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Bernard Burke with Neil McManus. Gary Carr/INPHO

Corner-back pops up for late winner as St Thomas' squeeze past underdogs Cushendall

David Sherry landed the crucial score in the 65th minute.

St Thomas’ 0-18

Ruairi Og Cushendall 2-11

Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park

ST THOMAS’ NEEDED a stoppage-time winner from corner-back David Sherry to seal a place in their first All-Ireland club SHC final since 2013. 

It was a score reminiscent of Domhnall O’Donovan’s equaliser for Clare in drawn the All-Ireland hurling final the same year.

Sherry spent most of the afternoon in the full-back line before he was sent forward for the final few minutes by manager Kevin Lally. Extra-time was looming with the sides deadlocked when he landed the stunning score from the flank to hand a narrow victory to the Galway kingpins.

Cushendall had a late chance to level the game but Donal McNaughton opted to shoot for goal and his strike was cleared off the line by Cian Mahony. It was a heartbreaking defeat for the Antrim side after they overturned an eight-point deficit to pull level in the final ten minutes.

Cushendall were bidding for just their second win at this stage in ten attempts and they came mightly close to advancing to the decider.

The reward for St Thomas’ is a St Patrick’s Day meeting in Croke Park with the winners of today’s Ballygunner and Ballyhale clash.

There are seven survivors on their starting team from the side that lifted their maiden Tomy Murphy Cup five years ago.

They have former Limerick manager TJ Ryan as part of Lally’s backroom team since August and he helped steer the cub to their third Galway senior title in six seasons in November.

Cushendall set-up with seven defenders, withdrawing Alex Delargy into the sweeper role against a front breeze in the first period. That left St Thomas’ corner-back Sherry as the spare man in the full-back line at the far end. 

Cushendall had the post possibly start through McManus’s goaled penalty in the fourth minute. But he went on to miss three scoreable frees in a half where the Antrim champions didn’t trouble the scoreboard from play until the 25th minute. 

Darragh Burke celebrates scoring a point Darragh Burke celebrates scoring a point. Gary Carr / INPHO Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO

St Thomas’ slowly clicked through the gears. By the end of the first-half, their attack was motoring nicely. Bernard Burke clipped over a brace from play, in addition to four frees from Darragh Burke and one piece from each of their midfielders.

It left them 0-13 to 1-3 ahead at the interval and appearing as though they had one foot in the final. But Cushendall raised a gallop in the third quarter and posted 1-3 within 11 minutes of the restart. 

Their second goal arrived after a deft flick from half-time substitute Conor Carson into the run of Fergus McCambridge, who buried it past Gerald Murray.

Paddy McGill fired over two big scores either side of one from McCambridge to draw the Ulster side level with ten minutes left to play.

St Thomas’ moved two in front after efforts from Darragh Burke and James Regan, but McManus pulled his team back on level terms with a pair of placed balls. In a nervy finish, Sherry popped up with the winning score from the wing.

Scorers for St Thomas’: Darragh Burke 0-6 (0-4f), Eanna Burke 0-3, Bernard Burke and James Regan 0-2 each, Damien McGlynn, Conor Cooney, Shane Cooney (0-1f), David Burke, Kenneth Burke and David Sherry 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cushendall: Neil McManus 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-4f, 0-2 65), Fergus McCambridge 1-1, Paddy McGill 0-2, Eoghan Campbell and Sean McAfee 0-1 each.

St Thomas’

1. Gerald Murray

2. Cian Mahoney
3. Cathal Burke

4. David Sherry

5. Donal Cooney
6. Shane Cooney
7. Fintan Burke

9. David Burke
8. James Regan

14. Conor Cooney
10. Darragh Burke
12. Bernard Burke

11. Eanna Burke

13. Brendan Farrell
15. Kenneth Burke

Subs

17. Damien McGlynn for Kenneth Burke (37)
21. Sean Skehill for Farrell (58)

Cushendall

1. Eoin Gillan

4. Sean Delargy
3. Martin Burke
2. David Kearney

15. Alex Delargy

5. Eoghan Campbell
6. Aaron Graffin
7. Paddy Burke 

8. Fergus McCambridge 
9. Neil McManus

12. Ryan McCambridge 
11. Eunan McKillop
10. Donal McNaughton

13. Paddy McGill
14. Sean McAfee

Subs:

20. Conor Carson for Ryan McCambridge (ht) 
19. Stephen Walsh for Sean Delargy (54)

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow).

