What a weekend of club action.
These are the weekends that define the GAA. Small parishes winning Championships, city sides extending their dominance.
Club GAA is the bedrock of everything the association stands for. It’s where it all starts and where it all ends for club players, and it’s no wonder why it’s so intensely competitive.
On Saturday we saw Multyfarnham, a small parish on the outskirts of Mullingar win a Leinster title. We saw Ballyragget and Glenealy advancing to a Leinster club final.
There were some thrilling encounters around the country https://t.co/ijMBXvsgkf
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 18, 2017
Sunday lived up to those lofty heights.
Ulster club SFC semi-final replay
Cavan Gaels (Cavan) 5-7 Derrygonnelly Harps (Fermanagh) 2-15.
When these sides met last week, they could only register 24 points between them in 80 minutes of football. It was ten points apiece after normal time with the conditions wreaking havoc. The final scoreline was 0-12 0-12 after extra-time.
Fast forward one week, and the scoreboard operators were a lot busier in the replay.
At half-time, Cavan Gaels were leading by 3-5 to 1-8. That’s 25 points between the sides, one more than they had managed in 80 minutes last week.
The high direct ball was reaping substantial reward for the Cavan men, with Paul O’Connor twice fisting to the net under its breaks. Seanie Johnston scored the other, before O’Connor completed his hat-trick.
The dogged Fermanagh men responded admirably to each goal they conceded, with captain Conall Jones playing a stormer.
It was a phenomenally exciting encounter. The sides tied with just two minutes left on the clock and extra-time looking a major possibility again.
To the Fermanagh men’s heartbreak, a late scrappy goal eventually defeated them.
They lost out by the bare minimum in a thriller.
5-7 to 2-15 was the final score.
The excitement was said to have been like nothing before.
Time up. Utterly heartbreaking we lose 5-7 to 2-15 it's cruel but by God did them boys die with their boots on. Massively proud of them.
— Derrygonnelly Harps (@DgonnellyHarps) November 19, 2017
Never have I witnessed a game like that before.
— Dessie McKenzie (@dessie_mckenzie) November 19, 2017
Fair play to all involved.
Munster club SHC final
Ballygunner (Waterford) 3-15 Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 2-10.
Na Piarsaigh maintained their remarkable record of having never been beaten in Munster.
They have now won it four times since 2011.
Adrian Breen and Kevin Downes were the difference between the sides.
What a team, what a club, what a bloody record! https://t.co/DEBvAJOhcd
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 19, 2017
Leinster club SHC semi-finals
Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 2-21 Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow) 0-10.
Cuala 3-17 v St Martin’s (Wexford) 0-14.
Cuala have made it to their fourth successive Leinster final. Con O’Callaghan was again unplayable.
They will now face Offaly Champions Kilcormac-Killoughey in the decider. They had no problems dispatching of Carlow’s Mount Leinster Rangers.
Connacht club IFC final
Michael Glavey’s (Roscommon) 3-14 Claregalway (Galway) 1-12.
The Connacht Intermediate Championship went to Roscommon, with Michael Glavey’s defeating Claregalway.
We have to make room in the trophy cabinet for this one 🏆 pic.twitter.com/b1PfslpOzx
— Michael Glaveys GAA (@glaveys) November 19, 2017
Connacht club JFC final
Lahardane (Mayo) 1-15 Ballymote (Sligo) 3-5.
The Mayo men won their first ever Connacht title.
⚫️💛+💪🏻=🏆 #thetoughest #blackandamber #connachtchampions @MayoGAA @ConnachtGAA @AIB_GAA pic.twitter.com/zbMxsmT5Lx
— LahardaneMacHalesGAA (@lahardanegaa) November 19, 2017
Munster club IHC final
Kanturk (Cork) 1-23 Kilmaley (Clare) 0-25.
This one went down to the wire at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick.
Cork midfielder, Lorcan Mcloughlin pulled up injured in the warm-up for Kanturk and didn’t take his place from the start. He was introduced to the action after just eight minutes, and his influence was the decisive factor in the game.
He scored four from play and showed no signs of the injury.
They were indebted to their corner back Paul Walsh, who marauded up field to snatch a last minute leveller to send the game to extra-time.
MUNSTER CHAMPIONS
— Kanturk GAA (@KanturkGAA) November 19, 2017
Liam O’Keeffe was also on form, scoring 1-7 for the Cork men, and they eventually won out after extra-time.
AIB Club Camogie Leinster Intermediate Final
Johnstownbridge (Kildare) 2-9 Myshall (Carlow) 1-8.
The Kildare women won out with four points to spare over Carlow’s finest.
Congratulations to Johnstownbridge Camogie Club winning today’s Intermediate Leinster Final JTB 2-9 v 1-8 Myshall
— Johnstownbridge GAA (@JTBGAA) November 19, 2017
AIB Club Camogie Leinster Senior Final
Thomastown (Kilkenny) 0-16 St Martin’s (Wexford) 3-6.
Thomastown made it back to back Leinster titles against a gallant St. Martin’s outfit.
