Month: August 2011

Scariff 2-12 – Tubber 2-11 at Gurteen

IT WAS drama all the way as a remarkable Scariff comeback blew the group wide open again on Sunday. Ten points down after only 20 minutes, Scariff it seemed required a mini miracle to get anything out of the game and ease their relegation concerns. However they made vital switches that actually turned the tables on previously unbeaten Tubber and opened the door for an upset in the group standings.

With the quarter-final line in sight, Tubber will be kicking themselves that they let this game slip from their grasp. Victory would have greatly aided their passage to the last eight but now, they will need a result in their winner-takes-all last round clash with Inagh/Kilnamona.

They were simply cruising early on after Eamon Taaffe and Darragh O’Connor’s goals pushed them 2-5 to 0-1 clear by the 21st minute. Scariff reshuffled the pack in the hope of sparking a revival and it had the desired effect as Alphie Rodgers and Ross Horan switched wings while the influence of Cathal Nash’s move to centre-back and his brother Diarmaid at midfield were also crucial.

Rodgers picked off two points, Cathal Nash also scored while Ross Horan converted a free to soften the blow by the break at 2-6 to 0-5. Now inspired and gaining momentum, Scariff continued their recovery after the break with Ross Horan bagging 2-3 by the turn of the final quarter to gain parity. Further points from Kenny McNamara and Barry Murphy put the east Clare side ahead for the first time only for Clive Earley and Shane O’Connor to peg them back once more. However, a brace of points from Ross Horan proved decisive and while Patrick O’Connor reduced the gap to the minimum in injury-time, Tubber failed to take their late opportunities as an overjoyed Scariff hung on for the points.

Scariff
Shane Mulvihill (7), Barry McNamara (7), Darragh Kelly (7), JimMinogue (7), Cathal Nash (8) (0-1),

Padraig Brody (7), Patrick Minogue (7), Matthew Horan (6), Diarmaid Nash (8), Ross Horan (9) (27 3f), Kenny McNamara (7) (0-1),Alphie Rodgers (7) (0-2), Mark Mulvihill (7), Michael Moroney (7), Barry Murphy (7) (0-1)

Subs
Shane Corry for M. Horan, Brian Corry for M. Mulvihill

Tubber
RonanTaaffe (7), Paul Fogarty (6), Justin McMahon (7), Eoin Ruane (8), Fergal O’Grady (7), Conor Earley (7), Patrick O’Connor (7) (0-2f), Clive Earley (8) (0-2), Mark Earley (7) (0-2 1f), David O’Donoghue (7), Shane O’Connor (7) (0-1), Gerard O’Connor (7) (0-1), Darragh O’Connor (7) (1-1), Barry O’Connor (7) (0-1), EamonTaaffe (7) (1-1)

Subs
Nigel O’Donoghue for D. O’Donoghue, Conor Clancy for Fogarty, Blaine Earley for B O’Connor

Man of the Match
Ross Horan (Scariff ) Referee Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’s Doora.Barefield)

Cratloe 0-8 – Inagh/Kilnamona 0-7 at Cusack Park, Ennis

THOSE who argue that hurleys should be for burning and not for playing ball with certainly had much ammunition for their argument at Clare headquarters on Sunday evening after this truly forgettable hour.

Not that Cratloe minded – they may have looked tired, very tired at times but they still had enough to stumble over the winning line thanks to Conor McGrath’s 62nd minute point, just over two minutes after he missed a 65.

Cometh the end of the hour he was in the right place at the right time and wasn’t found wanting when Sean Collins and Martin ‘Ogie’ Murphy created the opening for the matchwinning point from 25 yards.

It was probably the highlight of the hour as it inched Cratloe into the quarter-final for the third successive year, leaving Inagh/Kilnamona to shoot it out with Tubber in the last game to see who joins the 2009 champions at the business end of the championship.

This was the game that neither side seemed to want to win – first it was Cratloe who failed utterly to use the wind to their advantage in the first half, only to be thrown a lifeline in the second by an Iangh/Kilnamona side that was just as culpabale when it came to translating possession into scores.

It was pedestrian stuff from the off, with Cratloe’s profligacy being the main feature of the first half as they racked up eight wides while playing towards the scoreboard end.