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Feb 18th 2018, 11:57 AM

    There was bound to be a blip or two somewhere in the season. Some of the players from yesterday need to have a good look at themselves. Not the end of the world though. We are still in a good place considering the mid season change of coach.

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    Mute Scott Crossfield
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    Feb 18th 2018, 7:37 PM

    @Jim Demps: 9 wins and 6 defeats isn’t exactly glittering form. Running into a pivotal part of the league with some tough fixtures coming, good thing is the results of other teams in pool A means even the worst implosion will still see Munster get a playoff birth. But which is better Edinburgh/Ulster at Home and Leinster/Scarlett’s away semi or finish 3rd get away to Leinster/Scarlett’s and away to Glasgow semi.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Feb 18th 2018, 8:24 PM

    @Scott Crossfield: not glittering but it’ll do. Doesn’t matter who we play in the knockouts, we are capable of beating all of them.

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    Mute Scott Crossfield
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    Feb 18th 2018, 9:25 PM

    @Jim Demps: when full sides in action Munster need second place as they will not beat Scarlets and possibly. It Leinster away yet alone away semi. But ah sure we can beat anyone aside the next few weeks will show where they’re at and ways needed

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    Gary
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    Mute Gary
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:24 PM

    The heading should be “best team in conference A”. They are top of conference A. Leinster are top of conference B and Llanelli are the reigning champions.

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:34 PM

    @Gary: it was Johann who said it not the author, take off your blue tinted glasses he’s not wrong..

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    Mute Conor Alexander Lynott
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:36 PM

    @Gary: Well considering that Glasgow have amassed more points than any otherPro14 team in either conference this season (65 points), having won 13 out of 15 games, they are statistically the best team of the Pro14 on form.

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    Gary
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    Mute Gary
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:44 PM

    @Hardly Normal: So saying Llanelli are reigning champions and saying Leinster are top of conference B means I’ve blue tinted glasses? OKayyyyy. So stating facts is wrong then. Hmm.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:45 PM

    @Gary: he’s not wrong. Glasgow have the most points out of both conferences.

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    Mute Marcodub
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:51 PM

    @Gary: spot on Gary

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Feb 18th 2018, 1:09 PM

    @Gary: Llanelli play in the Welsh Premiership and are not even the reigning champions, Merthyr RFC are. Think you mean the Scarlets?

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 18th 2018, 1:23 PM

    @Martin Quinn: Haha , I should change that , I’m in league country now, (new south wales). About the pools , I’d have thought they were fairly even to be honest, can’t see much between the two.

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    Mute Bob Joe
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    Feb 18th 2018, 1:44 PM

    @Conor Alexander Lynott: well seeing that Glasgow are out of Europe they are not the best team but they do have the most points

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    Mute Conor Alexander Lynott
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    Feb 18th 2018, 2:04 PM

    @Bob Joe: This article refers to the best team in the Pro14, not Europe. Europe and Pro14 are different worlds intensity-wise. Stay on topic, fella.

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    Mute Chris Tobin
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:44 PM

    Here we go again.” Keatley is useless” brigade are back. The same people who were praising him a few weeks ago. My oh my how fickle the keyboard warriors are

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    Mute Daniel Casey
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    Feb 18th 2018, 4:32 PM

    @Chris Tobin: I’ve been saying from the start of the season that he’s improved a lot but he still makes poor decisions in the opposition 22 and is good for an error or two in a game! Was terrible yesterday but in fairness going on form this season that’s out of the ordinary for him. Shouldn’t be in the 6 Nations squad. Byrne at Leinster offers more and Carbury could be a world beater if he was getting game time at 10!

