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
Broadford 1-14 – St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 0-9 at Cusack Park, Ennis
THE sun may been shining in Cusack Park for this winner-take-all tie, but to say it didn’t shine on the hurling is putting it mildly – very mildly at times, as this bore threatened to become a real snore until battling Broadford put a forgettable first half behind them to edge towards their first quarter-final appearance in two years.
For Broadford it was an amazing about turn, because in cruising home to a seven-point victory they blitzed a very poor Parish into embarrassing submission by outscoring them by 113 to 0-3 in the closing 40 minutes of the game.
It was a procession in the end as Broadford put the nightmare of nine first half wides firmly to one side as St Joseph’s folded in a game they seemed to have under control when they led by 0-6 to 0-1 after 20 minutes.
It wasn’t quite all St Joseph’s in that period of scoreboard dominance, it’s just that Broadford looked capable of firing the sliotar anywhere but over the bar as they surrendered the initiative to their more accurate opponents.
In this regard Ivor Whyte stood head and shoulders above everyone – his four first half points being the catalyst for St Joseph’s early hegemony. Emmet Whelan and Kevin Dilleen were on the mark inside the first seven minutes, with Padraig Taylor opening Broadford’s account, before Whyte grabbed a hold of proceedings with three-in-a-row as Joseph’s forged 0-6 to 0-1 clear.
The first came via a free, but the next three came from play and from distance as the county intermediate panellist announced his credentials ahead of next Saturday’s All-Ireland final.
By this stage, Broadford’s profligacy threatened to reach epidemic proportions, with wide after wide being compounded in the 27th minute when Padraig Hickey elected to go for goal from a 21-yard free rather than tapping over what would have been a much-needed point.
However, Broadford’s did gain a real foothold in the game before the breaks with inspirational scores from Aonghus O’Brien and Padraig Taylor – inspiration that stayed with them as they faced into tackling their 0-6 to 0-3 interval deficit.
They did that and more, outscoring Joseph’s by 0-5 to 0-1 inside the first nine minutes to edge 0-8 to 07 ahead. And each score was better than the next as Padraig Taylor, Mark Moloney, Padraig Hickey and James Gunning (2) turned this game on its head.
Ivor Whyte – who grabbed Josephs’ opening point of the half with a fourth minute free – did level matters with his fourth from play by the 40th minute, but it was injury time before they raised another flag as Broadford grew more confident with every passing minute when hitting 14 without reply.
Points from play by Padraig Taylor and Craig Chaplin moved them 010 to 0-8 clear by the three quarter stage. Given the deteriorating standard of St Josephs’ play, two Padraig Hickey frees by the 52nd minute almost put Broadford out of sight.
They were definitely that five minutes later when Hickey teed up Alan McMahon for a goal that had some of the Joseph’s faithful heading for the exit signs.
It was no wonder, because this was a meltdown from a once mighty hurling force that’s a decade from its last championship win, but light years away from it terms of quality and much more.
Their championship is over, provided Broadford can now go on and rack up two more championship points against Killanena in the final round.
St Joseph’s Doora- Barefield
Paul Madden (7), Cathal O’Sullivan (7), Marty O’Regan (6), Sean Flynn (6), Damian Kennedy (7), Ken Kennedy (7), Darragh O’Driscoll (7) Kevin Dilleen (7) (0-2), Mark Hallinan (6), Ivor Whyte (7) (0-6, 3f), Niall de Loughery (6),Alan O’Neill (7), Emmet Whelan (6) (0-1), Michael McNamara (6), Jarlath Colleran (6).
Subs
Noel Brodie (6) for de Loughery [HalfTime], Enda Lyons (6) for Hallinan [43 Mins], Shane O’Connor (6) for [43 Mins].
Broadford
Cian O’Brien (7), John Corcoran (7),Aidan O’Brien (7), Stephen Gunning (7), James Gunning (7) (0-2), Cathal Chaplin (7), Kieran O’Connell (7),Alan Kilcoyne (7), Craig Chaplin (8) (0-2), Mark Moloney (7) (0-1), PadraigTaylor (8) (0-4), DeclanTeefy (7),Aonghus O’Brien (7) (0-1), Niall Moloney (7) (0-1), Padraig Hickey (7) (0-3, 2f).
Subs
DonieWhelan (6) for Teefy [51 Mins],Alan McMahon (7) (1-0) for Kilcoyne.
Man of the Match
Padraig Taylor (Broadford) Referee Seanie McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus)