Middletown in all Ireland club hurling final

[bigdermie]

Well done to the Middletown hurlers for reaching the all Ireland hurling final on 11 February in croke park.
They did Middletown, Armagh and Ulster proud. Lets hope Middletown can bring the cup back to the orchard county!

[mullyard]

i was in Birr today with a very sizeable crowd from middletown.
Effin have a long tradition of hurling. Tommy Quaid....ex limerick goalkeeper....had 2 sons playing today.
But middletown blew them away because of 4 things;

They were very hungry and worked v hard for each other
They have all the technical skills of the game
They were very focused on the job in hand.
They moved the ball fast either out of defence or up front.

Middletown were giving away height and weight in many positions on the pitch.
But it did not make any difference to their play.
They cleaned up loose ball throughout the first half esp in mid field.
the had 2 goal opportunities in the first half.

Middletown can go all the way and the Carlow lads will know they are in a match in Feb.
Well done to a wee club on the border which has been quietly putting itself on the hurling club map.
You did us all proud today.

[green flag]

Congratulations to Middletown, another step forward for Armagh hurling, I have no doubt they can go the whole way.

[sliothar]

Brilliant - they did Armagh proud absolutely delighted for them

[PatMustard]

Well done Middletown. Best of luck in the final.

[Centre Half]

AIB All-Ireland Club IHC semi-final: Middletown Na Fianna (Armagh) 3-14; Effin (Limerick) 2-10

Middletown show steel to reach decider
From Damian Moran in Birr

After looking set to cruise to victory with the cushion of a 12-point lead early in the second-half, Middletown had to hold off a determined fight-back from Effin before they secured a deserved place in next month’s All-Ireland final.
The Armagh champions were the better and more skilful side over the hour and their ability to win clean high balls in both defence and attack was a key factor in their win.

They were also the hungrier side as they scrapped for every loose ball on the heavy sod in Birr, frustrating Effin’s attempts to find their rhythm.

By the break Middletown had built a six-point lead and when they slammed home two goals early in the second-half, the men in black and white seemed to be coasting to victory.

Their mettle was tested by an Effin side who hit back with two quick goals of their own before their challenge eventually ran out of steam but they way they met the challenge will stand to Middletown in the decider.

The 10-times Armagh champions started at a break-neck pace and, with the advantage of the swirling breeze, they opened up an eight-point lead within the first 10 minutes.

A brace of points from David Carvill got them off the mark before Thomas Quaid pulled on back for Effin.

With their half-back line and midfielders mopping up all the loose ball, Middletown were four to the good after eight minutes thanks to points from Barney McCann, captain Ryan Gaffney and David Carvill from a free.

Gaffney was proving a very effective targetman and with ten minutes gone caught Barney McCann’s long ball. He turned and played an intelligent ball across the square to Cathal Carvill who made no mistake, drilling his shot past James O’Leary.

Thomas Quaid point a free for Effin but points from Fintan Woods and Kieran McKernan extended the Middletown lead to eight points midway through the half.

Effin managed to restrict Middletown to just two points in the remainder of the half, one apiece from David Carvill and Martin Maguire, while the Limerick side added four points to their total, three from frees from Thomas Quaid with their first point from play coming two minutes into the first-half injury time when Damien Moloney slotted the ball over on the turn to leave six points between the sides.

The sides added a point apiece early in the second-half before a two-goal salvo from Middletown that should have ended the game as a contest there and then.

The first was a fine solo effort from Martin Moan who dispatched an unstoppable drive to the top corner of the next after he initially dropped the ball as he bore down on goal.

Seconds later Conor McCann and Ryan Gaffney played a sublime one-two with McCann firing home from close range.

That put the Ulster champions 12 points clear just seven minutes into the second half but to their credit Effin battled back and goals from Darren Sheehy and Nicky Quaid in quick succession got them back in contention.

Middletown did not panic despite the onslaught and points from Gaffney and Moan left them 3-12 to 2-8 ahead entering the final quarter of the game.

Back-to-back frees from Thomas Quaid reduced the gap to five but while Effin threw everything into attack, the Middletown defence stood firm in the closing minutes.