They did lead by 0-5 to 0-4 thanks to Conor McGrath, who hit four points over the half hour, while his county senior colleage Sean Collins chipped in with the other as they eked out their advantage.

Inagh/Kilnamona had four wides of their own, but they were much more economical with the scoring chances, setting the tone early when Conor Tierney showed pace and accuracy to open the scoring inside two minutes.

In a half there was little between the sides, albeit that Cratloe’s dominance in the possession stakes seemed to give them the scope to kick clear by half-time and give them the cushion they looked like needing for the second half.

They did lead by 0-4 to 0-2 after 20 minutes, with McGrath accounting for all of their scores, while Inagh/ Kilnamona kept the scoreboard ticking – however slowly – thanks to Ger Arthur and Niall Arthur frees that brought them within a point by the 25th minute.

That’s how it stayed at the break as Sean Collins and Niall Arthur traded points in the final three minutes of the half as a very mediocre 30 minutes came to an end – a lead that scarcely seemed enough for a Cratloe side that failed to show the energy and application that marked their ascent in the senior ranks over the last couple of years.

What followed in the second half was equally as bad as the scoring rate deteriorated further with the statistic of six points over the half hour telling the story. Inagh/Kilnamona looked to have the force with them when a Niall Arthur 65 and a point from play by Conor Tierney that sandwiched a Conor McGrath free levelling matters by the 38th minute, but wides from Ger Arthur and Niall Arthur (2) cost them dear. Haulie Vaughan and Cathal Lafferty also hit wides, but the sides were still deadlocked at 0-7 apiece entering injury time after Niall Arthur and Conor McGrath had swapped points.

Enter McGrath once more with his sixth point, while Niall Arthur missed a 65-yard free to level matters in the third minute of injury time.

Broadford 1-14 – St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 0-9 at Cusack Park, Ennis

THE sun may been shining in Cusack Park for this winner-take-all tie, but to say it didn’t shine on the hurling is putting it mildly – very mildly at times, as this bore threatened to become a real snore until battling Broadford put a forgettable first half behind them to edge towards their first quarter-final appearance in two years.

For Broadford it was an amazing about turn, because in cruising home to a seven-point victory they blitzed a very poor Parish into embarrassing submission by outscoring them by 113 to 0-3 in the closing 40 minutes of the game.

It was a procession in the end as Broadford put the nightmare of nine first half wides firmly to one side as St Joseph’s folded in a game they seemed to have under control when they led by 0-6 to 0-1 after 20 minutes.

It wasn’t quite all St Joseph’s in that period of scoreboard dominance, it’s just that Broadford looked capable of firing the sliotar anywhere but over the bar as they surrendered the initiative to their more accurate opponents.

In this regard Ivor Whyte stood head and shoulders above everyone – his four first half points being the catalyst for St Joseph’s early hegemony. Emmet Whelan and Kevin Dilleen were on the mark inside the first seven minutes, with Padraig Taylor opening Broadford’s account, before Whyte grabbed a hold of proceedings with three-in-a-row as Joseph’s forged 0-6 to 0-1 clear.

The first came via a free, but the next three came from play and from distance as the county intermediate panellist announced his credentials ahead of next Saturday’s All-Ireland final.

By this stage, Broadford’s profligacy threatened to reach epidemic proportions, with wide after wide being compounded in the 27th minute when Padraig Hickey elected to go for goal from a 21-yard free rather than tapping over what would have been a much-needed point.

However, Broadford’s did gain a real foothold in the game before the breaks with inspirational scores from Aonghus O’Brien and Padraig Taylor – inspiration that stayed with them as they faced into tackling their 0-6 to 0-3 interval deficit.

They did that and more, outscoring Joseph’s by 0-5 to 0-1 inside the first nine minutes to edge 0-8 to 07 ahead. And each score was better than the next as Padraig Taylor, Mark Moloney, Padraig Hickey and James Gunning (2) turned this game on its head.

Ivor Whyte – who grabbed Josephs’ opening point of the half with a fourth minute free – did level matters with his fourth from play by the 40th minute, but it was injury time before they raised another flag as Broadford grew more confident with every passing minute when hitting 14 without reply.

Points from play by Padraig Taylor and Craig Chaplin moved them 010 to 0-8 clear by the three quarter stage. Given the deteriorating standard of St Josephs’ play, two Padraig Hickey frees by the 52nd minute almost put Broadford out of sight.

