*Cian Kirby takes on Diarmaid Nash. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
BALLYEA brought their Clare SHC bid back to life when picking up their first victory which puts Scariff out of the reckoning for honours this season.
Ballyea 1-21
Scariff 2-16
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SHC is with thanks to The Temple Gate Hotel.
There’s no substitute for experience it seems as Ballyea cooly shaded a worthy battle with Scariff to snatch a senior championship lifeline on Sunday evening.
With both sides coming out on the wrong end of similar inch-tight opening bouts, it was do-or-die essentially, a weight of responsibility that just seemed to be carried a tad lighter upon Ballyea’s four-time championship winning shoulders on balance.
It was a tie that was there for either side though as for all but two of the 60 minutes, only a mere puck of the ball separated the sides in either direction.
Scariff led three times with the aid of the conditions in the opening twenty minutes as they matched Tony Kelly’s four point scoring dominance through Mark Rodgers (2), Éanna O’Brien (2), Patrick Ryan and Keelan Hartigan at 0-6 to 0-5.
The tie turned decisively in the next passage of play however as from the puck-out Cian Kirby took on Scariff’s defence before offloading to the lethal Kelly to fire to the net from an acute angle at 1-5 to 0-6.
That would be the catalyst to lead for the remainder of the hour, with four points being their biggest cushion before a late Mark Rodgers goal in each half slashed the arrears on both occasions to only the minimum.
Scariff failed to capitalise upon either shot in the arm as in truth, they couldn’t rely on the same level of leaders as Ballyea possessed in their experienced core. Kelly, Niall Deasy, Paul Flanagan, Jack Browne, Gearoid O’Connell and Peter Casey all influenced heavily when needed most despite the major disruption of losing goalkeeper Barry Coote to a shoulder injury in both halves.
The Kirby twins Cian and Fiachra and Morgan Garry also chipped in with braces to keep Ballyea’s advantage topped up but much like the opening round, Tony Kelly was the unquestionable kingpin as if he didn’t score it himself, he inevitably had a major hand in the score.
Mark Rodgers certainly stood up for Scariff but there wasn’t enough support in the scoring stakes to really trouble Robbie Hogan’s side.
Kelly’s 21st minute goal was magnified even more as Mark Rogdgers could only find the side-netting in the next passage of play. Scariff and more pointedly Rodgers did finally raid for that elusive goal five minutes later when teed up by Keelan Hartigan to unleash a shot that was initially saved by Barry Coote, only for the 2024 All-Star to bundle the rebound over the line.
However, flanked by two points at either side of that major through Kelly (2), Morgan Garry and Niall Deasy, a relieved Ballyea went in 1-9 to 1-6 clear by the break.
Despite now facing into the conditions, Scariff resumed with intent, scoring the first three points of the half in as many minutes through Patrick Crotty, Patrick Ryan and Keelan Hartigan to draw level. It couldn’t have been more only for a double Ballyea stop from Éanna O’Brien efforts as first Peter Casey and then restored goalkeeper Barry Coote denied the corner-forward.
Rodgers would be subsequently hooked by Casey too as Ballyea finally found their second half feet with the next three points through the Kirby’s and Morgan Garry to retire a three point lead.
That margin would predominantly remain until substitute Mossy Gavin stretched the gap to four in the 57th minute for what seemed the clinching score.
It wasn’t as a push on Patrick Ryan earned a 20 metre free that Mark Rodgers rifled to the net to reduce the arrears to just one at 1-19 to 2-15. With four minutes of injury-time to come, Scariff had at least three clearcut opportunities to draw level but failed to take any of them, leaving a vacuum that Ballyea certainly weren’t going to pass up as chief marksmen Kelly and Deasy sealed victory with two of the last three points.
Ballyea’s two point victory was hugely consequential to all four teams in the Group of Death as it automatically qualified Kilmaley to a quarter-final and knocked Scariff out in the process while the second quarter-final berth is saved for the winner of the final round showdown between Ballyea and Cratloe in Sixmilebridge on Saturday week (7pm).
Scorers for Ballyea: Tony Kelly 1-8 (3f); Niall Deasy 0-5 (2f); Morgan Garry 0-2, Fiachra Kirby 0-2, Cian Kirby 0-2; Cathal Doohan 0-1, Mossy Gavin 0-1
Scorers for Scariff: Mark Rodgers 2-4 (1-2f, 2’65); Eanna O’Brien 0-2, Patrick Ryan 0-2, Keelan Hartigan 0-2, Rossa Keehan 0-2, Matthew Crotty (1f) 0-2; Patrick Crotty 0-1, Conor Downes 0-1
Ballyea
1: Barry Coote
6: Jack Browne
2: Peter Casey
18: Tadhg Ó hUallacháin
4: Morgan Garry
3: Paul Flanagan
7: Daragh Moylan
5: Gearoid O’Connell
19: Daniel Costelloe
10: Niall Deasy
17: Aaron Griffin
14: Cathal Doohan
15: Fiachra Kirby
8: Tony Kelly
13: Cian Kirby
Subs
16: Oisin Griffin for Coote (30-30+3, BS)
16: Griffin for Coote (42, inj)
11: Mossy Gavin for F. Kirby (46)
12: Pearse Lillis for A. Griffin (54)
9: Thomas Kelly for Costelloe (55)
Scariff
1: William Kavanagh
18: Sean Hartigan
2: Scott Cairns
3: Michael Scanlan
7: Sean Collins
12: Liam Crotty
10: Michael Barrett
8: Conor Downes
9: Keelan Hartigan
23: Rossa Keehan
14: Mark Rodgers
11: Patrick Crotty
13: Patrick Ryan
24: Sean Minogue
15: Eanna O’Brien
Subs
26: Ben Sweeney for O’Brien (37)
5: Jack Ryan for S. Hartigan (37, inj)
6: Diarmaid Nash for Barrett (46)
22: Matthew Crotty for Keehan (56)
Referee: Jarlath Donnellan (Wolfe Tones)
