*Sixmilebridge’s David Kennedy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
DEFEATING CRUSHEEN in round two of the TUS Clare SHC was “one of the biggest wins in four or five years” for Sixmilebridge.
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SHC is with thanks to The Temple Gate Hotel.
Minus the services of All-Ireland winners Seadna Morey and Cathal Malone, first-choice full-back Barry Fitzpatrick and defender Colm Flynn, The Bridge who despite falling 0-3 0-1 down inside ten minutes, were 0-9 0-8 up at the interval and crucially 1-20 1-17 in front by the sounding of the final whistle.
Joint manager of The Bridge, Tommy Liddy recalled, “Every game we play against Crusheen it seems to go right down to the wire and today it was no different. They’re two teams that are physically well matched and have plenty of hurling and in the heat of battle, neither team is found wanting”.
He dedicated the second round victory to Fitzpatrick. “We just had knock back after knock back all week. The minute we’d one player back, another one was gone through injury so our backs were to the wall and we had to come out fighting. We were missing big players today and I must mention Barry Fitzpatrick who has been a mainstay of our team, a rock at full back since 2015 and unfortunately against Clonlara he ruptured his Achilles tendon so that’s the end of his hurling for this year. He’s made a huge sacrifice to be part of this team. Last year alone he travelled back from London 30 weekends in a row to play for Sixmilebridge which is a huge commitment for a 30 year old with a big job and a girlfriend over there so this win was for him really”.
Liddy continued, “We were without Barry, Seadna [Morey] and Cathal [Malone]; Jason Loughnane played with a broken finger today; Conor Deasy was best man for his brother yesterday and even players that hadn’t played for us but were in the mix got sick so we were possibly without eight or nine today but those that could manned up for the Saffron and blue jersey. And I’m just thrilled that they showed that fight because I’d put it down as one of the biggest wins we’ve had in four or five years as if you don’t go toe to toe with Crusheen as if you take a backward step, they’ll kill you so we were just lucky to come out on top”.
This Saturday they play in Cusack Park for the first time in the 2025 championship where they must win against St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield will see them progress to the knockout stages. “The only thing this win does is mean that every team in the group still has a chance of qualifying so Doora/Barefield will be licking their lips at that. They’ve two weeks to prepare for us and we have the same but we need to concentrate on recovery now and hopefully get a few more players back in time”.
