*Peter Duggan controls the sliotar. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
FEAKLE’s defence of their Clare SHC title has come to an end after exiting at the quarter-final stage to Clooney/Quin.
Clooney/Quin 1-20
Feakle 1-11
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
A first semi-final since 2017 awaits Clooney/Quin who have gone from contesting the relegation semi-finals last year to being among the final four teams vying to lift the Canon Hamilton.
Ahead eight points at half time, Clooney/Quin withstood a strong third quarter comeback from the champions who ran out of gas as the tie wore on, their high injury list coupled with the fitness and energy levels of their opponents also serving as a barrier.
Level three times in the opening quarter, Feakle went ahead for the first time on twelve minutes when a Cillian Duggan clearance was intercepted by Oisin Donnellan who duly split the posts. They had managed to work the ball up field to the Clooney/Quin netminder after Adam Hogan cleaned up a break between Peter Duggan and Conn Smyth who had a right tussle for three quarters of the game.
Donnellan then converted a free to give Feakle a two point advantage but that was the biggest lead the champions held for the entirety of the game as Clooney/Quin closed out the opening half with an unanswered 1-5 to hold a 1-12 0-7 half-time lead.
Darragh McNamara bagged his second Clare SHC goal when raising a green flag with the last score of the half, John Conneally had won possession from a Feakle puckout before getting the ball back to his full-forward who certainly has an eye for goal and will hit the target if given the chance. Dannan Fox was also lively in the inside line, hitting over three points in the opening half.
There was fire and brimstone within the Feakle dressing room at half-time when the message was they were not going to let go of the Canon Hamilton without a fight.
They brought this spirit to bear in the third quarter and threw what they could at their opponents, Oisin Clune was among those really upping the intensity levels which the East Clare men required.
In their first attack of the half, they struck for goal. Steven Conway left Martin Daly with the simple task of finishing to the net on thirty two minutes. They followed this with points from Donnellan, Eoin Tuohy and Oisin O’Connor cutting an eight point gap down to two by the fortieth minute.
When Peter Duggan was forced off the pitch for taking off his helmet as he was about to hit a free and the duty of hitting the placed ball fell to Jerry O’Connor missed the target, it seemed that momentum was with Feakle especially considering Oisin O’Connor’s point was next on the board lowering the gap to two points.
However Clooney/Quin hit back with the next five points in succession, captain Jimmy Corry, Duggan, Jack O’Neill, Ryan Taylor and John Conneally all landing big scores.
Instead of pushing on, Feakle faded completely and only added one point for the entire final quarter, Owen McGann doing well to strike off the hurley on forty nine minutes.
Two more Duggan efforts secured the win for Clooney/Quin and a return to the semi-finals.
Even the introduction of an injured Shane McGrath couldn’t inspire Ger Conway’s charges. Their marksman has suffered broken bones in his knee but went through the pain barrier to line out for the final twelve minutes having removed his knee brace before the game.
His absence from their attack coupled with the loss of All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan certainly hurt their title defence as they were never at full strength for any championship game this season. They were worthy winners and showed admirable spirit in the third quarter but didn’t have the legs to sustain it. They let possession leave their inside line far too easily in the opening half and didn’t win enough primary possession off their own restarts. For Feakle, Adam Hogan, Oisin Clune, Oisin Donnellan, Ronan O’Connor and Conn Smyth led the charge.
Unbeaten in four championship outings, Clooney/Quin are in the semi-final on merit. They were nine point winners against the county champions but will still feel there is room for plenty improvement and they’ll know this will have to be made if they are to overcome Ballyea in two weeks time.
Fergal Lynch’s side applied great pressure on their opponents when not in possession forcing them to make mistakes on the ball, this workrate coupled with their dominance on cleaning up breaking ball was central to the win. They have talent and fitness in abundance but must bring a sixty minute performance for what will be an absolute battle in the semi-finals. On this occasion, their best were Peter Duggan, John Conneally, Evan Maxted, Jimmy Corry and Jerry O’Connor.
Scorers Clooney/Quin: P Duggan (0-8 5f 1SC), D Fox (0-3), D McNamara (1-0), J O’Connor (0-2), J Corry (0-2), R Taylor (0-2), J O’Neill (0-1), J Conneally (0-1), C Hassett (0-1).
Scorers Feakle: O Donnellan (0-6 5f), M Daly (1-0), O Clune (0-1), E Tuohy (0-1), O O’Connor (0-1), O McGann (0-1).
Clooney/Quin:
1: Cillian Duggan
2: Sean McNamara
4: Evan Maxted
7: John Cahill
5: Daragh Keogh
6: John Conneally
3: Conor Grogan
9: Jimmy Corry
8: Ryan Taylor
11: Peter Duggan
10: Jerry O’Connor
12: Jack O’Neill
13: Dannan Fox
20: Darragh McNamara
14: Callum Hassett
Subs:
25: Trevor Lee for Hassett (56)
Feakle:
1: Liam O’Connor
4: Enda Madden
5: Adam Hogan
2: Killian Bane
9: Oisin Clune
7: Eoin Tuohy
6: Conn Smyth
8: Enda Noonan
11: Ronan O’Connor
10: Oisin Donnellan
18: Martin Daly
12: Ray Bane
14: Pakie Daly
13: Steven Conway
15: Oisin O’Connor
Subs:
20: Owen McGann for R Bane (HT)
25: Shane McGrath for Daly (48)
19: Gary Guilfoyle for Conway (48)
17: Eoghan Daly for Madden (56)
3: Evan McMahon for Smyth (59)
Referee: Fergal O’Brien (Broadford)