They were definitely that five minutes later when Hickey teed up Alan McMahon for a goal that had some of the Joseph’s faithful heading for the exit signs.

It was no wonder, because this was a meltdown from a once mighty hurling force that’s a decade from its last championship win, but light years away from it terms of quality and much more.

Their championship is over, provided Broadford can now go on and rack up two more championship points against Killanena in the final round.

St Joseph’s Doora- Barefield
Paul Madden (7), Cathal O’Sullivan (7), Marty O’Regan (6), Sean Flynn (6), Damian Kennedy (7), Ken Kennedy (7), Darragh O’Driscoll (7) Kevin Dilleen (7) (0-2), Mark Hallinan (6), Ivor Whyte (7) (0-6, 3f), Niall de Loughery (6),Alan O’Neill (7), Emmet Whelan (6) (0-1), Michael McNamara (6), Jarlath Colleran (6).

Subs
Noel Brodie (6) for de Loughery [HalfTime], Enda Lyons (6) for Hallinan [43 Mins], Shane O’Connor (6) for [43 Mins].

Broadford
Cian O’Brien (7), John Corcoran (7),Aidan O’Brien (7), Stephen Gunning (7), James Gunning (7) (0-2), Cathal Chaplin (7), Kieran O’Connell (7),Alan Kilcoyne (7), Craig Chaplin (8) (0-2), Mark Moloney (7) (0-1), PadraigTaylor (8) (0-4), DeclanTeefy (7),Aonghus O’Brien (7) (0-1), Niall Moloney (7) (0-1), Padraig Hickey (7) (0-3, 2f).

Subs
DonieWhelan (6) for Teefy [51 Mins],Alan McMahon (7) (1-0) for Kilcoyne.

Man of the Match
Padraig Taylor (Broadford) Referee Seanie McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus)

Clonlara 2-25 – Smith O’Brien’s 0-14 at Cusack Park, Ennis

TO say that this game was over inside ten seconds might seem harsh, but such was the case as the life literally drained away from this missmatch from the second that John Conlon rattled the net in the opening move of the game.

Smith O’Briens didn’t touch the ball until Jonathon Hayes retrieved it from the net – there were ten seconds gone, after he hit straight from the throw in, with Cormac O’Donovan picking out Cathal O’Connell to put Conlon in on goal.

He wasn’t going to miss from seven yards – he didn’t and with that what turned out to be an embarrassing rout unfolded as a Smith O’Briens side that now looks out of its depth at senior level bombed to a 17-point defeat.

This was like a cruise on the Shannon for Clonlara as they booked their place in the quarter-final for the fourth successive year in a 60 minutes that amounted to a less than rigorous training spin.

There was nearly more intensity in the warm up than the actual game, such was the chasm in class between the sides as Clonlara wreaked utter destruction on Smith O’Briens defence in the first half when building up a 1-17 to 0-7 lead.

Everyone of Clonlara’s forwards scored from play, with Conlon’s goal quickly followed by points from Colm Galvin (2) and Tomás O’Donovan as they raced into 1-3 to no score lead after eight minutes.

From there it wasn’t about winning for Smith O’Briens; it wasn’t even about being competitive; it was all about keeping the scoreline down. They got off the mark with a Mark O’Halloran point in the 12th minute and while Liam Walsh, Kevin Walsh and John Cusack (2) and Micheál Ryan to contribute to the scoreboard, but could do nothing to prevent Clonlara doing as they pleased.

They lead 1-9 to 0-3 after 20 minutes as they racked up scores through Nicky O’Connell (2), Donal Madden (2), Cathal O’Connell and Tomás O’Donovan. And when Tommy Lynch got on the board in the 25th minute, all six forwards had scored as they eased further and further ahead.

In the end their 13-point half-time lead was extended by only four in the second half, but this was more to do with Clonlara’s decision to go through the motions rather than go for the jugular than anything else.

Smith O’Briens did marginally improve and two early points from Micheál Ryan and others from John Cusack and Mark O’Halloran briefly raised some cheer as they reduced the gap to ten points after 38 minutes, but order was soon restored when points by John Conlon (2), Nicky O’Connell and a Tomás O’Donovan goal in the 45th minute left them 2-21 to 0-11 clear entering the last 15 minutes.

