John Conlon receives the willwego.com Clare Cup from Clare GAA’s, Neil O’Brien. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLONLARA recovered from a ten point deficit to win by the minimum to be crowned Clare Cup champions for the first time in nine years.
Clonlara 1-17
Inagh/Kilnamona 2-13
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla
Ten points down a minute into the second half, things didn’t look good for Clonlara in the willwego.com Clare Cup final on Sunday afternoon but they produced a strong second half to emerge victorious by a single point.
David Mescall’s goals at either side of the half time whistle, looked to have put Inagh/Kilnamona on the road to a first title in this competition, a belief that was strengthened by Clonlara’s shooting, they hit 21 wides over the hour.
When John Conlon failed to hit the target from a penalty two minutes into the new half, bringing his side’s tally of wides to sixteen at that stage (they had been guilty of shooting 15 wides in the opening half), everything pointed to a win for Inamona.
Cathal Tots O’Connell’s introduction at half time for the injured Colm Galvin also played a big part in Clonlara’s win. He landed 0-5, four from frees, and he also had a hand in creating other scores for the South-East Clare outfit.
Inagh/Kilnamona had much the better of matters in the opening half when they played with the aid of the breeze which was much stronger than spectators realised.
Tomás Kelly’s men landed the opening five points and could have had another one or two before Tom Power opened the winner’s account in the eleventh minute.
Clonlara certainly had opportunities for scores but they failed to fine the target. They had registered six wides in the opening seven minutes.
It was 0-8 to 0-3 as the game ticked into ‘injury time’ at the end of the half when David Mescall struck for the game’s opening goal which came after a long delivery from goalkeeper Eamonn Foudy which was broken through by Aidan McCarthy.
Inagh/Kilnamona attacked straight from the throw in for the second half and Mescall struck for their second goal.
To their credit Clonlara didn’t panic and the responded with points from Daniel Moloney, Jathan McMahon and substitute O’Connell.
Inagh/Kilnamona looked to have weathered that storm when Aidan McCarthy and Tom Barry landed points but Clonlara had other ideas and they hit the next five points to leave four points between the sides with twelve minutes of normal time remaining.
A Michael Collins goal closed the gap to the minimum and Collins then pointed to level the contest with ten minutes remaining.
It was score for score from here to the finish. Points were exchanged three times leaving the sides level as the game entered’ injury time’. Everything pointed to extra time but two minutes into the added time Cathal O’Connell converted a 65m free for what proved to be the winning score.
The winners half back trio of Paraic O’Loughlin, Aidan Moriarty and Dylan McMahon held firm in that second half while up front the pace of Michael Collins caused problems for Inagh/Kilnamona who have now lost back to back Clare Cup finals.
Scorers Clonlara: Cathal O’Connell (0-5, 4f); Michael Collins (1-2); Jathal Mc\Mahon (2 f), John Conlon (0-3) each; Paraic O’Loughlin, Daniel Moloney, Tom Power, Darragh Dillon (0-1) each.
Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona; Aidan McCarthy (0-7, 6f); David Mescall (2-0); Fred Hegarty (0-3); Thomas Barry (0-2); Darren Cullinann (0-1)
Clonlara;
1; Alan Murnana;
2: Ciaran Howard,
3: Paul McNamara,
4: Logan Ryan;
5: Pa\raic O’Llughlin
6: Aidan Mriarty
7: Dylan McMahon;
8\; Diarmuid Stritch
9: Jathan McMahon
12; John Conlon,
11: Daniel Moloney
10: Colm Galvin
13; Michael Collis
14; Tom Power
15; Darragh Dillon
Subs:
18; Cathal O’Connell for C. Galvin (inj.) (HT)
17: James McCormick for T. Power (59)
Inagh-Kilnamona;
1: Eamonn Foudy;
2: Padraig Devitt,
3: Colin Shannon,
4: Conor Rynne;
5: Brian Foudy
6: Jason McCarthy
7: James Hegarty;
8: Mark Callinan,
9: Seamus Foudy
10: Fred Hegarty
11: Aidan McCarthy
12: Darren Cullinan;
13: Keelan Guyler,
14: Thomas Barry
15; David Mescall
Subs;
17; Niall Mullins for S. Foudy (39)
19; Kevin Hehir for K. Gyler (50)
20: Gerry Coote for B. Foudy (50)
21: Evan McNamara for D. Cullinan (60)
23; Gearoid Barry for T. Barry (60)
Referee: Kevin Corry, Sixmilebridge;
