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
Wolfe Tones 2-8 – Kilrush Shamrocks 0-9 at Lissycasey
‘CRISIS? What Crisis?’ It seems rumours of Wolfe Tones demise were all too premature as this dramatic yet spirited first round encounter proved on Saturday. Decimated by emigration, injuries and retirements including first team regulars such as Brian O’Connell, Johnny Bridges, Frank Lohan, Kevin Cahill, Stephen Monaghan, Jamie Roughan, David Reidy and Mickey O’Connell, Wolfe Tones were expected to roll over for Kilrush who appeared to be the ones most likely to challenge Kilmurry Ibrickane at the top of the group.
However, with the Shannon side primed for battle and determined to prevail, it was Kilrush who looked like the team who were crippled by those issues and despite having a host of goal chances that could have swung the game decisively, they never seemed to want it as much as Wolfe Tones.
Essentially, Kilrush looked like a side that just expected to turn and collect the points, a complacency fuelled by the continuous coverage of the Shannon club’s woes throughout the year so far. However, they hadn’t bargained for an inspired Wolfe tones side who packed up the defence, hit on the counter-attack and were timely aided by a Daniel Gallery goal in each half that boosted their self-belief.
At times, only full-forward Darren Ryan remained in Kilrush’s half as Wolfe Tones smothered the life out of their opponents and continually frustrated them. In saying that, the Shams did have four glorious goal opportunities and had they taken any, the game might have played out differently.
Ruaidhri O’Connor had a stinging effort excellently stopped by goalkeeper Jason Casey midway through the first half and only three minutes later full-back Sean Brennan was equally limber to keep out a Jim Young shot. While in the second period, the same pair were repelled by a miserly Shannon last line.
A more efficient Wolfe Tones mag- nified those misses however starting with a back-to-front move in the seventh minute that ended with the overlapping Daniel Gallery rattling the net to give his side a 1-1 to 0-2 lead.
That advantage became three when centre-back Brendan Hughes pointed only two minutes later and while a shellshocked Kilrush did finally settle, those two missed goal chances halted their progress somewhat, only cutting the deficit through points fro Stephen Sweeney and Jim Young by the 29th minute.
Wolfe Tones regained control before the break with the effective Gary Leahy and hardworking Chris Dunning both getting in on the scoring action on their way to a 1-4 to 0-5 lead. It didn’t get much better for Kilrush on the turnover despite having a larger chunk of possession. Three early wides and another blocked Young effort were only brightened by an O’Connor point to slash the deficit to the minimum.
Wolfe Tones soon cancelled it out however when Darren Ryan fisted over the bar in the 40th minute and with the game delicately balanced, the turning point came with the dismissal of Kilrush centre-back Niall Clancy in the 45th minute, followed almost immediately by Wolfe Tones second goal.
Clancy failed to heed a warning when he was fortunate to stay on the field in the 42nd minute after an off the ball altercation with Alan Hehir and by needlessly getting involved in a second incident three minutes later, he was duly sent off for a second yellow.
Wolfe Tones didn’t waste any time in hammering home their one man advantage when Gallery raced through and played a one-two with Alan Downes before finding the net and give his side a five point cushion. A Leahy free made it six soon afterwards while a luckless Kilrush saw a Ruaidhri O’Connor flick come back off the post, having beaten goalkeeper Casey.
Kilrush did rally with late points from Young (2) and substitute Eoin Tarrant but by then, the momentum had shifted firmly in Wolfe Tones direction and despite being reduced to 13 men with the late dismissals of Patsy Keyes and Gary Leahy, captain Hughes and man-of-the-match Gallery wrapped up the points with late strikes to complete the first surprise of the championship.