*Aidan McCarthy gets away from Éanna McMahon and Breffni Horner. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
THREE goals inside the opening eight minutes sent Inagh/Kilnamona back into the Clare Cup final for the second year in a row.
Inagh/Kilnamona 3-21
Crusheen 0-19
Venue: Gaelic Park, Ruan
Inagh/Kilnamona recorded a merited win over Crusheen in the willwego.com Clare Cup semi-final at a sun-splashed Ruan on Friday evening. They were the sharper side throughout and showed some good teamwork over the course of the hour.
Aidan McCarthy led the way for the winners, particularly in the opening half where he caused a lot of problems for Crusheen and forced them to adapt their approach. Eamonn Foudy kept a clean sheet but also scored a point from a puckout.
Minus the influential and experienced Cian Dillon, Crusheen battled throughout and might have been closer but for two excellent saves by Inagh/Kilnamona goalkeeper Eamonn Foudy in the opening half.
Behind by eight points at the break, 0-11 to 3-10, Crusheen started the second half well and fired over three points in as many minutes to reduce the deficit to four points.
Sensing danger the winners responded impressively with six points to just one from Crusheen to open a ten point margin at the three quarter stage.
From the throw in midfielder Mark Callinan launched an Inagh/Kilnamona attack which ended with Darren Culllinan finding the net.
Fergus Kennedy responded with a Crusheen point but Inagh/Kilnamona were showing greater sharpness and hunger for possession and hey hit back with a Fred Hegarty point followed by a goal from David Mescall.
Points from Keellan Guyler and Aidan McCarthy followed before Tom Barry tapped the ball home after Mescall’s effort had been well saved by Donal Tuohy making it 3-3 to 0-2 with just eight minutes played.
From here to half time the sides exchanged points regularly before the winners took an eight point lead to the half time break.
Crusheen returned with Gerry O’Grady and James O’Sullivan in their team in place of Mark Pwerrilll and Murrough McMahon. Ross Hayes moved to centre back in a bid to curb Aidan McCarthy who had caused a lot of problems for the Crusheen defence in the opening half.
As mentioned earlier, Crusheen started the half well with three unanswered points but Inagh/Kilnamona responded impressively and killed their opponents challenge when firing over six points while conceding just one in an eight minute period.
In the remaining time the winners were able to introduce a number of substitutes and they comfortable book their place in the final for the second year running.
Inter-county men David Fitzgerald and Sean Rynne were absent while Keith White and Shane Woods were ruled out due to injury.
Goalkeeper Eamonn Foudy contributed 0-2 to his side’s tally, one point coming directly from a puckout at the mid point of the second half. On the evening Colin Shannon, Jason and Aidan McCarthy and Mark Callinan were prominent.
Crusheen will be disappointed with the result on an evening when they turned over possession far too often and when they failed to match the sharpness of their opponents, particularly when it came to winning possession of breaking ball. Tadhg Dean, Ross Hayes, Gerry O’Grady when he was introduced and Conor O’Donnell did best on the evening for Crusheen. Their focus now switches to championship, the 2023 county finalists are paired alongside Clonlara, Sixmilebridge and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.
Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona; Aidan McCarthy (0-10, 7f); David |Mescall (1-1); Darren Cullinan, Tom Barry (1-0) each; Fred Hegarty, Keelan Guyler (0-3) each; Eamonn Foudy (1 free), Eoghan Foudy (0-2) each
Scorers Crusheen: Ross Hayes (0-5, 3f 2 ‘65’s); Conor O’Donnell (0-4), Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-3), Oisin O’Donnell (1 free) Luke Ketalaar (0-2) each, Fergus Kennedy, Murrough McMahon Breffni Horner (0-1) each.
Inagh/Kilnamona;
1: Eamonn Foudy
2: Padraig Devitt,
3 Colin Shannon,
4: Conor Rynne;
5: Brian Foudy,
6: Jason McCarthy,
7: James Hegarty;
8: Niall Mullins,
9: Mark Callinan;
10: Fred Hegarty,
11; Aidan McCarthy,
12; Darren Cullinan;
13; Keelan Guyler,
14; Tom Barry,
15; David Mescall;
Subs:
29: Eoghan Foudy for Mescall (16) (inj)
21: Kevin Hehir for N. Mullins (49);
25: Gearoid Barry for T. Barry (51)
26: Cathal McConigley for Rynne (52)
22: Jamie Wynne for J. Hegarty (54)
18: Gerry Coote for A. McCarthy (56)
Crusheen;
1: Donal Tuohy;
2: Luke Hayes,
3: Tadhg Dean,
4: Ian O’Brien;
5: Mark Perrill,
6: Éanna McMahon,
7: Cilléin Mullins;
8: Oisin O’Donnell,
9: Ross Hayes;
10: Conor O’Donnell,
11: Fergus Kennedy,
12: Jamie Fitzgibbon;
13: Luke Ketalaar,
14: Murrough McMahon,
15: Breffni Horner;
Subs:
18: Gerry O’Grady for M.McMahon(half time);
21: James O’Sullivan for M. Perrill (half time);
19: John O’Sullivan for O. O’Donnellll(inj. 55)
5: Mark Perrill for T Dean (57).
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
