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24 February 2008
Report on the County Junior Hurling Final 1966
"A wait of 24 years-but worth every minute of it now". Those were the words of an old Clooney hurler, just after his team had beaten odds-on favourites Meelick on Sunday, October 30th, at Newmarket.
Those who were fortunate to see this truly exciting game will long cherish this thrill-a-minute Final. The hurling may not have been the best we’ve ever seen, but what it lacked in polish, it made up for in genuine, honest-to-goodness hurling.
The game opened in a very promising fashion, with play swinging from end to end. Meelick seemed to settle down better and piled on the pressure and were first to score with a point by J. Power. Clooney’s centre field of Mick Pewter and Ted Finlay gradually got on top and Clooney after the first quarter were leading by 1-3 to 1-1. In the remaining fifteen minutes of this half, Meelick really got the upper hand and seemed set for victory when they turned over at half time leading by 2-3 to 1-3.
On the resumption, Clooney set to work in earnest and had that goal deficit reduced by the 33rd minute of the game, Mick Clune being the scorer. Meelick hit back again and Joe McNamara put them in front once more with a point. But back again came Clooney, with sub M. Power scoring a beautiful goal from about 35 yards out. Meelick were back again but Paddy Gilmartin, J. Cahill and J. O’Leary in the Clooney full-back line kept their line intact.
Finlay, at centre-field for Clooney, was now beginning to tire and Joe Mcamara began to sway the game for Meelick. P. Crowe eluded Gilmartin to score a goal to put Meelick ahead again. A goalmouth mellee in the Clooney goal, where some over-robust tackling took place, led to the referee sending a player from each side to the line.
With eight minutes left, Meelick were leading by a point, but were gradually fading to a now more evidently fit Clooney fifteen. A goal by M. Clune(Correction-Flan Clune) and two points by the same player(Mike) brought Clooney their first county title since 1942.
It would be very hard to single out any player for special mention on this Clooney side, but if I mention the Clune brothers, Mick and Liam,(Correction-Flan Clune) Ted Finlay, Paddy Gilmartin, veteran ex-Kilnamona player Mick Power and Ml Hayes, who gave a wonderful display at centre-back, no one will take offence. On the Meelick team, Joe and Gerry(even though he was injured early in the game), Ryan, Joe MacNamara, J. Sherlock and P. McCarthy tried everything he knew.
Before closing it is only fair to mention that not all the credit for this wonderful victory should go to the players, even though they were the men in the limelight. The Clooney mentors of Sergeant Sexton, M. Power, S. Reddan and M. O’Halloran must be congratulated for blending this fine fifteen together.
Clooney: P. O’Brien, P. Gilmartin, J. Cahill, J. O’Leary, J. O’Brien, Ml. Hayes, P. Littleton, M. Pewter, Ted Finlay, M. O’Grady, M. Clune, F. Clune, S. King, B. Vaughan, S. Scanlon(Capt.). Subs: M. Power for O’Grady, J. Hughes for S. King.
Meelick: C. Lyons, J. Sherlock, J. Spaight, B. Galvin, S. McMahon, J. Ryan, M. Larkin, Joe McNamara, B. Ryan, J. White, G. Ryan, P. Spaight, P. Crowe, P. McCarthy, J. Bateman. Referee: John Cronin.
Back Row: (LˍR): John O'Brien, Joe O'Halloran (Selector), John Corbett, Paddy Kilmartin, Michael Clune, Christy Mungovan, Sean King, Michael Power, Brendan Vaughan, Paddy O'Brien, Michael O'Grady, Michael Power (Selector). Front Row: Michael Ryan, Seamus Hughes, John O'Leary, Michael Pewter, Sonny Scanlon(Captain), Jimmy Cahill, Michael Hayes, Michael Quinn, Ted Finley. Missing from Photo; Flan Clune and Pat Littleton.
