AIB Munster Club: Barrs reach decider

AIB Munster Club SFC Semi-Final

St Finbarr's 3-20 Éire Óg, Ennis 0-14

By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

For the second time this season, Brian Hayes fired a hat-trick past Clare opponents as St Finbarr’s marched onto a Munster SFC final meeting against Dingle.

The All-Star hurler ended with 3-3 as the Cork champions defeated Éire Óg Ennis by 15 points at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The Barrs also ensured that they remain the only club to achieve a Munster double for another year after ending Éire Óg’s dual ambitions. Half their team will line out against Ballygunner in next Sunday’s hurling showpiece.

The Cork city club could yet attain another double of their own after their camogie side took provincial honours on Saturday.

Éire Óg shaded a first quarter played with a gusting wind at their backs. After Rickey Barrett kicked the Barrs' opener, the Clare champions replied through Darren Moroney.

Mark McInerney’s two-point shooting was their major weapon, and he launched the lead score off his left from beyond the arc in the ninth minute.

Ethan Twomey cut the margin to the minimum before two McInerney frees extended Éire Óg’s lead.

Twomey could’ve levelled on the quarter-hour, but Cian Howard advanced to make a fine save. Steven Sherlock kept the ball low into the wind to convert the subsequent 45.

That moment triggered an unanswered 1-8 streak, fuelled by the Barrs’ fierce kick-out press.

The 18th-minute goal was started and finished by Hayes. He won Darragh Newman’s kick-out on the sideline outside his own 45. His kick forward found Enda Dennehy, who laid off for Maguire. The county man spotted his midfield partner charging forward with intent. Hayes shot for a point, but the ball dipped inside Howard’s near post and into the net for a 1-3 to 0-5 lead.

They pressed on with points from William Buckley, John Wigginton-Barrett, and Hayes, by which stage six different players had accounted for their six white flags.

Sherlock had their next before Wigginton-Barrett sent Hayes through on goal again. This time, his shot was deflected over by Gavin D’Auria. A Sherlock free made it 1-10 to 0-5.

When Éire Óg filtered the ball back into McInerney’s hands, he returned to tormenting the Barrs. He followed a white flag with his second two-pointer. This time, he kicked it with his right boot after conjuring space from nowhere with two sidesteps.

The Barrs led 1-10 to 0-8 at half-time and resumed with a Twomey goal chance, which was fired over the bar. John Wigginton-Barrett also aimed too high when through, but Hayes produced a lethal low finish for his second goal in the 45th minute after alert play by Luke Hannigan.

McInerney slotted a two-point free to bring his tally to 0-10, but Hayes ended with a flourish when picked out by Eoin McGreevy for a calmly dispatched hat-trick goal.

Sherlock’s two-pointer added the cherry on top.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Brian Hayes 3-3, Steven Sherlock 0-6 (1 2p, 1f, 2 45s), John Wigginton-Barrett 0-4, Ethan Twomey, Rickey Barrett 0-2 each, William Buckley, Enda Dennehy, Cillian Myers-Murray 0-1 each.

Scorers for Éire Óg Ennis: Mark McInerney 0-10 (2 2p, 1 2pf, 2f), Gavin Murray 0-2, Darren Moroney, Manus Doherty 0-1 each.

St Finbarr's: Darragh Newman; Alan O’Connor, Billy Hennessy, Sam Ryan; Conor Dennehy, Ciarán Doolan, Enda Dennehy; Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes; Ethan Twomey, John Wigginton-Barrett, William Buckley; Luke Hannigan, Rickey Barrett, Steven Sherlock.

Subs: Eoin McGreevy for Buckley (50), Cillian Myers-Murray for Barrett (50), Thomas Egan for Hannigan (51), Bill O’Connell for C Dennehy (51), Jamie Burns for Hennessy (56).

Éire Óg Ennis: Cian Howard; Manus Doherty, Aaron Fitzgerald, Dean Ryan; Ciarán Russell, Gavin D’Auria, Darren Moroney; David McNamara, Darren O’Brien; Jarlath Collins, Gavin Murray, Ronan Lanigan; Luke Pyne, Ikem Ugwueru, Mark McInerney.

Subs: Jack Joyce for O’Brien (43), Aidan McGrath for Collins (48), Niall McMahon for Moroney (53).

Referee: Seán Lonergan (Tipperary).