This article is from page 68 of the 2011-06-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 68 JPG
O’Curry’s 3-09 – Ballyvaughan 1-03 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay
A CLASH OF the last two relegated sides from senior level but it appears that O’Curry’s are in the best position to regain that status in the coming year after an impressive treble scores victory on Sunday. 2-6 to 0-1 ahead at the break and a whopping 16 points clear by the three quarter mark, the gap in quality at times appeared as contrasting as their northsouth divide on the county map and it meant that O’Curry’s could ease up to victory and empty the bench in the process.
From the line-ups alone, it was clear that Ballyvaughan came off worst in the emigration losses and so it proved as O’Curry’s kicked 2-4 without reply in the opening quarter, with Eoin Troy in particular revelling in his role at full-forward. Indeed, he was involved in all but one of those scores, scoring 1-1 himself while also crucially teeing up Damien Clohessy for the opening goal in the sixth minute.
O’Curry’s slicker passing was eyecatching, emitomised by Troy’s 13th minute goal that was moved through Sean Haugh, Ger Quinlan and Michael Carmody before ending up with Eoin Troy who roofed his effort from close range on their way to an eleven point interval lead.
Any hopes of a Ballyvaughan recovery were irrefutably put to bed as early as the third minute of the new half when Eoin Troy’s pinpoint pass over the top to Sean Haugh saw him hauled to the ground by Kieran Casey and Eoin Troy place the resultant penalty to the right corner of the net. Indeed, O’Curry’s should have raised a fourth green flag soon afterwards but Damien Clohessy somehow conspired to miss from point blank range.
That miss hardly registered in such a one-sided contest as Derek and Eoin Troy added to Ballyvaughan’s woes to open up a 16 point gap by the 42nd minute. As O’Curry’s emptied the bench though, Ballyvaughan availed of the opportunity to restore some pride with Jack Queally grabbing a goal in the 47th minute when suppied by the north Clare side’s best performer James Hynes inbetween points from John McCormack and Hynes. They could have cut the deficit further when Hynes and Queally again combined late on but goalkeeper PJ Greene was equal to the substitute’s efforts while a second yellow for Ray Casey rounded off a thoroughly forgettable afternoon for Ballyvaughan while possibly the start of a memorable one for O’Curry’s.
O’Curry’s
PJ Greene (7), Paul Roche (7), Michael O’Shea (8), Gearoid Lynch (7), BrianTroy (7) (0-1), Ollie Quinlan (7),TomDownes (8), DerekTroy (7) (0-1), Ger Quinlan (8), Damien Carmody (8) (0-2), Sean Haugh (8) (0-1), Michael Foran (7), Michael Carmody (7) (0-1), EoinTroy (9) (2-3 1-0 Pen), Damien Clohessy (7) (1-0)
Subs
DeclanWalsh (6) for Foran (38 mins, inj), Jack Scanlon (6) for M. Carmody (41 mins), Eoin Murray (6) for D. Clohessy (46 mins), Ryan McMahon (6) for Downes (49 mins), GeraldTroy for E.Troy (58 mins)
Ballyvaughan
Damien McNamara (6), Marc Walsh (7), Sean McNamara (5), Mark O’Loughlin (7), CianWalsh (6), Kieran Casey (6), John Linnane (6), Ray Casey (6), John McCormack (6) (0-1), PhelimCoyne (5), Kevin Carrucan (5), Cillian Mahon (6),Adrian Niland (7) (0-1f), Donnacha Mahon (6), James Hynes (7) (0-1)
Subs
Jack Queally (7) (1-0) for Coyne (HT), Paul Darcy (6) for Carrucan (HT),Thomas Francis (6) for D. Mahon (41 mins), John Mooney Hynes for C. Walsh (53 mins)
Man of the Match
Eoin Troy (O’Curry’s) Referee Barry Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)