Oranmore/Maree front up in bruising semi-final struggle

Oranmore/Maree 1-13

St Gall’s 2-4

ONE thing is for sure; never get the dander up in an Oranmore/Maree hurler. Down to 14 men, and facing an opposition with a predilection for physicality, the Galway IHC champions had to show a great deal of resolve to come out the right side of this All-Ireland Intermediate club hurling semi-final.

To describe this niggly and abrasive contest against St. Gall’s of Antrim as unforgiving would not be an understatement. St. Gall’s came with Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ lodged firmly underneath their armpit and were determined to get in Oranmore/Maree’s faces from the start.

They brought the chaos and, from an early stage, a number of the Antrim players could be seen chawing at their Oranmore/Maree opponents and at the referee. They were ‘gobby’, getting involved, all with the aim of making this fixture a war of attrition.

It worked to some extent. On 21 minutes, Oranmore/Maree corner back Alan Bannon began tussling with a St. Gall’s player in a race for possession. They reached the sideline; the players went to ground; referee Patrick Murphy blew the whistle; and linesman Chris Mooney approached the referee.

A discussion took place and the referee ran into his umpires. The umpires seem to indicate they had seen nothing, so Murphy returned to his linesman to seek clarity once again. Bannon was called aside and, incredibly, a red card was brandished.

Not surprisingly, the Oranmore/Maree bench took exception, no more so than mentor John Burke who was then banished to the stands by referee Murphy. In truth, Burke and company could not be blamed for their reaction – exacerbated moments later when a heated ruck took place and a couple of St. Gall’s players escaped sanction for a wild pull and a frontal hit.

In all, though, St. Gall’s players received seven yellow cards, with the last one a second for midfielder Karl Stewart, leading to red and to his dismissal late on. Oranmore/Maree received one yellow and one red; yet, they were the ones who had to play 40 plus minutes a man down.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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