This article is from page 70 of the 2011-08-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 70 JPG
Sixmilebridge 1-14 – O’Callaghan’s Mills 0-08 at Cusack Park, Ennis
THE Bridge are building – bigtime, a fact of hurling life they hammered home once more after this local derby encounter with O’Callaghan’s Mills that opened Sunday afternoon’s fare at Clare GAA headquarters. What harm that it was their second championship match in five days – such an inconvenience proved no obstacle as they brushed aside the challenge of their near neighbours to make sure of their passage to the last eight. And, in the process it was their fourth win in a row, following on victories earlier in the campaign against Clarecastle, Wolfe Tones and Tulla. They secured the points here thanks to a sustained burst in the second half when within the space of eight minutes from the start of the final quarter they hit the Mills with 1-3 without reply to move 1-11 to 0-6 clear. It was winning of the game, with Tony Carmody’s brilliant 47th minute goal being the pivotal score as the ‘Bridge finally sprinted clear of a dogged Mills side that was left to rue their profligacy at the start of the second half when they hit four wides in succession when the sides were locked at 0-4 apiece. The first half was an even affair as the initiative ebbed both ways – firstly the ‘Bridge were on the front foot with points via a Niall Gilligan free and efforts from play by Tony Carmody and Danny Morey putting them 0-3 to no score ahead after eight minutes. However, thanks to Adrian Flaherty’s accuracy from placed balls when he landed frees in the 13th and 21st minutes the Mills played their way back into things, while James McMahon then levelled matters with their first from play in the 27th minute. Niall Gilligan and Alan Duggan then traded points before the break to leave matters delicately poised for the second half. Páidí Fitzpatrick put in an outstanding hour for the ‘Bridge in the first half, but on the turnover it was the Mills who looked the likelier side, only for those four wides in the first four minutes to haunt their progress. This was especially true when the ‘Bridge flexed their scoring muscles once more with three-in-a-row after Tony Carmody and Alan Duggan had swapped points by the 37th minute. An effort from play by Fennessy, followed by two Gilligan points had the ‘Bridge 0-8 to 0-5 clear before Adrian Flaherty pegged them back with another free in the 44th minutes. But, in the end it was as close as the Mills would get – they only managed two more points in the remaining 15 minutes thanks to a consolsation scores from Fergus Donovan and Gary Neville as they could lit- tle to do to stem the ‘Bridge tide that tacked on 1-6 in the same period. Jamie Shanahan’s first of the hour at the three-quarter stage put three between the sides, while Carmody’s goal was followed up by points from John Fennessy, and Seadna Morey by the 53rd minutes to leave the championship favourites 1-11 to 0-6 clear and coasting. And they had the final say too when points by Gilligan and Pa Sheehan left them nine clear and winners as they liked – yet again, with the scare they received on day one against Clarecastle now firmly behind them as they inch closer to a first county title in nine years. They’re the team to beat on the evidence of everything the group stages has thrown up thus far.
Sixmilebridge
Derek Fahy (7),Tadhg Keogh (7),Aidan Quilligan (8), Paul Fitzpatrick (7), Barry O’Connor (7), Paidí Fitzpatrick (8), Robert Conlon (6), Shane Golden (7), John Fennessy (7) (0-2), Seadna Morey (7) (0-1),Tony Carmody (8) (1-2), Declan Morey (6), Jamie Shanahan (7) (0-1), Niall Gilligan (8) Capt (0-5, 2f), Danny Morey (7) (0-1).
Subs
Pa Sheehan (7) (0-2) for Conlon, David O’Connor (6) for Declan Morey.
O’Callaghan’s Mills
John Cooney (7), Sean O’Gorman (7), Conor Cooney (8), Gerry Cooney (7), Ger Frost (7), Patrick Donnellan (8), Bryan Donnellan (7), Jonathon Lyons (7), James McMahon (7) (0-1), Gary Neville (7) (0-1f), Declan Donovan (6), Adrian Donovan (6),Adrian Flaherty (7) (0-3f), Niall Donovan (6),Alan Duggan (8) (0-2).
Subs
Fergus Donovan (7) for Declan Donovan, Eoghan Pewter (6) Niall Donovan, Kevin O’Callaghan (6) for Lyons
Man of the Match
Paidi Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge) Referee KevinWalsh (WolfeTones)