AIB Ulster club Intermediate hurling quarter-final: Liatroim Fontenoys (Down) 3-22 Castleblayney Faughs (Monaghan) 3-15
THE second part of the Ulster club double-header in Páirc Esler on Saturday evening turned into a shoot-out on a par with the one Liatroim Fontenoys had come through in the Down final against Carryduff.
Back then Pearse óg McCrickard had knocked over 19 points. On Saturday his brother Conor, a Munster club football winner this time last year with St Finbarr's of Cork, stepped up to shoot the first two points inside 70 seconds on the way to collecting two goals and five points. Pearse Og, with the help of eight frees, totalled 1-10.
However he uncharacteristically missed a couple during the first half while the Liatroim defenders were also generous in presenting Fearghal Rafter with frees to keep Castleblayney in contention right through.
Although the McCrickard brothers shot the first three points, the Monaghan champions were level by the 6th minute following some fine scores from Eoin Leonard, Déaglán Crowe and Rafter.
Tiarnán Murphy and Pearse Og edged Liatroim ahead before Conall McHugh took advantage of some slack defending to poach the opening goal.
That score lifted ‘Blayney and they battled away with some nice scores to go three points ahead after 22 minutes. But Liatroim hit back with four of the last five points of the half, including a lovely individual point from Conor McCrickard right on the half-time whistle that left the teams equal on 0-12 to 1-9.
The second half opened with two ‘Blayney goals and a goal and five in reply from Liatroim, all inside the first eight minutes.
Full-back Ruairí McCrickard landed a massive free from inside his own half to start the run, but he was barely back in his full-back slot when Thomas Hughes got inside and found the corner of the Liatroim net. Pearse Og shot two points from play to level the game once more only for a long range free from Rafter to go all the way to the Liatroim net in the 5th minute.
Sean Duggan and Pearse Og replied with points before Conor McCrickard found the net from 15 metres.
The teams exchanged two points each before the game-defining score arrived curtesy of an interchange between Tiarnán Murphy and Pearse Davidson that gave Pearse Og a clear run through the centre and he buried the second Liatroim goal.
Two minutes later Davidson was again the provider, this time for Conor McCrickard to get clear and find the net. Although 10 minutes remained, the game was over and Liatroim would be facing Ahoghill in the semi-finals.
“Castleblayney have won eight or nine of the last ten Monaghan championships. We knew they were a good team and they made us work for the win,” said team manager Collie Murphy after the final whistle.
“For a long time, the result could have gone either way. We were pleased the way the goals came from players coming through and feeding off others. We had worked on that in training.
“It is a good result for us tonight, but it only gets us into the next game.
“We have seen Ahoghill play. They are a good side. But we are a decent side too and I think we will give them a good game.”
Liatroim: M McCartan, R O’Hare, Ruairí McCrickard 0-1 (f), W McCartan, Ronán McCrickard, O Duggan, PJ McComiskey, PJ Davidson, T Murphy 0-4, S Duggan 0-2, P Davidson, P Og McCrickard (capt.) 1-10 (0-8 fs), C McCrickard 2-5, C Lynch, J McAleenan.
Subs: M Lenaghan for J McAleenan (60)
Castleblayney: P Murphy, P Heavin, C Merrick, B Flanagan, P Malone, D Hughes, D Crowe 0-1, A Kenny, E Leonard 0-1, P Finnegan capt. 0-1, F Rafter 1-9 (fs), C McHugh 1-1, T Hughes 1-1, B McGuigan, N Garland 0-1
Subs: C McNally for P Heavin (50), L Maloney for C McHugh (51), A Kerr for B McGuigan (57), B Rice for N Garland
Referee: J Clarke (Cavan)