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 19th 2018, 8:51 AM

    @Chris Tobin: There’s been so many seasons of it… in all that time nothing much has changed. He’s a great player on his day, in terms of winning the Pro 14, maybe, winning Europe, maybe not, (Munsters’ heart has always been firmly set on Europe). It’s a professional game and even when it wasn’t the pre-internet chatter has always been super critical, those who are involved know it. Add todays ‘chatroom factor’ and honestly it could be a whole lot worse.

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    Mute Peter Brophy
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:22 PM

    They all seemed asleep. I remember Rhys Marshall standing by a ruck with his hands on his hips when he should have been blocking and that was quickly followed by a try

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    Mute Marcodub
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:50 PM

    @Peter Brophy: should hammer Glasgow as most of their team in Scotland squad

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    Mute Tommy Greene
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    Feb 18th 2018, 1:13 PM

    Pretty basic errors by the coaching staff who allowed some underperforming players remain on the pitch for too long . Allied to An inability to change tactics contributed to a very poor night -

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    Mute Garrett Mccolgan
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    Feb 18th 2018, 2:24 PM

    Why are Munster turning their attention to Leinster when they are playing Glasgow next?

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    Mute Brian Valès
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    Feb 18th 2018, 3:56 PM

    Munster have no future with Keatley at 10. His performance in the first half was the worst I’ve seen at professional level in a very very long time. He simply killed the team.

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    Mute James Buckley
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    Feb 19th 2018, 11:14 PM

    @Brian Valès: Brian, I don’t where your loyalties lie but I doubt if you are a Munster supporter. Anyone watching Ian Keatley this season cannot but be impressed by how well he has played, but you know it only took one game for the knives to come out. I do not see anyone looking for Carbery’s head in the his 10 minute malfunction against Italy or the defence weaknesses by his colleagues. God help us against Wales if we have George North running against some our new apprentices.

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    Mute David OfBrien
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:29 PM

    Keatley and Williams were terrible yesterday. Some of keatleys kicks were absolute rubbish.

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    Mute Chris Tobin
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:41 PM

    @David OfBrien: in fairness the whole team were dire on the night

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    Mute Marcodub
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    Feb 18th 2018, 12:52 PM

    @David OfBrien: and yet some folk think Keats should be backup to Sexton

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    Mute Chris Tobin
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    Feb 18th 2018, 2:09 PM

    @Marcodub: #keatleyhaters

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    Mute Wedger
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    Feb 19th 2018, 10:31 AM

    Yet another example of Munster not showing up for the first half of a game. We done it several times already this season, most notably Home and Away to Leinster. Can see no excuse for not being mentally ready for a game of rugby and to me it usually happens when a certain 4/5 players are selected together. Johann has said it now at least 3 times that these performances are not acceptable but yet they continue to happen. How many times does Duncan Williams need to have a kick blocked before he or a coach address the issue???? He is not good enough to back up Murray, never will be, play Hart or give young Poland a real chance.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 19th 2018, 8:53 AM

    No leaders on the field, would have had Holland as captain.

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    Mute Padraic Courtney
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    Feb 19th 2018, 11:07 AM

    @thesaltyurchin: Holland needed a break, he’s played in almost every game in Europe and the Pro 14 so far this season.

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    Mute James Buckley
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    Feb 19th 2018, 10:58 PM

    The Cardiff Blues game was a total malfunction by the whole team on Saturday evening.
    Let no blame hang on any one individual, just suck it for what it was and get over it.If ever we needed a response , let us see it Friday night.

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Feb 18th 2018, 10:59 PM

    The whole team were off. Can’t blame a few players only. We’ve seen some great plays from Keatley and Williams this season. Williams needs more consistency but he also needs players ready to provide support and watching the game.

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