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
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)