This article is from page 69 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 69 JPG
Clondegad 1-13 – Corofin 0-07 at Cusack Park, Ennis
CLONDEGAD ran out comfortable winners over Corofin to get their championship campaign off to an ideal start in Cusack Park on Saturday.
The early stages indicated this was going to a tight contest but once Clondegad asserted control of midfield about midway through the first half there only ever looked one likely winner.
It might have been different had Michael Concannon’s penalty flown under instead of over the bar 30 seconds into the second half. By then Clondegad led by three points. A combination of Padraig McMahon’s accuracy, Gary and Shane Brennan’s energy and Kieran Browne’s smart distribution from centre back, ensured that lead had been extended to 10 points by the 46th minute.
Corofin were game and worked hard but the early promise of their performance in the first quarter was gradually and effectively snuffed out by their opponent’s greater overall quality.
The 2006 Munster intermediate finalists certainly had the bit between their teeth in the opening stages with John Keane’s monster free nudging them 0-2 0-1 ahead in the 9th minute.
Both sides were guilty of sloppy finishing and poor decision making in the final third before Gary Brennan stormed through to tie the game at 0-3 0-3.
This was the cue for Clondegad to stamp their authority on the match. McMahon, who had earlier seen a low drive skid across the face of goal, rounded off a well-worked point before Clondegad moved into a commanding lead.
Gary Brennan fed Patrick Coffey in acres of room at the heart of the Corofin defence. The corner forward took full advantage, roofing a shot to the net to put Clondegad 1-4 0-3 ahead in the 24th minute.
That’s how it remained until seconds after the restart when Corofin were handed a potential lifeline. Jason Tierney was hauled to the turf as he attempted to shoot just yards from the Clondegad goal. Up stepped Concannon but his penalty flew over the bar.
Having survived an early scare, Clondegad proceeded to stitch together some piercing attacking moves that typically involved wing forward Kenneth Kelly.
An unbroken 11-minute sequence of points from McMahon (2), James Murphy, Gary Brennan Eoghan Donnellan, Shane Brennan and Flan King put Clondegad 1-11 0-4 ahead by the 46th minute. Corofin grabbed late points from Darren Malone, Fergal Neylon and Diarmuid Daly but Clondegad were, by then, out of sight.
Clondegad
Declan O’Loughlin (7), Connor Gavin (7), Paddy O’Connell (7), Brian Murphy (7), James Murphy (7) (0-1), Kieran Browne (8), Francis Neylon (7), Gary Brennan (8) (0-2), Shane Brennan (8) (0-1), Kenneth Kelly (7), Padraig McMahon (8) (0-6)(1f)(45’), Kevin Donnelly, (7) Patrick Coffey (7) (1-0), Francis O’Reilly (7) (0-1), Eoghan Donnellan (7) (0-1)
Subs
Flan King (0-1) for Donnelly,
Corofin
Kieran Carkill (7), Stephen Quinn (6), Eamon Malone (6), Kieran O’Leary (6), Diarmuid Daly (6) (0-1), Brendan Keane (7), Daragh Shannon (6), Luke O’Loughlin (6), John Keane (7) (0-1)(1f), Michael Concannon (6) (0-2) (1f), Fergal Neylon (6) (0-1), Stephen Heagney (6), Jason Tierney (6), Damien Ryan (6), Darren Malone (6) (0-2)(1f)
Subs
MatthewShannon
Man of the Match
Shane Brennan (Clondegad) Referee Michael Rock (Ennistymon)