the sevens, was day dreaming about drinking Bulmers on Sliabh na Mon during most of the game.
2. Francie Collins: Gets in about 80 steps with ball in hand over 4 metres, falls, turns twice and then clears the ball, oh yeah and breaks four opposition hurleys in the one move.
3. Bernard Nevin: Like his ute on most days, needs a jump-start.
4. Brian Gannon: Was seen in the dressing room afterwards with black boot polish, the white boots might have to be left behind.
5. Shane Mc Carthy: He may be from the sunny south east but the heat got to him, on top of the pints consumed in the backpackers.
6. Enda O'Flaherty: Sun kept getting in his eyes as he has misplaced his Burberry Haaa.
7. John Kelly: The Captain is not leading by example; he went off the drink for a whole month, shocking.
8. Collins Connolly: Was too busy thinking up of inane drills and felt naked without his stopwatch.
9. Sean Ryan: Scored some great points, must be the hurley he is using and is determined to have a war of words with somebody on the radio, it's a disease in Clare.
10. Donal Hayes: The first time I have seen the Dublin swagger, running. Woke up the next day with a sore neck, more than likely from necking pints.
11. Alan Taylor: First outing for the club, however I think he may have had an outing the night before, when someone registers as care of a pub, its inevitable.
12. Martin O'Connor: Was informed before the game if he didn't play well he was getting a waxing from Trish, seems to have worked.
13. Daragh O'Donovan: Got some very individual scores, probably because nobody could understand his mixture of Waterford/Manchester/Australian accents.
14. Tim Fitzgibbon: The baby of the team, life in the auld dog yet.
15. John Smith: Was a bit nervous having to wear regulation shorts instead of his stylish ¾ lengths usually worn at training and no juggling performed either.
16. Dessie O'Sullivan: Has taken training on Fridays to a new level, turns up with a six pack and not the type you get from sits ups.
17. Chris O'Mahony: Would only come on during ad breaks on Radio Roy.
18. Cian Scanlon: Needs a trip to the barbers before the next game.
19. Jackson Johnston: Super sub, fitting in plenty of hurling between homework and school holidays.