This article is from page 66 of the 2011-08-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 66 JPG
O’Callaghan’s Mills 3-14 – Wolfe Tones 0-15 at Cusack Park, Ennis
THESE are trying times for the hurlers of Wolfe Tones.
Going into this game they were without a win from ten senior games this year – it became 11 by the end of this 60 minutes play 9ed out before a very meagre attendance at headquarters on Tuesday night as O’Callaghan’s Mills cruised to victory and their first brace of points in this year’s championship campaign.
That it was so easy for the Mills didn’t seem probable at half-time, as the Tones had been more than competitive in that first 30 minutes. However, an inspired performance from Jonathon Lyons in the second half when he scored 1-4 was the catalyst for a Mills victory that has catapulted Peter Carmody’s charges back into contention in Group 3.
It was Lyons’ goal six minutes into the second half that had the Mills on their way – it came Niall Donovan was thwarted by a thundering shoulder from Patsy Keyes only for the ball to break to Lyons who slammed an unstoppable shot past Ronan Hehir in the Wolfe Tones goal.
The Tones did bounce back with points from Garret McPhillips and Aaron Cunningham to leave the sides level by 39th minute, but 30 seconds later their resolve was finally broken when Niall Donovan bagged the Mills’ third goal of the hour to put them 3-5 to 0-11 clear.
For the Tones it was too big a gap to bridge, even though they had shown admirable fighting qualities in the first half to stay in contention after Adrian Flaherty banged home the first goal of the contest after 18 minutes.
The sides were deadlocked at 0-4 apiece prior to the strike from the former Éire Óg man, with Flaherty (2), Adrian Donovan and Gary Neville on the mark for the Mills, while Garret McPhillips (2) and Declan O’Rourke (2) found the range for the Tones.
That goal looked to be a gamechanger, coming as it did after a slick move up the right flank before Flaherty found himself in space in on the 14-yard line and gave Ronan Hehir no chance with a high drive that cannoned back out the field off the back stanchion of the post.
When Gary Neville tacked on a free in the 20 minute the Mills were 1-5 to 0-4 clear, only to be reeled in by the break thanks to Tones points via a Garret McPhillips free and efforts from play by Dáithí O’Connell and Gary Leahy (2).
A Stephen McInerney point two minutes after the restart edged the Tones clear, but in the end it was the Mills ability to get goals that set them apart. After Niall Donovan’s put them three clear, Jonathon Lyons’ purple patch continued with two points by the 41st to put the Mills five clear.
The Tones did make it a three-point game by the three-quarter stage, but by the 50th minute the Mills had eased ahead again thanks to points from Lyons, Neville and Flaherty as the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion.
Mills can still see their way into a quarter-final; for the Tones it’s all about staying afloat at senior.
O’Callaghan’s Mills
John Cooney (7), Ger Frost (7), Conor Cooney (8), Jonathon Lyons (9) (1-4), Patrick Donnellan (7), Bryan Donnellan (7), Gary Neville (7) (0-3, 2f one 65), Sean O’Gorman (7),Adrian Donovan (7) (0-2), Declan Donovan (7), James McMahon (7), Eoin Pewter (7), Niall Donovan (7) (1-0),Adrian Flaherty (7) (1-4, 3f).
Subs
Alan Duggan (7) (0-1) for Pewter, Kevin O’Callaghan (7) for Neville
Wolfe Tones
Ronan Hehir (6), Joe McGauley (7), Patsy Keyes (8), Brendan Hughes (7), Barry Loughnane (7), Bobby McPhillips (7) (0-1, one 65), Stephen McInerney (7) (0-1), Kevin McCafferty (6), Dáithí O’Connell (7), Declan O’Rourke (7) (0-2), Gary Leahy (7) (0-3, 1f), John Guilfoyle (7),Aaron Cunningham(7) (0-2), Garret McPhillips (7) (0-5, 2f).
Subs
Richie Lillis (6) for McInerney.
Man of the Match
Jonathon Lyons (O’Callaghan’s Mills) Referee Ger Lyons (Ruan)