This article is from page 70 of the 2011-05-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 70 JPG
Sixmilebridge 3-16 – Wolfe Tones 0-10 at Cusack Park, Ennis
WORD had it down in the Goalpost bar in Shannon that Patsy Keyes was Libya bound for work before its people decided to rise up against Colonel Gadaffi – if he’d gone he would have had an easier time manning troops on the ground than he had managing Wolfe Tones from the field of play as they took their bow in the 2011 senior championship on Friday evening.
All because, so depleted are the Tones resources this year that this was like going into battle with water pistols against anti-aircraft tanks. The difference between the sides was that stark as the ‘Bridge, no doubt on their guard because of the scare they got against Clarecastle in the first round, strolled to a 15-points success.
It was every bit as easy as the scoreline suggests with Jamie Shanahan’s brilliant 24th minute goal breaking the Tones’ resistance. The underdogs were competitive until then as points from Bobby and Garret McPhillips (2) in reply to ‘Bridge points from Shanahan (2), Niall Gilligan (2) and Caimin Morey had them only 0-5 to 0-3 in arrears.
The goal changed everything as Shanahan showed great pace when gathering in the right corner, turning and flashing a great sot to the net from 15 yards. From there the ‘Bridge turned the screw before half-time with a further five points to move 1-10 to 0-3 clear. Gilligan helped himself to two from play and a free, while Pa Sheehan and Caimin Morey were also on the mark.
With the wind to come in the second half, all the Tones could do was be like Colonel Gadaffi himself – refuse to surrender. That they did, with Colonel Keyes doing his best from full-back, while up front the two-time senior champions save some face when adding to their tally by seven points. Three points in row from the 37