At the other end, Martin Moan and Kevin Hughes added a point apiece to round off a comprehensive and deserved win for the Armagh side.

Middletown Na Fianna: P Moran; B Mallon, P Hughes, F Woods (0-1); K McKernan (0-1), N Curry, P Gaffney; B McCann (0-1), P McBride; M Maguire (0-1), C McCann (1-0), D Carvill (0-5 frees); R Gaffney (0-2, 0-1 free), C Carvill (1-0), M Moan (1-2).
Subs: N McCann for D Carvill (40), P McArdle for P Hughes (43), K Hughes (0-1) for C McCann (49), JJ Hughes for B Mallon (59).

Effin: J O’Leary; JP McDonnell, J Dillon, A Dillon; M O’Donnell, N Quaid (1-0), M Rea; J O’Donnell, P Carroll; C Kearney, D Moloney (0-1), H O’Neill (0-2); P O’Kelly, T Quaid (0-7 frees), T Rea.
Subs: D Sheehy (1-0) for P O’Kelly (29), JM Manning for M Rea (32).

Referee: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny).

The Irish News
Monday January 23 2012

[Centre Half]

Middletown the masters as Effin’s final dream shattered
By Diarmuid O’ Flynn

Middletown (Armagh) 3-13
Effin (Limerick) 2-10


The end of the dream for gallant Effin in Birr yesterday in this entertaining All-Ireland club intermediate hurling-final.
It wasn’t the expected result, as the high-flying Limerick and Munster champions were hotly favoured to join neighbours Charleville in an All-Ireland finals double-header in Croke Park on February 11.

Charleville duly kept their part of the bargain, overcoming Fullen Gaels in the junior semi-final yesterday, but Effin had neither excuse nor complaint after this one. On a perfect afternoon for hurling, a reasonable sod, they were outworked and outplayed by a well-drilled Middletown outfit.

Hurling in the Orchard county is getting stronger and stronger and Armagh are now more than capable of putting it up to Antrim in Ulster, at underage especially. Middletown Na Fianna are an integral part of that revolution. They are ten-times senior county champions and 13 of their starting 15 yesterday are on the Armagh senior panel that competes these days at Christy Ring level.

That strength became increasingly more obvious as this game progressed, with the Ulster side looking by far the more balanced team.

Middletown had the advantage of the strong breeze and they immediately took the fight to Effin, going two points up after two minutes. Effin then got on the scoreboard with a Tommy Quaid free, but Middletown again took over after a point apiece from Barney McCann, captain Ryan Gaffney (causing real problems at full-forward) and free-taker David Carvill. Then came the first goal of the game, the tricky Cathal Carvill finishing a Ryan Gaffney cross from close range.

Effin were in real trouble. Seven points behind after just 11 minutes, they spent the rest of the half playing catch-up. Six points was the deficit at the break (1-9 to 0-6) but had Middletown taken full advantage of all their opportunities that could well have been several points more.

On the resumption, the teams exchanged points (David Carvill a Middletown free, Hugh O’Neill replying with a fine Effin effort from wide right), but two goals within a minute then effectively ended the game as a contest.

The first (Middletown’s second of the game) was fairly fortuitous, corner-forward David Moan getting a second chance after his initial effort was blocked down but then hitting a perfect ground shot into the top corner of the net. That was in the 37th minute and just 30 seconds later Middletown were back for more, Conor McCann playing a superb one/two with the ever-present Ryan Gaffney to blast past the unfortunate James O’Leary once more. At 3-10 to 0-7 Effin were now in deep trouble, but with 22 minutes still to play, they did at least have time on their side.

Digging deep, they took the fight to Middletown and two goals of their own (Darren Sheehy and Nicky Quaid, shifted from centre-back to centre-forward) had the deficit back to six points again in the 49th minute. Middletown were not going to be denied, however, and a few superb points from Moan (2) and sub Shea Gaffney closed out a well-deserved win.

Scorers for Middletown Na Fianna: D Moan 1-2; D Carvill 0-5 (0-5f); C Carvill 1-0; C McCann 1-0; B McCann 0-2 (0-1f); R Gaffney 0-2 (0-1f); F Woods, S Gaffney, M Maguire, 0-1 each.

