Ger Hoey Memorial Cup - AIB 3-20 Kilbrittain 0-16

Click here for gallery of Match Photos >> On Friday night last, March 27th, Kilbrittain were invited to play an AIB selection in the annual Hoey Memorial Cup, under lights, in the home grounds of Nemo Rangers in Cork City. The AIB club, doesn't have a home pitch, or club house, but takes part in a couple matches each year. As AIB sponsor the All Ireland Club Championships, they offer a finalist spot in the tournament to the winners of the Junior Club Championship each year. Their team selection is made up of hurlers who work for AIB and are called up from all across Ireland. This years selection included inter-county Senior players Stephen O'Keefe of Waterford, in goal and Aidan McCarthy of Clare, at center forward. The team in full was made up of players from Galway, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Westmeath, Clare, Limerick, Waterford and Cork and was managed by Joe Deane (Cork), Mark Hennessey (Kildare), Damien Garrihy (Clare) and Ciarán McGann (Cork).

This challenge tournament match is one very few clubs in the country ever get the chance to play in. Having said that, with the league underway and Kilbrittain making a big push in both codes, it was also a welcome respite from serious competition and a challenge match worth giving everyone some time playing in as it progressed. Down a few from the usual starting fifteen it was naturally going to be a test against a selection of players from across Ireland. The AIB side did well to put five points on the board in the first seven minutes. Those early efforts punctuated by a free from Ronan Crowley and a powerful point from Colm Sheehan off a Crowley offload. In the opening quarter, while AIB were making good on scoring opportunities, with a readiness to launch balls from midfield off runs from the half back line, possession was well fought for by the Kilbrittain side.

Colm Sheehan breaks away from his mark ball in hand.

Although match winners generally always get the man of the match award, if Kilbrittain were to have received it, it would've gone to Éoin "no ball goes unchallenged" O'Neill who was dedicated to the cause from the throw in. Trying on centerback for size, O'Neill made an excellent impression. His heart and courage to attack every ball was unquestionable and when coupled with the tenacity of Josh O'Donovan in midfield, it saw Kilbrittain overturn and win a lot of ball around the halfback and midfield lines.

Éoin O'Neill reaches high to win possession of the ball. O'Donovan was on hand next to brilliantly drive forward and get the ball to Luke Griffin who effortlessly let fly through the uprights. AIB replied immediately down the other end but Griffin was unfazed and did well moments later to set Conor Ustianowski up for Kilbrittain's fourth point. While AIB retaliated with three points, including a free, Kilbrittain shwed some nice segments of hurling. Then, almost as if each player was paying it forward after being helped previously, after Aaron Holland drove the ball up from left wing back, Usti graciously brought the ball to Séamus O'Sullivan who opened up the shoulders, as he's well known for doing, and sent a soaring point over the bar for the black and amber.

Conor Ustianowski will not be contained by two AIB men. A period of good passing play saw Griffin, Crowley, Holland and O'Donovan break into the half forward line, but eventually dispossessed, the AIB side fired another point over the bar to make it 0-10 to 0-05. Aaron Holland was coming into the game more and was doing well to make space in the halfback line. He could've found himself on the scoreboard minutes later, just missing the mark after a well struck ball, offloaded to him from Sheehan. Another three points for AIB saw the the national side see out the first twenty minutes in good stead before Kilbrittain were back in the hot seat.

Eóghan Byrne races to beat hsi mark to the ball.

A well played ball from Eóghan Byrne, in the back line, found O'Donovan who just missed the uprights but he made certain moments later, after Griffin found him, pointing straight and true, over the bar. Cool under pressure, AIB regrouped and made for the Kilbrittain goal where they managed to make good on the next goal opportunity which presented itself. Barrelling an unstoppable shot into the net, they stretched their lead. As the minutes ticked down to the break, both sides found themselves on the wrong side of the law and gave away frees. AIB claiming theirs first before Crowley pointed over for Kilbrittain. At the whistle it was AIB 1-14 to Kilbrittain 0-07.

Ronan Crowley takes a free. HALFTIME: AIB 1-14 KILBRITTAIN 0-07

AIB struck first upon the resumption, pointing over before Griffin was fouled on a promising run and Crowley stood over the ball for his third free of the evening. Then in a copycat play from the first half, Griffin played smart and brought the ball to O'Donovan who had plenty space. Leaning back into it, he sent a classic O'Donovan belter soaring high over the bar. Two wides followed for AIB down the other end before, in another paying it forward moment, O'Donovan found himself in possession and offloaded to Crowley. It ended up, questionably wide. AIB drew another wide down the other end but their ship was about to come in and finding space through the backline, they rattled the net again making it AIB 2-15 to Kilbrittain 0-09. Kilbrittain were eager to give players an opportunity to test their metal and a series of changes were made bringing on some fresh legs.

Josh O'Donovan races away with the ball.

As Kilbrittain entered the fortieth minute, they also entered a purple patch. While the match was generally fair and clean, AIB were being caught too often for small fouls. When Cully was shouldered off the ball, Crowley stepped over the free and, then again moments later, to pop two points in quick succession on the board. Holland who was contesting ball well throughout the second half, making his presence felt. When he found himself gathering a loose ball in the backline he drove forward into space on the wing. Opening up the shoulders, he did what we've come to expect of the man with the yellow helmet, and blasted a long range ball through the uprights from 60 meters out.

