This article is from page 69 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 69 JPG
Crusheen 1-13 – Kilmaley 1-13 at Cusack Park, Ennis
CRUSHEEN are out to become the first team since St Joseph’s DooraBarefield in 1998/99 to win back to back senior titles, but on the evidence of this there is much work to be done before they can entertain that possibility.
Still, they were happy at the end of this interesting affair played out on Saturday evening as a late 65-metre free from Clare captain Paddy Vaughan earned them a share of the spoils against an impressive Kilmaley side.
It was impressive from Kilmaley in the way they overturned a four-point deficit in the second half while playing against the wind. It was a storming display of hurling that brought them to the cusp of victory when Diarmuid McMahon’s 58th minute point put them ahead for the first time since their fast start with points from Daire Keane (2) and Colin Lynch helped them into a 0-3 to 0-2 lead after five minutes.
Crusheen were reeling in the face of this Kilmaley power-play that was sparked by a fast start to the second half with three points inside the first three minutes to reduce the margin back to a point and then Daire Keane’s 42nd minute goal that brought the sides level.
From there Crusheen were in a real battle – a total contrast to the first half when they quelled Kilmaley’s early enthusiasm to totally dominate the second quarter and move 0-9 to 0-5 clear at the interval.
The sides were locked at 0-5 apiece after 15 minutes – Fergus Kennedy opened Crusheen’s account in the second minute after two Daire Keane points for Kilmaley, while further points by Tony Meaney, David Forde, Conor O’Donnell and Joe Meaney in response to Colin Lynch (2) and John Cabey points for Kilmaley had the sides level.
However, four unanswered points from there until the break via two Paddy Vaughan frees, another from play from all of 80 yards and a Paddy Meaney effort seemed to have Crusheen on the high road to the two points.
And, despite a number of Kilmaley rallies in the second half – firstly when two Kenneth Kennedy frees and a Daire Keane point from play inside three minutes of the restart had it back to a point; secondly Kilmaley hit back from Fergus Kennedy’s 35th minute goal for Cusheen when Keane flashed a loose ball to net in the 42nd – it seemed as if the county champions would hold firm for the two points.
Their response to Keane’s goal was impressive, with points from Paddy Vaughan and Gearóid O’Donnell (2) moving them 1-12 to 1-9 clear by the 50th minute, only for a dogged Kimaley to come on strong in the last ten minutes.
Their latest comeback was sparked by the 51st minute point from Kenneth Kennedy. Five minutes later another Kennedy free that followed a Declan Clancy effort from play had the sides level, while Diarmuid McMahon’s first significant contribution of the hour was a telling one when he hit the lead point with two minutes remaining.
It looked like being the winner against a profligate Crusheen who hit nine second half wides until Gerry O’Grady made his first telling contibution when winning a free 65metres from goal two minutes into injury time allowing Paddy Vaughan fly to the rescue.
It was a warning to Crusheen, morale boosting for Kilmaley.