Cratloe too strong for Clarecastle

*Cratloe’s David Collins. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

An experienced Cratloe side proved too strong for Clarecastle in this senior hurling championship first round game at O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge this Saturday evening.

Cratloe 2-21
Clarecastle 0-15
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

Playing with the aid of the wind in the opening half, the winners built up a ten point lead and they struck the first blow in the second half when centre back Diarmuid Ryan found the net after a good move involving five players.

Clarecastle did show a good improvement after the break and while the closed the gap they could not get through for the goal the needed to make life difficult for their opponents.

Cratloe had much the better of the first half exchanges which helped them to a comfortable ten point advantage at the interval.

Podge Collins sparkled for the Cratloe men in the opening half during which he hit 0-4 from play to help his side to a 0-13 to 0-3 interval lead

Clarecastle were corded into a late change with the experienced Patrick Kelly, named at full forward, ruled out having picked up an injury in training in mid week.

Barry Morrissey came into the team at wing back and Colin Brigdale moved up to the forward line with team captain Bobby Duggan going to the full forward position.

Points were exchanged by the respective freetakers in the opening minutes before Cratloe took a grip on proceedings and shot eight unanswered points before the twentieth minute.

Rian Considine. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

The game was twenty minutes old when Killian McDermotst had Clarecastle’s second point but the winners responded with four in a row as they opened a ten point lead.

The Magpies were rocked in the opening moinute of the new half as Cratloe struck for the game’s first goal which came from Diarmuid Ryan.

The margin had only been reduced by one, from thirteen to twelve, by the three quarter mark. Four in a row followed from Clarecastle but Cratloe weren’t letting up and a Rian Considine goal after he had taken delivery from Podge Collins, killed off any slim hopes Clarecastle fans had of getting back into contention.

Scorers Cratloe: Rian Considine (1-05 3f 1’65), Podge Collins (0-05), Diarmuid Ryan (1-01), Cathal McInerney (0-03), Shane Neville (0-02), Conor McGrath (0-02), Shane Gleeson (0-02), Daithí Collins (0-01).

Scorers Clarecastle: Bobby Duggan (0-06 4f), James Doherty (0-03), Conor Halpin (0-02), Killian McDermott (0-02), Stephen O’Halloran (0-01), Rory O’Connell (0-01),

Cratloe:
1: Gearoid Ryan

2: David Collins
3: Liam Markham,
4: Damian Browne

5: Shane Neville
6: Diarmuid Ryan
7: Sean Collins

8: Daithi Collins
9: Enda Boyce;

10: Conor McGrath
11: Podge Collins
12: Cathal McInerney

13: Shane Gleeson
14: Michael Hawes,
15: Rian Considine

Subs
21: Jack Donnelly for Gleeson;
28: Luke Healy for Hawes

Clarecastle:
1: Cian Broderick;

2: Marc McAuliffe,
3: David Tuohy,
4: Gearoid Ryan;

5: Stephen O’Halloran
6: Darragh Healy,
17: Barry Morrissey

8: Killian McDermott
9: Eoghan Wallace

10: Jack Murphy,
12: Rory O’Connell
7: Colin Brigdale