Aaron Holland eyes the ball.

A wide for AIB followed before they gave away another free and Crowley duly took it. A Kilbrittain person could well have hoped that the good graces would continue, but when matched with a side which included a couple of intercounty players, they learned quickly that senior-style hurling means constant, unyielding attack. Cue a masterful period of play from the AIB contingent, which, while it included one wide, saw four others rifling through the uprights. Crowley managed to get his hands on the ball and narrowly missed the uprights down the other end. However, when tasked with another free moments later, his composure was sound and he struck over the bar again.

Ronan Crowley moves to strike the ball. AIB were relentless however and they drove forward again, marking another free on the board before adding a final rasper of a goal making it 3-20 to 0-14 with minutes to go. Ever ready Holland rallied the troops with two further points, but the well deserved victory was called minutes later for the men from Allied Irish Bank, 3-20 to 0-16 points. The challenge tournament came to an end with a group photo on the pitch before both teams headed for the pavilion, where Nemo Rangers had put on a full carvery dinner for the hurlers. Orla McTernan, chairperson of the AIB GAA club, detailed the origins of the tournament for Ger Hoey, "a stallworth of AIB GAA, representing the bank in national and international tournaments and who was a great colleague, motivator and leader." Ger passed away suddenly aged 41. He was a winner of an All Ireland Club Championship medal from 1999, he also won a Laois Senior Hurling Championship with Portlaoise in 1989 and collected three Clare Senior Hurling County Championships. He also served Doora-Barefield as treasurer and was referenced multiple times in Christy O'Connors hurling book called 'The Club'. Chairperson McTernan went on to detail Kilbrittain's rise to All Ireland glory and congratulated the players and all involved for all they have achieved, which "represents years of dedication, setbacks overcome and a group that trusted it's culture, it's management and each other" while noting the backdrop of "profound sadness when you lost much loved teammate Oisín and we remember Oisín this evening". "Those qualities of resiliance, humility, teamwork and quiet determination are exactly the values that we associate with Ger Hoey and thereby it is fitting that you are with us this evening as our Hoey Club guests." She continued by thanking Nemo Rangers for hosting the evening, in particular Ber Allen. She added thanks to the AIB GAA committee, management and team, many of whom had travelled large distances to be at the match that evening. Before finally wishing Kilbrittain all the best in the seasons to come. "The Hoey Cup is about more than a match. It's about remembrance, community and the values that Ger lived by and it's fitting that it's contested by champions who reflect the same values." The cup was presented to Joe Carroll, Captain of AIB before the man of the match award was presented to AIB's Jerry Kelly.

Luke Griffin brings the ball up the wing.

Scorers: R.Crowley (0-01)(0-6F), A.Holland (0-03), J.O'Donovan (0-02), C.Sheehan (0-01), L.Griffin (0-01), C.Usti (0-01), S. O'Sullivan (0-01) Team: Owen McCarthy, Charlie Kenny (Sub: Kevin O'Neill '46), Tomás Sheehan (Sub: John Ryan '56), Darragh Considine (Sub: CJ Bryan '57), Aaron Holland, Éoin O'Neill, Eóghan Byrne, Colm Sheehan, Séamus O'Sullivan (Sub: Gavin Kenny '38), Mark Hickey(Sub: Sam Dewey '24), Josh O'Donovan (Sub: Cillian Harrington '42), Ronan Crowley, Luke Griffin (Sub: Ciarán Byrne '54), Conor Ustianiwski, Keith Hunt (Sub: Aaron Fehilly '35).

Scorers: P.Crowley (0-03), D. O'Keefe (0-03), K. Murphy(0-02), C.O'Neill (0-03), A.McCarthy (0-05), D. Walsh (0-01), B.Cahill (0-01), J. O'Dwyer (0-01), Unassigned (3-01) AIB Team: Stephen O'Keefe (Ballygunnar, Co.Waterford), Tim Twohig (Bandon, Co.Cork), Ronan Sherlock (Silvermines, Co.Tipperary), Joe Kelly (Blacks and Whites, Co.Kilkenny), Joe Carroll (C)(Knock, Co. Tipperary), Brian Cahill (Kilmaley, Co.Clare) Aaron Kennedy (Murroe Boher. Co.Limerick), Joe O'Dwyer (Killenaule Co. Tipperary), Ciarán O'Neill (Ballinascarthy, Co.Cork) David O'Keefe (Inniscarra Co.Cork), Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona, Co. Clare), Paddy Crowley (Diarmuid O’Mathunas, Co. Cork), Daryl Walsh (Portlaw, Co. Waterford), Kieran Murphy (Erin’s Own, Co. Cork), Cormac Griffin (Dungourney, Co. Cork), Paul Dullaghan (Turloughmore, Co. Galway), Paddy O’Flynn (Bride Rovers, Co. Cork), Gerard Leamy (Silvermines, Co. Tipperary), Darragh White (St. Oliver Plunketts, Co. Westmeath), Seamus Reddan (Clonlara, Co. Clare), Conor Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels, Co. Kilkenny), Jerry Kelly (Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary), John English (Ballybacon Grange, Co. Tipperary) Management: Joe Deane (Killeagh, Co.Cork), Mark Hennessy (Naas, Co.Kildare), Damien Garrihy (Wolfe Tone, Co.Kildare), Ciarán McGann (Castlelyons, Co.Cork)