*Caimin Morey of Sixmilebridge dispossesses Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Shane Lynch. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
SIXMILEBRIDGE ended Newmarket-on-Fergus’ reign as Clare Cup champions with The Bridge advancing to the semi-finals of the competition alongside Inagh/Kilnamona, Crusheen and Clonlara.
Penalties were required for Crusheen to overcome O’Callaghans Mills, Inamona edged Kilmaley in a local derby, injuries didn’t derail Clonlara in accounting for St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Sixmilebridge proved too strong for rivals Newmarket-on-Fergus.
A major talking point at all four willwego.com Clare Cup quarter-finals was the sudden manner by which Clare GAA imposed admission fees for the games
Inamona snatch victory in extra-time
Inagh/Kilnamona 0-20
Kilmaley 0-19
Venue: Inagh
Three points in injury time steered Inagh/Kilnamona to a somewhat fortunate victory by the minimum margin over their neighbours and great rivals Kilmaley on Friday evening.
The home side had made a blistering start, registering five points in as many minutes which suggested that they might record an easy success but Kilmaley took control and hit seven unanswered scores to lead by two after twenty minutes.
Points were then exchanged twice before the home side landed three in a row taking them to a one point lead, 0-10 to 0-9 at the break.
Kilmaley will rue some missed chances in that opening half when they had two goal opportunities but took the wrong option on both occasions.
They landed the opening two points of the new half to jump one ahead before the eventual winners levelled the tie for the third time in the contest.
Kilmaley then landed three in a row before the seventh minute but Inagh/Kilnamona then did likewise and the sides were level for the fourth time eleven minutes into the second half.
Points were exchanged before the visitors edged two clear and this was the position as the game went into ‘injury time’ of which there were five minutes which was expected given that, between them, the sides made eight substitutions in that half while there were one or two stoppages due to injuries.
Aidan McCarthy landed his eighth of the evening before substitute Eoghan Foudy pointed to level the game for the final time. With extra time looming David Fitzgerald won possession in midfield and duly hit the target for what proved to be the winning score.
Eamonn Foudy, Padraig Devitt, Mark Callinan worked hard throughout for the winners for whom Aidan McCarthy top scored with 0-8, three coming from play.
The McGuanes, Colin and Aidan, Daire Keane, Joe Casey and Michael O’Malley who top scored with 0-10, all coming from placed balls, were Kilmaley’s best
Amongst the Kilmaley absentees were regular goalkeeper Bryan O’Loughlin and full back Colin Carmody along with Conor Cleary due to injury while Sean and Conor Rynne, Shane Woods, Conner and James Hegarty were amongst the absentees from the home side’s line up.
Inagh/Kilnamona: Eamonn Foudy; Padraig Devitt, Keith White, Cathal McConigley; Brian Foudy, Jason McCarthy, David Fitzgerald (0-2); Mark Callinan, Seamus Foudy; Fred Hegarty (0-2), Aidan McCarthy (0-8), 7f), Darren Cullinan (0-2); Keelan Guyler (0-1), Tom Barry (0-1), David Mescall (0-2);
Subs: Jamie Wynne for K. White (inj. 26); Niall Mullins for S. Foudy (inj 29); Kevin Hehir for K. Guyler (42); Gerry Coote (0-1) for T Barry (57); Eoghan Foudy (0-1) for D. Mescall (57);
Kilmaley: Ryan Murphy; Martin O’Connor, Colin McGuane, Joe Casey; Aidan McGuane (0-1), Daire Keane, Luke Reid; Tommy Barry, Sean Kennedy (0-1); Sean O’Loughlin (0-3), Michael O’Malley (0-10, 9f, 1 ‘65); James Fitzpatrick; Colm Killeen (0-1), Michael O’Neill, Tom O’Rourke (0-3);
Subs: Éanna McMahon for S. Kennedy (40); Sean Ronan for L. Reid (44); Cian Neylon for J. Fitzpatrick (48); James Murphy for C. Killeen (55); Stephen Murphy for M. O’Connor inj. (57)
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
Bridge blitz Blues in second half to dethrone Clare Cup champions
Sixmilebridge 2-19
Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-8
Venue: Fr Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus
By Michael Fitzgerald
All the talk may have been about tickets but it was money well spent for The Bridge supporters as they claimed an eight point victory over bitter rivals Newmarket-on-Fergus.
