Aggressive Gort carry too much fire for champs
Date Published: {J}
ARMED with the experience from having contested the county final in 2008, Gort hurlers travelled to Pearse Stadium last Sunday with a different mindset. They had got caught up with the occasion three years ago, but this time the mood was far more businesslike and that attitude was reflected on the pitch as they deservedly ended the reign of the All-Ireland club champions.
Traditionally, Gort teams have tended to be physical and hard-hitting. There is little standing on ceremony and the 2011 version of the South Galway men certainly lived up to that reputation with a highly tenacious and robust display which had Clarinbridge rattled almost from the throw-in. The challengers laid down the markers early on as the Kerins brothers, Mark and Alan, in particular, quickly found out.
Gort went for the early kill, with their high intensity and determined approach resulting in a significant six points to one lead after 13 minutes. Their players were almost frenzied in the tackle and pursuit of possession. Clarinbridge were being hounded all over the field and they didn’t like it. There was no time or space to weave their normal creative patterns and they struggled to establish any rhythm at all.
It’s not often that a team’s full back line is the catalyst for leading the way, but Gort’s trio of Andy Coen, Mark McMahon and Michael Cummins, who was outstanding, took the bull by the horns from the start. As a unit, they conceded little or no ground, attacked the ball with an almost manic desire and tackled with conviction. Their example was followed all over the field as the side’s greater hunger saw them secure most of the breaking ball, especially in that critical opening quarter.
Gort’s aggressive hurling had the champions on the retreat with impressive county player Aidan Harte soon leaving his mark on the final with a brace of neatly taken points. Three Gerry Quinn frees and the first score of the match from long serving midfielder Sean Forde had them five in front and the first quarter wasn’t even over. Mattie Murphy’s men were calling the shots and the ‘Bridge were already playing catch up.
The hard-working Shane Burke eventually opened his team’s account from play in the 14th minute, and though Clarinbridge had six points on the board by the interval, five of them were from Mark Kerins placed balls, as their normally fluent attack wasn’t given a moment’s peace. Still, the title holders were only 0-9 to 0-6 at the break, which wasn’t a bad position given Gort’s authority for much of that first-half.
Probably the score of the half came when McMahon surged out of the Gort defence and his delivery was gathered by influential veteran Ollie Fahy, who had pulled away from his full forward base, before splitting the Clarinbridge posts in the 19th minute. That cameo typified the match up to then – Gort were on their toes, sharper and performing with a higher intensity, but they still had work to do to claim their first county title since 1983.
Clarinbridge were never going to surrender meekly and they battled bravely to retrieve the deficit in the second-half. The switch of Shane Burke to midfield helped their cause, but they had still fallen 0-13 to 0-8 behind by the 48th minute after Harte struck his third point from play following the tireless Paul Killilea’s spadework. Gort were still in the driving seat, but within seven minutes the teams were level.
Though lively teenager Gerard Donoghue was on target for Gort during this period, Clarinbridge were to enjoy their most productive period with two points from Alan Kerins and a Mark Kerins free augmenting an opportunist goal from lively substitute Billy Lane after Peter Cummins had tried to prevent an Eoin Forde effort from going over the crossbar in the 46th minute. The momentum was now firmly with Clarinbridge and they looked to in a strong position when Stephen Forde gave them the lead for the first time in the match ten minutes later.
For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.