Railway Cup 2007

[ryaner35]

A cut- there is barely anything to cut from!!

[Rossfan]

The public have once again ignored this once prestigous competition.
It gives the answer to those who say scrap the Aussie link and stick to Railway Cup.
80,000 v 400  = no contest.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Would love to know if the 1's on the board last year going mad about the int rules being played and that the railway cup should get that slot in croke park actually go the games. 600 is a terrible attendance for games involving the very best players in the country. Hope to see a big crowd at the final, but it doesnt look likely. Ive been a bit disappointed about the promotion so far, the gaa arent doing enough to sell it.

[the Deel Rover]

You have hit the nail on the head Tyrone Dreamer its all about promotion all that we have seen is a few pictures in the paper with Martin Donnelly ( fair play to the man for sponsoring the event) and a few players. with the international rules its in the Newspapers , Tv constant promotion i suppose when you have the likes of coca cola sponsoring an event you can do that. 

[Maguire01]

Move the final away from Croke Park immediately! It would be a disaster. The GAA have spent absolutely nothing on promoting this. I'd bet that 90% of people on the street wouldn't even know the competition is taking place.
Also, it's hardly realistic to move from semi-finals in Fermoy and Ballybofey to Croke Park.

Add this to the fact that it's Leinster are now out of the football and you're looking at a very empty stadium!

[the Deel Rover]

Move the final away from Croke Park immediately! It would be a disaster. The GAA have spent absolutely nothing on promoting this. I'd bet that 90% of people on the street wouldn't even know the competition is taking place.
Also, it's hardly realistic to move from semi-finals in Fermoy and Ballybofey to Croke Park.

Add this to the fact that it's Leinster are now out of the football and you're looking at a very empty stadium!

maybe they want the series to fail after all a 3 week trip to oz every second year is a nice junket 

[GalwayBayBoy]

The public have once again ignored this once prestigous competition.

Does anyone really care about it anymore?

Can't say I have any interest in it whatsoever. Even some fanatical GAA fans I know have very little interest in it. I didn't even know it was on this weekend until yesterday.

[john mcgill]

The finals under floodlights should be interesting.  The GAA are going to have to give away a load of free tickets to schools to get any sort of crowd.

[Aghdavoyle]

I didn't even know it was on this weekend until yesterday.

because it isn't marketed at all

[GalwayBayBoy]

I didn't even know it was on this weekend until yesterday.

because it isn't marketed at all

True although even if they spent €50 million marketing it still wouldn't interest me.

[Farrandeelin]

I had planned to go to the finals, even if Connacht weren't in it. Just to go for the sake of football and hurling in October really. Instead, though I have a 21st party on that night. Oh well...

[Tankie]

that was a shocking attendance tonight from the real fans. were Celtic playing today or something???

[Croí na hÉireann]

I'd say people wanted to watch the Ireland match and/or the rugby on Sat. Was at the games in Parnell Park in the last few years and they were great entertainment. HQ have 2 weeks to market the game, I'd def be there if I was around that weekend, Leinster or no Leinster (how de fcuk did we lose the football anyway, anyone at it???).

[Tankie]

Typical GAA bullshite if you ask me, they think because they put a game in Croker people will just turn up. also just noticed that the final is on the bank holiday weekend, that may also have an effect on attendances as Leinster wont be playing alot of dubs will not be interested now and the country lads will probably head home!

[Kerry Mike]

Walsh the wizard in Munster cruise
15 October 2007

Munster 2-11 Leinster 0-12
KERRY teenage sensation Tommy Walsh was the name on everyone's lips following Munster's victory Leinster in a low-intensity M Donnelly Interprovincial Football semi-final at Fermoy on Saturday.
Walsh gave more than a glimpse of his prodigious talents. Stationed at full forward, the tall and physically powerful 19-year-old was a huge presence in the heart of the Munster attack and, while unlucky not to get on the score-sheet, the son of Kerry legend, Sean, provided the final, subtle passes for both of Munster's game-turning, second half goals.

It was also a memorable day for Cork's contingent, who provided all bar one point of Munster's total with Fintan Gould and Conor McCarthy landing a litany of splendid points and Pierce O'Neill and John Miskella scoring the goals.

The second half recovery was initiated by Graham Canty (moved from full back at the start of the second half) and Seamus Scanlon who began to get the better of Shane Ryan and Ronan Sweeney.

Two splendidly taken goals from Pierce O'Neill and John Miskella – with Walsh the instigator — helped turn the tide in Munster's favour and the Leinster challenge faded.

Munster manager Seán Geaney, was naturally delighted with the result that sees Munster through to an October 27 meeting with either Connacht or Leinster under lights at Croke Park and a tilt at bringing a first title to the province in eight years.

"For a team that came together on the day, they really played as a team," said Geaney. "They threw the ball around and they fought hard for each other and got their just rewards.

"They didn't pull away from us so we were always in with a shout. At one stage there was four points between us, but we pegged it back point by point and all of a sudden we were only a point down and the lads saw they had a chance here and in fairness finished very strongly."