Scorers for Effin: T Quaid 0-7 (0-7f); N Quaid 1-0; D Sheehy 1-0; H O’Neill 0-2; D Moloney 0-1.

MIDDLETOWN NA FIANNA: P Moan; B Mallon, P Hughes, F Woods; K McKernan, N Curry, P Gaffney; B McCann, P McBride; M Maguire, C McCann, D Carvill; C Carvill, R Gaffney (c), M Moan.

Subs: N McCann (D Carvill 41); S McCann (Hughes 44); S Gaffney (C McCann 49); P Curry (Maguire 60); JJ Hughes (Mallon 60).

EFFIN: J O’Leary; JP O’Donnell (c), J Dillon, A Dillon; M O’Donnell, N Quaid, M Rea; J O’Donnell P Carroll; P O’Kelly, D Moloney, C Kearney; H O’Neill, T Quaid, T Rea.

Subs: D Sheehy (O’Kelly 29); JM Manning (M Rea 33).

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, January 23, 2012




MountLeinster Rangers stand firm to keep Robert Emmetts at bay
By Cian Murphy

Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow)0-13
Robert Emmetts (London)0-11


Mount Leinster Rangers became the first team from Carlow to reach the All-Ireland Club IHC final after a titanic struggle with Robert Emmets of London in Parnell Park yesterday.
The Exiles began with a stiff breeze and created some good openings but were left ruing 12 first-half wides which ultimately cost them their place in Croke Park next month. The marksmanship of Denis Murphy kept the Carlow men in touch in a fiercely contested game and they trailed 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval.

Inside 15 minutes of the second-half Eoin Doyle had helped the Carlow men turn their deficit into a three-point lead.

But Tipp native Aidan Fitzgerald and Kilkenny man Eddie Brennan had the Londoners level with nine minutes to go.

Mount Leinster stood firm though in a terrific finish marked by heroic defending from Karol Lawlor and Edward Coady and decorated by sublime scores from Derek Byrne and Hugh Paddy O’Byrne.

In a frantic finish sub Damien McCormack stole inside the Rangers defence but kicked a glorious goal chance wide.

Scorers for Mount Leinster Rangers: D Murphy 0-7 (6fs), J Coady, HP O’Byrne 0-2 each, D Byrne, E Doyle 0-1 each.

Scorers for Robert Emmets: K Bolger, A Fitzgerald, P Atkinson (1f), M Callanan (2fs) 0-2 each, E Brennan, N Healy, M Walsh 0-1 each.

MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS: F Foley; G Kelly, B Nolan, K Lawlor; J Hickey, R Coady, E Coady; P Nolan, D Byrne; J Coady, E Byrne, D Phelan; HP O’Byrne, D Murphy, E Doyle.
Subs: C Byrne for D Phelan (54).

ROBERT EMMETS: N Higgins; J Anderson, E Walsh, B Healy; N Healy, P Horkan, G Hill; M Walsh, K Bolger; S Ryan, A Fitzgerald, B Ennis; P Atkinson, E Brennan, M Callanan.
Subs: J Cody for Horkan (blood), D McCormack for S Ryan (45), K McMullan for Callanan (52), J Cody for Anderson (inj) 55.

Referee: Garrett Duffy (Antrim).

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, January 23, 2012

[Bainisteoir]

report and photo's now on the main site
Middletown v Effin (Photos & Report) - Armagh GAA

[sliothar]

I'll just echo what I said on another thread - Fear No One- Middletown deserve to be in the final and are v capable of winning it.

I'll take any odds bookies are offering!!
Great stuff, be proud of your club (some great work has gone on there in the last 10 years)..Just remember when you win (not if) acknowledge all the club members who stood in wind/rain/snow/crap grounds/when you lost & when you won all those blitzes, underage games and tournaments, that they packed you into cars for...that's what got you to here...and that's what makes it special.

[Camloughlad]

Good luck to middletown in the final tomorrow evening,win or lose yous have done Armagh proud.