*Cathal Doohan holds off the challenge of Cratloe’s Tadhg Lohan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
IT WAS a a complete role reversal for Ballyea as this time the 2022 champions turned up the heat in the second half to produce a stirring revival of their own and advance to the last eight of the Clare SHC.
Ballyea 0-23
Cratloe 0-16
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
Having soared to an eleven point half-time cushion in the opening round at the same venue, only to see it wiped out by a resurgent Kilmaley to pip them by a point at the death, Robbie Hogan’s side exorcised any O’Garney Park ghosts by unearthing their own eleven point turnaround to knock out old rivals Cratloe.
Granted, both of Ballyea’s strong halves were at the so-called ‘scoring goal’ at the Kilmurry end but it still took character, experience and superior scoring prowess to produce such a sea-change as talisman Tony Kelly was embroiled in a compelling tussle for supremacy with fellow countryman Diarmuid Ryan for the majority of the hour.
In truth, the duel probably ended evenly but the loss of Ryan from his usual launchpad of centre-back did eventually take its toll on a flagging Cratloe.
On a day in which the conditions didn’t play a major factor, Cratloe’s 12 point second half slump against Kilmaley last time out was followed by an eleven point collapse this time around.
Instead, having made up the ground to reel in a four point half-time arrears by the two-thirds mark, Ballyea only got better as the new half developed, outscoring a war weary Cratloe by 0-12 to 0-03 alone in the final twenty minutes.
With Cratloe trying to get their hands on the ball by dropping deeper in order to chase the game, it left only three forwards in the opposition half for the final quarter. Without a targetman as Cathal McInerney was only sprung from the bench in the final five minutes, it played perfectly into the experienced hands of Ballyea who mopped up at the back through Paul Flanagan, Jack Browne and superb midfielders Gearoid O’Connell and Daniel Costelloe to repeatedly pummel deliveries into the danger zone where Kelly, Deasy and in particular Cian Kirby profited.
That said, new goalkeeper Oisin Griffin was called on to make two outstanding last gasp saves from a Daire Neville flick and substitute Cathal McInerney but by then Ballyea were realistically already home and hosed as they prepare for their first knock-out stage appearance since winning the Canon last in 2022.
In contrast, Cratloe held the whip hand in the opening period without ever really putting clear daylight between the sides at any stage, It mirrored the Kilmaley game in which Cratloe didn’t make the most of their slight wind advantage as they missed as much as they scored.
John O’Gorman’s side did begin with the first three points through chief first half threats Rian Considine and Podge Collins along with Cathal Lohan by the sixth minute.
However, a Lohan goal bound effort would be blocked while Rian Considine’s brilliant run and shot was somehow kept out by the impressive Griffin.
Diarmuid Ryan was matching his marker Tony Kelly with frees but while they were on top, Cratloe were extremely thankful to their own stopper Eoin Deegan who produced an excellent point blank smother to deny Cathal Doohan in the 27th minute.
Late point from Diarmuid Ryan and Conor McGrath ensured a 0-11 to 0-07 edge by the break but it only lasted six minutes as Ballyea came storming back into the contest on the resumption.
Gearoid O’Connell’s inch-perfect ball over the top found Kelly, only to see his powerful effort tipped over the bar by Deegan followed quickly by points for O’Connell, Costelloe and Pearse Lillis to regain full parity at 0-11 to 0-11.
There would be an initial kick from Cratloe as McGrath and Considine arrowed over points, the latter of which could have been a goal but it seemed only a matter of time before a buoyant Ballyea seized control as once they smelled blood, they ruthlessly tore into Cratloe’s wounded carcass in an inspirational final quarter salvo.
While Cratloe only scored a solitary point from play in the second half and that it the 36th minute, a rampant Ballyea had five different scorers in Tony Kelly (5), Cian Kirby (3), Niall Deasy (2), Pearse Lillis and substitute Fiachra Kirby in a 0-13 to 0-03 final flourish to book their place in Monday night’s draw.
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scorers for Ballyea: Tony Kelly 0-10 (8f); Cian Kirby 0-4; Niall Deasy 0-3; Gearoid O’Connell 0-2, Pearse Lillis 0-2; Daniel Costelloe 0-1, Fiachra Kirby 0-1
Scorers for Cratloe: Rian Considine 0-7 (4f, 2’65); Diarmuid Ryan 0-3 (3f); Conor McGrath 0-2; Podge Collins 0-1, Cathal Lohan 0-1, Liam Markham 0-1, Eoin Carey 0-1
Ballyea
16: Oisin Griffin
18: Tadhg Ó hUallacháin
2: Peter Casey
3: Paul Flanagan
7: Daragh Moylan
6: Jack Browne
4: Morgan Garry
5: Gearoid O’Connell
19: Daniel Costelloe
12: Pearse Lillis
10: Niall Deasy
14: Cathal Doohan
17: Aaron Griffin
8: Tony Kelly
13: Cian Kirby
Subs
15: Fiachra Kirby for A. Griffin (39)
28: James Murphy for Moylan (58)
11: Mossy Gavin for Deasy (64)
Cratloe
1: Eoin Deegan
4: David Collins
6: Diarmuid Ryan
2: Riain McNamara
17: Enda Boyce
5: Jamie Moylan
22: Liam Markham
9: Daithi Collins
13: Podge Collins
7: Cathal Lohan
11: Conor McGrath
25: Eoin Carey
12: Tadhg Lohan
10: Daire Neville
14: Rian Considine
24: Marc O’Brien
Sub
12: Tadhg Lohan for Daithi Collins (44)
8: Shane Gleeson for P. Collins (49, inj)
15: Cathal McInerney for C. Lohan (55)
21: Sam Sheehy for Considine (64, inj)
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