The Blues started well in a great game that featured a blistering first half performance by Éanna Crimmins but the home side faltered in the second half as Sixmilebridge pulled away.
The visitors registered the first point of the evening through Shane Golden who scored inside the first minute. Newmarket responded in the best way possible however with a goal at the other end Crimmins latching onto a Jack O’Connor pass and burying the ball into the net. Crimmins landed a free soon after.
Sixmilebridge relied on frees to stem the tide before registering their first goal of the evening. A tame effort from Noel Purcell hit an awkward bounce in front of goal and ended up in Padraic Guilfoyle’s net, leaving egg on the Newmarket keeper’s face.
The sides were neck and neck as Crimmins added a second goal to his tally, his ground stroke getting past Derek Fahy. This helped the hosts lead by two points at the interval but they needed to have a bigger advantage and instead coughed up chances from distance.
The second half lacked much of the excitement that lit up the first thirty minutes. Frequent fouls in midfield as well as an absence of linesmen led to frequent enquiries of referee Eoghan O’Leary as both sides scored through frees.
A Sixmilebridge goal was bizarrely ruled out for a pull down on Shane Golden with the referee administering a penalty instead, duly converted by Jamie Shanahan to put them 2-13 2-9 in front
County midfielder Cathal Malone was introduced to the fray and sealed his cameo with a point.
Sixmilebridge ultimately cruised to a semi-final after a seven point win in what was a poor second half, the Blues losing their grip of the title by only registering four points in the second half.
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill
SIXMILEBRIDGE: Derek Fahy, Colm Flynn, Barry Fitzpatrick, Fiachra Ó Briain, Seadna Morey (0-1), Páidí Fitzpatrick, Noel Purcell (1-0), Brian Carey (0-1), Leon Kelly (0-1), Luke O’Halloran (0-1), Jamie Shanahan (1-1 P), Caimin Morey, Shane Golden (0-2), Alex Morey (0-10 6F 65), Brian Corry (0-1).
Subs: Cathal Malone (0-1) for O’Halloran, Lorcan Fitzpatrick for C Morey, Alan Mulready for Shanahan, Paul Corry for Kelly.
NEWMARKET ON FERGUS: Padraic Guilfoyle, Jack Enright, Colin Guilfoyle, Mark Delaney, James McInerney (0-4 2F), Liam O’Connor (0-1), Niall O’Connor (0-1), Shane Lynch, Damien Lyne, Noel Frawley, Eanna Crimmins (2-3 2F), James Power (0-1 F), Jack O’Connor, Seadhna Liddy (0-1), Michael Power (0-1).
Subs: Zach Treacy for Frawley, David Frost for J Power, Cian Foley for M Power, Cathal Cullinan for Lynch, Eoin McInerney for Enright.
Referee: Eoghan O’Leary (Whitegate)
Clonlara recover from early blows to seal semi-final spot
Clonlara 0-23
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-16
Venue: Clonlara
A serious injury to Clonlara wing back David Fitzgerald in the very first play with just seconds on the clock resulted in a delay of twenty minutes in this quarter final at Clonlara on Friday evening.
The game was less that twenty seconds old when Fitgerald’s injury occurred and referee Niall Malone decided to start the game again after the injured player had been attended to and this led to Kieran Howard coming into the Clonlara line up at wing back in Fitzgerald’s place.
Struggling to overcome the loss of Fitzgerald, the home side suffered a further blow midway through the half when they were reduced to fourteen men as full back Dylan McMahon was dismissed on a straight red card.
Trailing by a goal at half time (0-8 to 1-8) things didn’t look good for the South Clare outfit who went into the game wearing the favourites tag. However they were short the services of a number of players who would normally be in their starting line up and these included Aidan Moriarty Ian Galvin, Michael Collins, Jathan McMahon, Colm O’Meara, Kieran Galvin and Cathal O’Connell.
When play resumed after half time they quickly wiped out the half time deficit when scoring the opening three points of the new half to draw level.
