This article is from page 66 of the 2011-05-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 66 JPG
Inagh/Kilnamona 0-16 – Whitegate 0-9 at Cusack Park, Ennis
CHAMPIONSHIP dark horses Inagh/Kilnamona did what was expected of them in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon. It’s true that, at times, they struggled to shrug off Whitegate’s dogged persistence and never-say-die attitude, but did so in the end as they eased to a comfortable seven-point victory.
Ger Arthur’s final flurry of three pointed frees in the last three minutes may have given the scoreboard a distinctly lop-sided look to it that didn’t reflect well on Whitegate’s spirit of endeavour, but the truth is that Inagh/Kilnamona had that extra dimension in the forward division, that bit of class to show up the gulf between the sides.
Throughout the game they sniped good points from play – all six forwards got on the scoresheet, while midfielder Tomás Kelly and Eamon Glynn also thundered forward to find the range.
Whitegate just didn’t have these qualities and instead were dependent on Georgie Waterstone’s frees in the first half to keep them in touch, even though when playing with the breeze they should have been look- ing at opening up a scoring gap that they might have been able to defend on the turnover.
The sides were level on five occasions in the first half, before Inagh/ Kilnamona eventually made forged clear on the turnover when playing with the wind blowing into the scoreboard end at their backs.
Georgie Waterstone had opened Whitegate’s account from play in the second minute while four more points followed by the 25th minute as they edged 0-6 to 0-4 clear. Inagh/Kilnamona didn’t seem too perturbed, however, because any time they attacked scoring opportunities presented themselves.
They did hit six first half wides but still, good points from play by Ger Arthur, Damian Lafferty, Cathal Lafferty and Eoin Vaughan kept them ticking over before Conor Tierney finally roused himself with a couple of points before half-time to leave the side dead-locked at 0-6 apiece.
Early in the second half it was Niall Arthur’s turn to rouse himself, first by setting up Tomas Kelly for a point, then scoring himself, while another Tomás Kelly point by the 38th helped Inagh/Kilnamona forge 0-9 to 0-6 clear.
This early blast was the winning of the game really, even though Whitegate hit back with points via a Georgie Waterstone free and an effort from play by Shane O’Rourke by the 42nd minute.
It was the effort that went into getting those two points – against the wind they needed a goal, not points as Inagh/Kilnamona team playing well-within themselves had the facility to kick for home again when danger threatened.
Points by Conor Tierney and an 85yard pointed free from goalkeeper Patrick Kelly restored their threepoint advantage by the 50th minute, before Whitegate’s final fling came with a 52nd minute point from Tomás McNamara.
They were killed off by points from Damian Lafferty and man of the match Eamon Glynn before Ger Arthur frees stretched the back in the closing moments.