This article is from page 68 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 68 JPG
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.