Having then taken the lead they were rocked by the visitors who struck for their second goal but the home side quickly hit back and they continued to pick off some good points on their way to a narrow win.
Micheál O’Loughllin top scored on the evening with 0-12 between play and placed balls to his credit.
Eoin Burke was the visitor’s main marksman with 0-7 to his credit.
Clonlara; Seimi Gully; Paul McNamara, Dylan McMahon, Logan Ryan; Michael Clancy, Paraic O’Loughlin, David Fitzgerald; Diarmuid Stritch, Colm Galvin; John Conlon, Daniel Moloney, James McCormick; Brian McLeish, Micheal O’Loughlin, Darragh Dillon;
Subs; Kieran Howard for Fitzgerald (injured); Jamie O’Connell for M. Clancy; Conor Bourke for J. McCormick; McCormick for L. Ryan
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield; Aaron Landy; Ciarán O’Driscoll, Jarlath Colleran, Paddy Nagle; Adam Mungovan, Francie Meaney, Darragh Nagle; Darragh McMahon (0-2), Darragh Ball (1-2); Senan Crosbie (0-1), Ogie Fannig (0-1), Eoin Burke (0-7); Michael Nash (1-2), Shane Mescall, Brian Guilfoyle (0-1);
Subs; Eoghan Thynne for Mescall; Eoghan Talty for McMahon;
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
Crusheen into semi-final after penalty shoot out
Crusheen; 2-20 O’Callaghans Mills 1-23
(after extra time)
Crusheen won 4-3 on penalties
Venue: Crusheen
A penalty shoot out was needed to produce a winner in this Clare Cup quarter final with the home side Crusheen winning on a 4-3 score.
The respective goalkeepers were first to step up to the penalties with Killlian Nugent converting while Donal Tuohy saw his effort go over the bar. Tuohy immediately made up for the miss when saving from both Seanie Boyce and Colin Crehan, saves which proved crucial in sending his team through to the semi-finals.
Penalty scorers for the winners were Conor O’Donnell, Breffni Horner, Ross Hayes and Murrough McMahon while Killian Nugent, Darragh Moroney and Aidan O’Gorman converted for the Mills
Level at the end of normal time at 2-15 to 1-18, the sides could not be separated in extra time, each adding five points to their full time tallies.
O’Callaghans Mills had marginally the better of the first half exchanges and they went to the break with a four point advantage, 1-11 to 1-7.
Crusheen quickly got back on terms when the second half got underway, Luke Ketalaar pointing and Jamie Fitzgibbon finding the net to level the tie with just three minutes of the new half played.
Fitzgibbon, Ross Hayes and Cian Dillon followed with points as the home side took a three point advantage but the visitors hit back and they landed three in a row to again level the contest.
Points were exchanged a few times as the teams remained evenly matched throughout the extra time period.
Crusheen; Donal Tuohy; Ian O’Brien, Tadhg Deane, Gavin O’Brien; Cilléin Mullins, Éanna McMahon, Mark Perrill; Ross Hayes (0-8), Conor O’Donnell (0-2); Gerry O’Grady (0-1), Jamie Fitzgibbon (1-1), Cian Dillon (0-2); Luke Ketalaar (0-3), Fergus Kennedy (1-0), Murrough McMahon (0-1);
Subs; Breffni Horner (0-2) for M. McMahon; John O’Sullivan for M. Perrill; Glen O’Sullivan for F. Kennedy; Colin McNamara for G. O’Grady; McMahon for C. Dillon (inj);
O’Callaghans Mills; Killian Nugent (0-3); Michael Cotter, Conor Cooney Gerry Cooney; Keith Donnellan, Aidan O’Gorman (0-2), Aidan Fawl (0-1); Fionn Hickey, Mike McGrath (0-1); Conor Henry (0-1) Darragh Moroney (0-1), Sean Cotter (0-2); Seanie Boyce (0-9), Mark Pewter (1-2), Cormac Murphy;
Subs; Collin Crehan (0-1) for McGrath; John O’Brien for Pewter; Eoin McInerney for S. Cotter; Cathal Lenihan for C. Cooney
Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