Leinster manager Val Andrews had no complaints afterwards: "The game was being played at half pace by everybody. Munster took the two goals, two good chances and we had no answer. We had a poor performance, Munster came back and they did well and they won.

"I thought Munster were more clinical in front of the goal. We kicked five balls into the goalkeeper's hand in the first 15 minutes. Our finishing was poor, we weren't cohesive. Munster were better on the day and fair play to them."

Geaney was forced to field a side without Limerick's best players, who boycotted the Munster team because of the provincial council's decision to scrap the Open Draw system.

Still, the Kerry man is looking forward to the final. "I'd like to prepare properly for the final and hopefully we can get one or two sessions together. It's 1999 since Munster won it last and it was 1982 before that. That's crazy when you think of the number of All-Irelands that have come to Munster between Cork and Kerry. Hopefully we can put that right later in the month."

Leinster began impressively with Shane Ryan leading the charge from midfield, and the visitors stormed into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead inside 20 minutes with Dessie Dolan, Mark Carpenter and Paul Barden finding the range.

Alan Quirke did well to deny Barden a goal in the 24th minute while at the other end Paul Casey did brilliantly in protecting Damien Sheridan's net, after Liam O Lionáin lofted the ball over the Leinster goalkeeper.

Fintan Gould led Munster's temporary fight-back with two well-taken points but Leinster finished the half strongly with Niall McNamee and Dolan landing good scores to leave it stand 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.

Graham Geraghty landed the first of two Leinster points just after the interval but then the Meath man got sent off with Aidan O'Mahony after the pair got entangled in a minor punch-up near the side line in front of referee Gearóid O Conámha.

Gradually Munster clawed their back with four successive Conor McCarthy points to reduce to margin to the minimum.

There was a brief respite from Leinster before Walsh took a grip of proceedings, aiding Cork men O'Neill and Miskella to two well-executed goals in the 58th and 60th minutes respectively.

Leinster's challenge faded then and Munster grew in confidence with Ger Spillane and David Moran adding late points.

Scorers for Munster: C McCarthy 0-5 (0-3 frees); J Miskella 1-1; P O'Neill 1-0; F Gould 0-3 (0-1 '45'); G Spillane, D Moran 0-1 each.

Scorers for Leinster: D Dolan 0-5 (0-4 frees); P Barden and G Geraghty 0-2 each; M Carpenter, N McNamee and B Brogan 0-1 each.

MUNSTER: A Quirke (Cork); T O'Gorman (Waterford), G Canty (Cork), T O'Sullivan (Kerry); K O'Connor (Cork), G Spillane (Cork), A O'Mahony (Kerry); S Scanlon (Kerry), M Aherne (Waterford); F Gould (Cork), P O'Neill (Cork), J Miskella (Cork); L O Lionáin (Waterford), T Walsh (Kerry), C McCarthy (Cork).

Subs: C O'Neill (Cork) for Ó Lionáin (ht); D Moran (Kerry) for Aherne (57); E Sexton (Cork) for O'Neill (59).

LEINSTER: D Sheridan (Longford), D Henry (Dublin), C Evans (Offaly), D Reilly (Longford); P Casey (Dublin), C Moran (Dublin), C King (Meath); S Ryan (Dublin), R Sweeney (Kildare); M Carpenter (Carlow), P Barden (Longford), G Geraghty (Meath); B Kavanagh (Longford), D Dolan (Westmeath), J Doyle (Kildare).

Subs: N McNamee (Offaly) for Evans (inj 12); B Brogan (Dublin) for C Moran (blood 12-18); Brogan for B Kavanagh (blood 29-35); B Brogan for Sweeney (62) and G Dolan (Westmeath) for Barden (62).

Referee: G Ó Conámha (Galway)


Kelly lets his hurling do the talking
15 October 2007

Munster 1-21 Leinster 1-13
THE enduring importance of the M Donnelly inter-provincial series, was in evidence at Fermoy on Saturday when, in a superbly prepared venue, in front of an appreciative crowd of several hundred, a much stronger Munster hurling outfit eventually subdued a Leinster side shorn of several club-tied stars.
"The (club) quarter-finals are on in Dublin, eight clubs involved," explained Leinster manager John Conran. "The semi-finals are on in Kilkenny while the championships also reaching a climax in Offaly and Wexford, which meant a lot of players were out of the equation."

Munster are likewise affected with championships still ongoing in all counties bar Kerry, but the greater strength in depth in the southern province was evident in the 15 who took the field with All-star nominees in practically every position.

Ironically, the most eye-catching display of all came from one of those overlooked — Waterford's Eoin Kelly giving a man-of-the-match performance with 1-10.

Credit to Leinster, for most of the first-half they really put it up to the home side and led by a goal after 27 minutes, 1-7 to 0-7.

Richie Power, operating at full-forward in the absence of the injured Eddie Brennan, opened the scoring with a Leinster point, Barry Lambert contributed a brace as did centre-forward James Young while the goal was claimed by Rory McCarthy after a bit of messing in the Munster defence.

