Sport

Goals tilt the balance for clinical Coolderry

ALL-IRELAND CLUB SHC SEMI-FINALS: Coolderry 3-16 Gort 0-17: MANAGER KEN Hogan was delighted with the performance of his Coolderry…

Mon Feb 13 2012 - 00:00

ALL-IRELAND CLUB SHC SEMI-FINALS: Coolderry 3-16 Gort 0-17:MANAGER KEN Hogan was delighted with the performance of his Coolderry side who romped into their first All-Ireland club hurling final with a handsome eight-point win at the Limerick Gaelic Grounds.

Goals win matches and this time round Coolderry – with strikes by Eoin Ryan, Cathal Parlon and the outstanding Damian Murray – took their chances while Gort will regret missing a few gilt-edged chances, especially early on.

It was a tight first half in which the sides were level on four occasions inside 19 minutes after Coolderry had opened brightly with the first two points, both scored by Damian Murray, one from a free.

With the scores level at 0-5 each Coolderry had points by Brian Teehan and Cathal Parlon and then came the crucial first goal after 22 minutes.

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Eoin Ryan was sent clear in space and he raced through to blast past Peter Cummins. That left his side double scores ahead, 1-7 to 0-5, but by half-time Gort had managed to close the gap slightly again, trailing by 1-10 to 0-9.

Only a goal separated them when Coolderry struck for their second goal. This time Cathal Parlon was the scorer but it followed great build-up play with Murray and Martin Corcoran setting it up.

Gort rallied somewhat and raised hopes of a tight finish when they had four unanswered points. The deficit was reduced to four points at that stage but that was as close as it got for Gort.

A magnificently worked third goal four minutes from the end clinched it for Coolderry.

Barry Teehan linked with Martin Corcoran and he gave the perfect pass for Murray to finish in style to bring his tally to 1-8 for the day with five of the points being frees.

COOLDERRY: S Corcoran; B Kelly, T Corcoran, A Corcoran; K Brady, J Brady, B OMeara; K Teehan (0-1), D King; B Carroll (0-2), B Teehan (0-2), C Parlon (1-2); E Ryan (1-0), M Corcoran (0-1), D Murray (1-8, 5f). Sub: K Connolly for K Teehan (46 mins).

GORT: P Cummins; A Coen, M McMahon, M Cummins; G Lally, B Regan (0-1), S Óg Linnane; J Grealish (0-1), S Forde; G Quinn (0-10, 6f, 2 65s), P Killilea, A Harte (0-1); R Cummins (0-1), O Fahy (0-1), G O'Donoughue (0-2). Subs: T Linnane for McMahon (27 mins), K Killilea for Forde (half-time), M Mullins for B Regan (43 mins), M Nestor for Harte (56 mins).

Referee: J Sexton (Cork).