The sooner it ended the better from Smith O’Briens’ point of view, but at least they kept plugging away to the end with points from Liam Walsh, Seanie Conway and Mark McInerney.

That’s the only positive Smith O’Briens could take from this game as a now customary relegation battle looms on the horizon, while for a rejuvenated Clonlara its onwards and upwards to the last eight where they’ll fancy their chances against any opposition.

It’s the different worlds that Smith O’Briens and Clonlara inhabit – they have for a few years now.

Corofin 2-14 – Feakle 1-15 at Newmarket

COROFIN produced a strong second half comeback to edge past Feakle in this crucial group encounter in Newmarket.

Having led by a solitary point at half time, Feakle hit 1-1 after the break to power five points clear.

However Corofin doggedly stuck to their task, reeling in their opponents before seizing the lead going down the home straight.

The result means Corofin and Éire Óg will advance to the knockout stages while Feakle, having lost to the townies the last day out, exit the championship.

The east Clare side were buoyed by strong performance from Padraig Hogan and Henry Hayes while Gerard Hanrahan was among their key scoring contributors. However it wasn’t enough to deny Corofin who recorded their fourth win.

Feakle
Eibhear Quilligan, Peter Collins, Colm Naughton, Patrick Daly, Padraig Hogan, Sean O’Grady, Gerard Hanrahan,Alan Hogan, Raymond Bane, Kenneth Collins, Colin Nelson, Francis O’Grady, Gary Guilfoyle, Shane McGrath

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)

Éire Óg 0-21 – Ennistymon 1-15 at Corofin

ÉIRE ÓG maintained their perfect start to the championship and qualified for the semi-finals along the way but they certainly didn’t make it easy for themselves after a powerful late Ennistymon recovery almost stole the points. The Townies were cruising up until the final quarter, having led by 0-12 to 0-07 at the interval, with the freetakers on both sides (Danny Russell for Éire Óg and Cathal Malone for Ennistmon) punishing on almost every occasion.

However, when leading by 0-16 to 0-08 and with last year’s county minor Malone beginning to dominate, Éíre Óg pulled back an extra defender to curb his influence and it allowed Ennistymon’s defence, particularly Paudie Kelleher, more space to sup- ply their forward unit.

With that, the gap continued to decrease and the momentum was all Ennistymon’s as the Malone brothers combined for Tadhg to score an injury time goal and reduce the deficit to just two. And with Éire Óg on the ropes, Ennistymon might have even snatched a winner when Cathal Malone was pulled down as he beared down on goal but his result- ing 20 metre free was stopped by goalkeeper Kevin Brennan and Éire Óg breathed a huge sigh of relief to hear the eventual final whistle.

Éire Óg
Kevin Brennan, Cathal Whelan, Noel Whelan, Ciaran Hanna,Tadgh McNamara, Fergus Flynn, Kevin Moynihan, Mark Fitzerald, Marc O’Donnell,

Ronan Keane,AdrianWalsh, Danny Russell, David O’Halloran, Barry Nugent,Thomas Downes

Subs
Dean Ryan for Walsh

Ennistymon
Cathal McDonagh, Michael Anthony Devitt, Kevin Scales, Danny Harvey,Aidan Slattery, Paudie Kelleher, LiamO’Driscoll, Brian McDonagh, Sean O’Driscoll, Padraig Brennan, Cathal Malone, Caoimhin Fahy,Tommy Hogan,Tadhg Malone, Michael McDonagh

Referee
Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)

Ruan 0-16 – Clarecastle 0-13 at Gurteen

IT’S DIFFICULT to believe that these sides are heading in opposite directions after an inch tight battle in Gurteen on Sunday. A repeat of last year’s semi-final, it was just as nervy this time around as well as the sides were on level terms no fewer than nine times over the hour before Ruan just crept clear in the final minutes.

Ruan were already certain of their last four place for the second successive year following Parteen’s victory over Bodyke earlier in the day but still required a win to maintain their push for the top spot in the group. Meanwhile Clarecastle needed the points to avoid a relegation play-off which only added to the competitive nature of the game.