For Munster it was the sharp-shooting Kelly doing most of the scoring during that opening period.

In the final minutes of that half, however, Munster finally got their act together.

With the two Tipp men taking control up the middle, Declan Fanning at full-back, Conor O'Mahony at centre, the defence finally got on top while up front, Michael Fitzgerald, John Mullane, Seán O'Connor and Lar Corbett all got their names on the scoresheet with Timmy McCarthy doing a lot of good work at centre-forward. It meant that Munster led by three points at the break, 0-13 to 1-7.

On the resumption, Munster continued exactly where they had left off. With their defence now completely on top, Eoin Murphy and Gerry Quinn both impressing alongside Fanning, club and county team-mates John Gardiner and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín commanding the wings, Brian Murray in superb form between the posts, Leinster could find no way through, managed just two points in the first 20 minutes of the second half.

At the other end came a succession of points from a variety of sources, Kelly was still prominent, and when the Waterford star got on the end of a laser-accurate Gardiner long delivery to shoot past Leinster captain James McGarry (who had saved a well-struck Gardiner penalty in the first-half) from close range, it was all over, 1-18 to 1-9. with nine points between the teams there was no coming back for Leinster, who nevertheless kept battling to the end, midfielders Michael Rice and Derek Lyng to the fore, along with the superb Tommy Walsh who shifted up front for the final quarter to good effect.

"Satisfying," pronounced Munster manager Michael Ryan; "We didn't set the world on fire or anything but it's the first time this group of players have played together. At half-time I asked them for a big effort. We weren't happy with the first-half performance and we said a few things. Thankfully they responded and we ended up winning. It's a historic occasion now heading to Croke Park under lights for the final and we're delighted to be part of that."

"Enjoyable," said Limerick's Donal O'Grady. "It wasn't exactly the most intense game I ever played in but it's great to get a chance to play with all these guys. It is great to get to continue this tradition and follow the outstanding names who played there before."

Satisfying as it was for all the Munster players, however, entertaining as it was for a young and enthusiastic attendance, this was Kelly's day, an emphatic message sent to the All-Star selectors who omitted him even from the list of nominees.

"They pick it on what they see, maybe on what they don't see, but they have it done now and I'm not going to cry over spilt milk,'' Kelly reflected. ''An All-Ireland medal is what I want, but a Railway Cup medal is a great medal to have as well. Individual awards are grand but it's probably only yourself and your family who get enjoyment out of that whereas if you win a medal with your county, or with Munster, thousands get enjoyment out of it. I love playing for Munster and beating Leinster is special. It's going to be a historic event in two weeks, and I hope the crowds come out in support of us. There's a lot of work going into the promotion of the series, trying to save a brilliant competition; hopefully they can."

Scorers for Munster: E. Kelly 1-10 (0-6 frees); L. Corbett 0-3; J. Gardiner 0-2 (0-1 free, 0-1 65); M. Fitzgerald, J. Mullane, S. O'Connor, S. McGrath, J. Clancy, M. Walsh (free), 0-1 each.

Scorers for Leinster: J. Young 0-4 (0-3 frees); R. McCarthy 1-0; M. Rice 0-2; D. Lyng 0-2; B. Lambert 0-2; A. Fogarty, R. Power, K. Brady, 0-1 each.

MUNSTER: B. Murray (Limerick); E. Murphy (Waterford), D. Fanning (Tipperary), G. Quinn (Clare); J. Gardiner (Cork), C. O'Mahony (Tipperary), S. Óg Ó hAilpín (Tipperary); M. Walsh (capt. Waterford), D. O'Grady (Limerick); M. Fitzgerald (Limerick), T. McCarthy (Cork), E. Kelly (Waterford); J. Mullane (Waterford), S. O'Connor (Limerick), L. Corbett (Tipperary).

Subs: M. O'Brien (Limerick, Fitzgerald 40); D. Shanahan (Waterford, O'Connor 45); S. McGrath (Tipperary, McCarthy 45); J. Clancy (Clare, Kelly 55); B. O'Connell (Clare, O'Grady 67).

LEINSTER: J. McGarry (capt. Kilkenny); B. O'Leary (Wexford), B. Hogan (Kilkenny); R. Mullally (Kilkenny); T. Walsh (Kilkenny), K. Brady (Offaly), J. Ryall (Kilkenny); D. Lyng (Kilkenny), M. Rice (Kilkenny); R. McCarthy (Wexford), J. Young (Laois), W. O'Dwyer (Kilkenny); B. Lambert (Wexford), R. Power (Kilkenny), A. Fogarty (Kilkenny).

Subs: R. Keogh (Wexford, Mullally inj. 23); J. Dalton (Kilkenny, O'Leary 42); B. Carroll (Offaly, Power 43); D. McCormack (Westmeath, O'Dwyer 45).


A very nice Double for  2 understrength Munster teams, there won't be many Jackeens going to the finals now I suppose, it will take some marketing now by the GAA gurus to fill Croker under lights on October 27.