This article is from page 87 of the 2009-08-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 87 JPG
As darkness descended on Cusack Park on Friday evening, it welcomely hastened the completion of this life- less struggle of an encounter. For what had preceded it was a substand- ard slog that failed to inspire any claims that either side could realis- tically be contenders for the Canon Hamilton.
Indeed, there was more murmuring of Davy Fitzgerald’s latest coaching role for the Combo and possibly even a Sven Goran Eriksson like director of hurling position than any of the quality on show here. The overall significance of this result however is that Inagh/Kilnamona are finally off the mark and with the Mills’ inspir- ing win over Clonlara succeeding it the following day, the group is now wide open for any of the five sides to claim the two quarter-final spots. Realistically this game could have gone either way and for the majority, it seemed that both sides were des- tined to share the spoils as the match was on level terms no fewer than eight times before Inagh/Kilnamona finally upped the ante with a three point burst in the final quarter.
In the end, the Combo just had more options up front with Ger Arthur, Niall Arthur, Tony Carmody, Tomas Kelly, Cathal Lafferty and Conor Tierney all contributing in patches
whereas Scariff largely relied on Conor McNamara at centre-back, and Ross Horan for inspiration and OK
Ger Arthur was impressive in his new role at midfield; Tony Carmody inspired with four points as well as aiding the defence late on; Kelly was the workhorse; Lafferty was the ball- winner and Niall Arthur was the fin- isher while county Under 21 player Tierney came alive with two of that
three point decisive scoring burst ap- proaching the finish.
The sides went blow for blow in the opening quarter at 0-4 to 0-4 before Scariff got a significant boost with a Diarmuid Nash goal in the 20th minute, finishing off a move that involved Jim Minogue and Kenny McNamara. They didn’t build on it though and by half-time, Carmody and Niall Arthur had grabbed a brace of point each to go in on level terms
at 1-6 to 0-9.
The punch-counterpunch format continued after the break with Ho- ran’s frees cancelling out anything Inagh/Kilnamona could throw at them. Then in a rapid flourish Conor Tierney grabbed two points in a minute and when Niall Arthur con- verted a superb lineball from the “45, the Combo looked to have done enough. Scariff, changed things around pulling out Kenny McNa-
mara to midfield and it was he who grabbed a point along with another from Horan to cut the deficit to the minimum once more.
Tony Carmody had a pull saved by Brendan McNamara but the insur- ance score did finally come through a Niall Arthur free and with daylight finally giving way, with it went Scar- iff’s brave challenge.