Mark Rodgers takes on Evan Maxted. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
MARK RODGERS led the way for Scariff to send the East Clare club through to the semi-finals of the Clare SHC.
Scariff 3-19
Clooney/Quin 1-22
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
(after extra time)
Extra time was required to decide a winner with a hat-trick from Rodgers pivotal to Scariff advancing to the last four.
Although they dominated the opening half, Scariff found themselves outfought and outworked in the second half which resulted in the contest heading to extra time. Peter Duggan from a free and a Darragh Keogh 65 saw Clooney/Quin force extra time, an outcome that they deserved after coming back from a five point deficit.
An electric start to extra time in which Scariff had three points within the first fifty seconds was a clear marker that Mark McKenna’s side were determined to not let the game slip away from them for a second time.
When Mark Rodgers raided for his third goal on sixty two minutes it had them on their way to the semi-finals and they kept things tight in defence to ensure Clooney/Quin would not lessen the gap.
This superb start to the extra time which yielded 1-3 in just a minute and a half send Scariff on their way to this victory. The class of Rodgers was very much in evidence throughout.
He caused huge problems for the Clooney-Quin defence from the start and he scored all but three points of his team’s first half total of 2-8.
The early exchanges were even and the sides exchanged points three times in the opening eight minutes before a brace from Rodgers edged his side into a lead they held for the remainder of half.
The game had just moved into the first minute of the second quarter when the Scariff captain struck for his side’s opening goal.
Clooney/Quin’s response to this score was impressive as they landed three unanswered points but five minutes from half time Rodgers struck again, winning possession despite the presence of a number of Clooney/Quin defenders before he basted to the net.
The game had just entered one minute of additional time when Clooney/Quin were awarded a 20m free but as Peter Duggan prepared to take the free he clashed with Scariff defender Scott Cairns. Referee Jim Hickey booked Duggan and awarded a throw in as a result.
Scariff scored the opening two points of the second half to go seven clear but they wouldn’t score again for seventeen minutes during which time Clooney/Quin landed four points to close the gap to one score (2-10 to 0-13).
Michael Barrett had a point for Scariff but three in a row for Clooney/Quin left the minimum between the sides with five minutes of normal time remaining. Rodgers stretched their lead to two but momentum was with Clooney/Quin and a Peter Duggan pointed free was followed by a converted ‘65 from Darragh Keogh in the fifth minute of added time.
Scariff finished the tie with fourteen men after Daniel Treacy picked up a second yellow card in the final minute of normal time.
They were back to the full complement of fifteen for extra time with Sean Collins introduced to replace Treacy.
Two points from Patrick Crotty in the opening thirty seconds were followed by one from play from Rodgers who then struck for his third goal and the writing was on the wall for Clooney/Quin.
They were five adrift at the interval in extra time when the score was 3-17 to 0-21. Two pointed frees from Rodgers stretched the winners’ lead to seven midway through the second period. Clooney/Quin battled to the end and Darragh Keogh converted another ‘65 before Peter Duggan drilled a 20m free to the net in the final play of the game.
Diarmaid Nash, Shane Kavanagh, Patrick Crotty and Patrick Ryan did well for the winners for whom Rodgers was outstanding.
Shane McNamara, John Conneally, John Cahill, Jimmy Corry and Mike McNamara got through a lot of good work for Clooney/Quin.
Scorers Scariff: M Rodgers (3-12 6f), P Crotty (0-3), P Ryan (0-1), L Crotty (0-1), M Barrett (0-1), E O’Brien (0-1).
Scorers Clooney/Quin: P Duggan (1-8 8f), D Keogh (0-4 3f 1’65), M McNamara (0-3), T Lee (0-3), D Fox (0-2), S Harrison (0-1), J Corry (0-1), J Cahill (0-1)
Scariff:
1: William Kavanagh
3: Michael Scanlan
4: Daniel Treacy
2: Seamus McCaul
7: Shane Kavanagh
6: Diarmaid Nash
5: Scott Cairns
8: Conor Downes
9: Keelan Hartigan
12: Liam Crotty
11: Patrick Crotty
10: Michael Barrett
15: Fergus Madden
14: Mark Rodgers
13: Patrick Ryan
Subs:
17: Sean Minogue for Madden (45)
20: Éanna O’Brien for L Crotty (55)
19: Jack Ryan for Downes (56)
21: Sean Collins on when Scariff back to 15 men (FT)
18: Eoghan Keehan for Cairns (64)
Liam Crotty for Barrett (70)
Conor Downes for S Kavanagh (75).
Clooney/Quin:
1: Cathal Hannon
3: Shane McNamara
6: John Conneally
4: Evan Maxted
5: Darragh Keogh
7: Conor Grogan
2: John Cahill
8: Jimmy Corry
25: Mike McNamara
10: Trevor Lee
12: Jack O’Neill
26: Ulick O’Sullivan
13: Dannan Fox
11: Peter Duggan
15: Shane Harrison
Subs:
23: Eoghan O’Brien for Harrison (35)
14: Sam Scanlon for Fox (40)
20: Mike Corry for O’Sullivan (48)
18: Cillian Duggan for O’Brien (70)
22: Ronan O’Donnell for Lee (75)
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
