Kilmurry-Ibrickane salvage Stradbally draw
Sunday, 5 December 2004 19:52Clare champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane and Waterford's Stradbally will have to meet again next Sunday after their AIB Munster Club football final ended 0-9 apiece at Semple Stadium, Thurles.
Substitute Paul O'Dwyer kept Kilmurry's hopes of a first ever provincial crown alive with a point in the last minute of normal time, after Stradbally had hit five unanswered scores.
Bidding to be the first side outside from Cork or Kerry to win the final since Clare's Doonbeg in 1998, nerves were visible among both sets of players - with Stradbally's forwards particularly off form in the first half, kicking ten wides.
Stephen Cunningham opened the scoring for them on 2 minutes, but Kilmurry hit back to lead 0-4 to 0-2 after 22 minutes.
Michael O'Dwyer and Johnny Daly (2f) hit a brace between them, with skipper Ger Power replying for Stradbally.
Daly and Niall Curran swapped further points as a disappointing half (0-5 to 0-3) was brought an end with Shane Lannon missing one of two goal chances for the Deise.
Points from O'Dwyer, Daly and Angus Corry on the restart put the Clare men 0-8 to 0-3 in front, but their challenge began to wane.
Sean Ahearne's Stradbally upped the gears, using high ball tactics with Michael 'Brick' Walsh particularly prominent. Walsh and Oliver Costello pointed from play to begin their revival before Curran chipped in with two frees, the second the leveller on 51 minutes, to set up a breathless finish.
A John Herne handpass set Power up for what looked like the clinching score on 54 minutes, but O'Dwyer had the last word, booking a replay date in Kilmallock in seven days' time.
