EI Electronics won their first Munster Inter-Firm Junior Hurling title after getting the better of Clare rivals Zimmer in a good game of hurling at UL on Monday night.
This was the third meeting of these sides this season and with EI having won the first meeting and Zimmer winning the Clare final another close contest was expected by the large crowd in attendance.
Cathal O'Connell opened the scoring for EI inside the first minute from a free after Aaron Cunningham was fouled. Caimin Morey responded for Zimmer with a good point after 2 minutes and they hit the front after 3 minutes when Alan O'Connell scored after good work from James McInerney created the chance. The scores were coming thick and fast and Cathal O'Connell tied up the game again on 4 minutes when finishing off a good ball from Derek Fahy. EI went back in front on 6 minutes when Cathal O'Connell scored again from a free after a foul on Alex Morey. Zimmer had a chance to draw level again on 7 minutes but Caimin Morey went for a goal from a free outside the 21 and it was saved by Brian Tierney in EI goal. EI then had a good goal chance on 9 minutes when Cathal O'Connell got some space but his powerful shot from close range brought a great save out of Darren Duggan. A minute later O'Connell scored his fourth point of the game when he scored another free after Davy O'Halloran was fouled. Gary Hogan reduced the deficit to a point on 11 minutes when he scored a point after a shot from David O'Connor was saved and the clearance fell to him outside the 21. A good run and point from James McInerney on 12 minutes had the sides level again after 12 minutes. EI responded immediately when Davy O'Halloran scored his first point of the game on 13 minutes. The scores kept coming and Caimin Morey made it 5 points apiece when he scored his second point on 14 minutes. EI went back in front on 19 minutes when Nicky O'Connell got in on the scoring with a 65. Back game Zimmer again to level the game on 22 minutes when Caimin Morey scored a good point on the run. Alex Morey scored a point for EI on 26 minutes when Duggan was called on again to make a good save from a well hit shot at the expense of a point. O'Halloran put 2 points between the sides on 28 minutes after a good turn and shot from out near the side-line. Caimin Morey pulled a point back from a free on 29 minutes but the final score of the half went to EI again when Aaron Cunningham scored a point to leave the half time score EI Electronics 0-9 Zimmer 0-7.
Zimmer adopted a more defensive approach for the second half with bringing more players back into defence and with less of a threat in the forward line especially when Caimin Morey moved from full forward to full back after 40 minutes EI started to dominate and pick off some great scores to open a big lead as the half went on. O'Halloran scored his second point of the game on 35 minutes. Duggan was called on to make another great save from Cathal O'Connell on 37 minutes when his well hit effort on the run was destined for the top corner. O'Halloran increased the lead on 44 minutes with another good point on the run. Barry Loughnane got in on the scoring for EI on 46 minutes with a long range point. Cunningham scored his second point of the game on 47 minutes and Oisin Hickey scored his first point on 50 minutes to leave 7 points between the sides with 10 minutes left on the clock. Zimmer made a great effort in the last 10 minutes to try and get back in the game. Points from Daithi O'Connell and David O'Conner had the gap down to 5. A rocket of a shot from Daithi O'Connell nearly broke the crossbar as it rebounded to safety on 55 minutes. EI weathered the storm and finished very strong as points from Conor Deacy, O'Halloran, Hickey and Cathal O'Connell had them 9 point clear approaching the final minute. Caimin Howard pulled a point back for Zimmer on 60 minutes before Cathal O'Connell finished off the scoring with his sixth point of the match in injury time to wrap up the victory and a deserving title on the night for EI Electronics.
EI Electronics:
Brian Tierney (Newmarket), Dara McNamara (Sixmilebridge), Jamie Roughan (Wolfe Tones), Kevin Fennessy (Sixmilebridge), Enda Boyce (Cratloe), Nicky O'Connell (Clonlara) 0-1, Paudie O'Looney (Newmarket), Barry Loughnane (Wolfe Tones) 0-1, Conor Deacy (Sixmilebridge) 0-1, Derek Fahy (Sixmilebridge), Alex Morey (Sixmilebridge) 0-1, Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones) 0-2, Cathal O'Connell (Clonlara) 0-6, Davy O'Halloran (Eire Og) 0-5, Oisin Hickey (Parteen) 0-2
Subs:
Dylan Fleming (Sixmilebridge) for O'Looney, David Reynolds (Clooney/Quin) for Hickey
Zimmer:
Darren Duggan (Newmarket), Eugene Cooney (Tulla), Adrian Furey (Oranmore), Leon Quirke (Ruan), Brian O'Connell (Wolfe Tones), Martin O'Hanlon (Newmarket), Alan McNamara (Killanena), Gary Murphy (Caherline), James McInerney (Newmarket) 0-1, Daithi O'Connell (Wolfe Tones) 0-1, Caimen Howard (Ruan) 0-1, Gary Hogan (Clooney) 0-1, David O'Connor (Sixmilebridge) 0-1, Caimin Morey (Sixmilebridge) 0-4, Alan O'Connell (Clonlara) 0-1
Subs:
Donal O'Grady (Feakle) for Furey, Garreth McPhillips (Wolfe Tones) for Alan O'Connell, Ken Collins (Feakle) for Hogan
