This article is from page 86 of the 2011-09-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 86 JPG
Sixmilebridge 0-17 – Inagh/Kilnamona 0-15 at Cusack Park, Ennis
THERE were some very ugly scenes with hurleys flying and men going to ground before and after the final whistle when Cathal Lafferty saw red for Inagh/Kilnamona, but clichéd as it may read, it wasn’t really that kind of game.
Yeah it was tough, edgy even as a pumped up Combo thundered into the ‘Bridge as if there were 15 Tony Carmodys in saffron and blue, but Christy Chaplin’s emerging side didn’t flinch, gave as good as they got and came out the other end of a pulsating encounter by two points to edge closer to a first county final appearance in nine years.
It’s too simplistic to say that it went the ‘Bridge’s way because of a missed Inagh/Kilnamona goal chance at a crucial stage – but certainly a goal could have made all the difference to the Combo in the second half in their valiant efforts to reel a ‘Bridge side that always kept their noses in front.
In a game of few goal chances, the one that presented itself to Conor Tierney in the 39th minute was a potential turning point. Inagh/Kilnamona were trailing by 0-12 to 0-10 at the time, but opportunity knocked when Cathal Lafferty put Tierney through, and with Derek Fahy advancing he snatched his shot into the side netting with a goal at his mercy.
There were still 20 minutes left, but a goal would have really thrown down the gauntlet to the ‘Bridge, but as it was Inagh/Kilnamona who were always chasing the game in the sec- ond half once points inside the first minute of the second half from Seadna Morey and Shane Golden fired the championship favourites into a 0-10 to 0-8 lead.
Inagh/Kilnamona had their chances in the first half too when playing with the breeze. An even opening saw the sides level on four occasions inside the first 15 minutes before points by Ger Arthur and Conor Tierney edged Inagh/Kilnamona 0-6 to 0-4 clear by the 18th minute.
By this stage Tony Carmody had been shunted from centre-forward to full-forward and back again, but each time he was met with fire as Inagh/ Kilnamona relished his presence on the field and were playing the better hurling as a result.
However, when failing to press home this advantage on the scoreboard the ‘Bridge played the masterstroke of substituting the injured Carmody in the 24th minute and for a few minutes, at least, the passion ebbed from Inagh/Kilnamona’s play and allowed the ‘Bridge pounce for three points.
Two came from the livewire Danny Morey who hit four points in the half and another via a Niall Gilligan free as the ‘Bridge moved 0-7 to 0-6 clear. Niall Arthur stopped the rot with a 65 before Seadna Morey and Cathal Lafferty swapped points in the final minute to leave matters delicately poised at 0-8 apiece at the break.
What followed was essentially a game of cat and mouse – the ‘Bridge buttressed themselves with those early points from Seadna Morey and Shane Golden; Inagh/Kilnamona plugged away thanks to Niall Arthur who hit four points in the first ten minutes of the half, but all the while it was just to keep in touch.
For each of Arthur’s strikes there was a ‘Bridge riposte with Caimin Morey, Niall Gilligan and Rory Shanahan on the mark as they maintained their two-point advantage with 20 minutes remaining.
A scoreline of 0-13 to 0-11 in the ‘Bridge’s favour became 0-15 to 013 after the Arthurs swapped points with John Fennessy and Jamie Shanahan by the 50th minute. A brilliant point by Fennessy in the 53rd minute looked to be decisive but back came Niall Arthur with two more by the 58th minute, while Ger Arthur missed a great chance to level matters in the 59th.
A let-off for the ‘Bridge, with their escape confirmed when Danny Morey hit his fifth from play in the 61st minute.
All that was left was the agro. And plenty of it, with county secretary Pat Fitzgerald and PRO Syl O’Connor intervening to try and broker peace between the warring factions on the field.
Sixmilebridge
Derek Fahy (6),Tadhg Keogh (7),Aidan Quilligan (7), Paul Fitzpatrick (7), Barry O’Connor (7), Padraig Fitzpatrick (7), Robert Conlon (7), Shane Golden (7) (0-1), John Fennessy (8) (0-2), Seadna Morey (7) (0-2),Tony Carmody (6), Caimin Morey (7) (0-1), Jamie Shanahan (7) (0-2), Niall Gilligan (7) (0-3f), Danny Morey (9) (0-5).
Subs
Rory Shanahan (7) (0-1) for Carmody [24 Mins], Stephen Fleming (7) for Fahy [43 Mins],Trevor Purcell (6) for Paul Fitzpatrick [50 Mins].