This article is from page 67 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 67 JPG
MEANINGLESS in terms of the race for advancement but with relegation looming over both sides, it was still important for both to claim the points. In the end, it was Sixmilebridge who continued their recent good form to see off the Junior A champions.
What the nine point margin doesn’t reflect however is that Crusheen had 14 wides over the hour while Sixmilebridge goalkeeper Sean Chaplin made a number of saves towards the death to keep his side above water.
Crusheen were particularly wasteful in the opening quarter of the game and therefore could only watch as the ‘Bridge built up a 1-6 to 0-3 half-time advantage courtesy of a Mark Culbert goal.
Crusheen levelled the goal count in the second half through Gearoid O’Doherty but with Sixmilebridge’s half-forward line of Stiofan Fitzpatrick, Ronan Hayes and Sean Stack dominating in the air, the Bridge saw out the victory with points from Fitzpatrick, Tommy Liddy, Paul Corbett and Alan Mulready.
As it turned out, with Ruan beating Clarecastle the folllowing evening, both Sixmilebridge and Crusheen consolidate their intermediate status for 2012 but they weren’t to know that at the time.
Sixmilebridge
Sean Chaplin, David O’Meara, Kevin Lynch, Eoin Quinn, Jonathan Downes, Sam O’Sullivan, Cathal Walsh, Christy Griffin,Alan Mulready, Stiofán Fitzpatrick, Ronan Hayes, Sean Stack,Thomas Liddy, Mark Culbert, Paul Corbett.
Sub
Errol Tuohy for Griffin
Crusheen
David McMahon, Donal Dillon, Conor O’Loughlin,Tony McMahon, Jason Greene (0-1), Conor Hayes, Briain Dillon,ThomasVaughan, Darragh O’Doherty, Gearoid O’Doherty (1-2), Patrick O’Grady, Niall Fitzgibbon (0-1),AlanTouhy (0-3), Diarmuid O’Doherty, Rory Halpin
Referee
AndrewMonahan (Tubber)