While evenly matched throughout, the game was also dominated by frees with Niall Dunne unerringly accurate for the Magpies while Jonathan Clohessy and John Punch took on similar roles for last year’s finalists. There were also several first half goal chances with Clarecastle goalkeeper Jamie Coughlan equal to efforts from John Punch and Aidan Lynch while at the other end, John Reidy was close on two occasions and Adam Healy also had a 20 metre free stopped as the Magpies held the minimum 0-8 to 0-7 interval lead.

The third quarter maintained the same blow for blow pattern, with the sides on par at 0-12 to 0-12 at the turn of the final quarter. However, John Punch’s frees edged the winners three points in front as late as the 61st minute and they clung on to victory as Clarecastle’s late siege on goal eventually proved fruitless.

Ruan
Patrick Roughan,Alan Bell, Niall O’Connor, Leon Quirke, Damien Brohan, Jonathan Clohessy (0-4 2f, 2’65), Dara Roughan,Tadgh Hanrahan, Eoin Hanrahan, Caimin Howard,Aidan Lynch (0-4), MikeyVaughan (0-1), Patrick Keegan, John Punch (0-7 5f), Brendan Lyons

Subs
Colin O’Donoghue for Keegan (38 mins), Gary Bell for Howard (58 mins)

Clarecastle
Jamie Coughlan, Eamon O’Connor, Cathal Lynch, BlaiseTalty, Paddy Donnellan,AndrewPage, Barry Lyons,AdamHealy (0-2), Garrett Barry, Niall Dunne (0-9f),Alan O’Loughlin, Jamie Fahy, Briain Lynch, Niall Quinn, John Reidy (0-2)

Sub
Mark Foley for Lyons (50 mins)

Man of the Match
Jonathan Clohessy (Ruan) Referee Ambrose Heagney (Corofin)

THE Intermediate Championship Final between Shannon Gaels and Clooney/Quin will be played on Saturday with the game provisionally fixed for Lissycasey at 2.15pm.

Shannon Gaels are the favourites to collect the silverware, but will enter this game with caution having lost the last three county finals.

They are managed by Brian Bermingham, Enda Coughlan and Marie Moloney and will be looking to key players such as Colette Corry, Sarah Bohannon, Eilish Moran, Michelle Madigan, Kate O’Brien, Imelda Kennedy, Helena Flanagan, Ger Corry, Serena Carmody, Mary Ruth and Susan Neylon as well as team captain Carmel Bohannon.

Coolmeen’s Grace Lynch could also make an apearance for her neighbouring club having been granted permission to assist as Coolmeen were forced to withdraw from the Senior championship after the opening round and she had not played in that game due to injury. Clooney/ Quin will be hoping for good performances from Deirdre Murphy, Aisling Corbett, Saidbhe Corbett, Aisling Hannon, Mary Clune, Jessica O’Neill and Kelly McClean. Clooney/Quin are managed by Peter Sheehy and Pat Gardiner.

When they met in Round 1 a few weeks ago, the Gaels were victorious but a full strength Clooney/Quin team on this ocassion will make the task more difficult for Shannon Gaels who should be strong enough to eventually claim the title. The winners will play Munster club on September 10. Senior B Sem i-Final NEWMARKET and Crusheen meet in the senior B championship on Saturday. This game is provisionally fixed for Clarecastle at 3pm. The winners will face Miltown in the final. Newmarket finished second in the group with Cusheen in third place and when the sides met earlier in the competiton the sides finished level. This should be a keenly contested game with little separating the sides at the final whistle.

CLARE County Chairman Michael O’Neill has given a guarded welcome to the new structures for the 2012 National Hurling League, following the move by the National Hurling Development Work Group decision to back proposals to change this year’s four divisions to five groups of six.

Clare will take part in Division 1B of the league, a revamp of the competition that will give them a much higher quality of games as they are grouped with Wexford, Limerick, Offaly, Antrim and Laois.

“We were advocating change and from that point of view we welcome it. I can understand how Wexford and Limerick would be frustrated and suddenly they find themselves back down again,” O’Neill told The Cla re People this week.

“We would have lukewarm welcome for it. As an executive we haven’t discussed it since Saturday, but I think quarter-finals would have been a better option, with the second and third teams in Division 1 played the first and second in Division 2. That would have been our preferred option and it was more or less the gist of option two,” he added.

Division 1A is made up of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford, while the top teams in each division will face each other in a final, while the bottom two would contest a relegation play-off.