Éire Óg edge out Clooney/Quin in Group of Death

*Marco Cleary gets away from Evan Maxted. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

IN one of the tightest contests of the Clare SHC opening round, Éire Óg edged out Clooney/Quin for victory.

Éire Óg 1-20
Clooney Quin 3-13
Venue: Cusack Park

By Ross O’Donoghue

Clooney Quin held a lead in all four quarters of this enthralling tie. Eire Óg came back every time and Robert Loftus’ added time winner showed why Eire Óg’s composure gave them the edge at the final whistle.

Clooney-Quin had green flags on their mind throughout this game. Dylan Cunningham shot for goal when a point would have levelled it as the last action of the game. Peter Duggan had three attempts on goal from frees and nailed one of them to get the same return he’d have gotten from three tap-overs.

Éire Óg had a hurler-of-the-year elect on call up front in the guise of Shane O’Donnell from the scores they needed the most but bainisteoir Gerry O’Connor will be most pleased with how they worked their last score of the day.

O’Donnell is a key part of their game plan. They tried to hand-pass through the lines in the opening exchanges and Clooney Quin corner back Brian McInerney couldn’t resist thundering into the tackle. A yellow card duly followed.

The Townies were moving through the gears. The free count was going their way and Danny Russell pick off three placed-balls in the first half. David Reidy batted cleverly across goal on 13 minutes for a goal chance that Marco Cleary couldn’t convert.

Clooney/Quin were making more of the breaking ball in midfield and despite carrying a knock, the inventiveness and power of Peter Duggan was causing havoc. His one-handed lob was wide from an acute angle but that same creativity saw him dink one past Darragh Stack for a goal on 25 minutes. Dannan Fox pointed next before Duggan’s next had too much on it for Éire Óg’s men on the line.

Éire Óg went from being two points up to five points down in the space of three minutes. They needed a response before half time with the ball stuck in a ruck of players in Cillian Duggan’s goalmouth. Shane O’Donnell pulled the sliotar clear and flashed it into the net before anyone could react.

Darren O’Brien had the first point of the second half and his fourth of the day had was deflected over the bar to put Éire Óg ahead on 45 minutes. Danny Russell’s sideline cut over the bar was a moment of class.

For Clooney/Quin, Ryan Taylor was on the board but the lack of scoring opportunities in the third quarter had them in trouble and it took until 55 minutes for the momentum to swing back. Trevor Lee connected well for a point and Martin Duggan capitalised on a moment of confusion for his goal. Again, Clooney Quin had earned a green flag to put themselves back in front.

But it was their last score of the day. Shane O’Donnell and Danny Russell levelled it for Éire Óg. The composure to pass well and find Robert Loftus in space for the winner is what pleased coach Gerry O’Connor the most. Full-back Aaron Fitzgerald was still needed for a moment of sheer bravery to keep their noses in front.

That’s the thing about a Group of Death. Every game is lively. And Éire Óg’s two points in Group One feel like the most precious of the weekend.

Éire Óg Scorers: D Russell (0-06 4f 1sl), S O’Donnell (1-01), D O’Brien (0-04), D Reidy (0-03), O Cahill (0-2), M Cleary (0-02), J Collins (0-01), R Loftus (0-01)

Clooney Quin Scorers: P Duggan (2-5 4f), D Fox (0-03), C Hassett (0-1), S Scanlon (0-01), T Lee (0-01 1f), J O’Neill (0-01), R Taylor (0-01)

Éire Óg
1: Daragh Stack

2: Liam Corry
3: Aaron Fitzgerald
3: Niall McMahon

5: Robert Loftus
6: Ciarán Russell
7: Oran Cahill

8: Jarlath Collins
9: David McNamara

18: Conor Perrill
14: Shane O’Donnell
15: Marco Cleary

Subs:
19: Eoin O’Regan for D O’Brien (57)
20: James O’Dwyer for C Perrill (50)

Clooney/Quin:

1: Cillian Duggan

2: Brian McInerney
3: Evan Maxtead
4: Cillian O’Gara

5: Darragh Keogh
6: Conor Grogan
7: John Cahill

10: Jack O’Neill
11: Peter Duggan
12: Callum Hassett