*Killimer jont captains Odhran Cunningham and Liam Culligan lift the Michael Toner Cup. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
KILLIMER won the Clare Junior A football championship for the second time in three years when defeating Lissycasey’s second string by the smallest of margins.
Killimer 0-17
Lissycasey 1-13
Venue: St Michael’s Park, Kilmihil
Relegated from the intermediate grade last season, Killimer are bouncing back to the second tier at the first attempt following Saturday’s one point win.
They will replace O’Currys in the Clare IFC which is ironically the club of their manager Seán Haugh.
Midfield dominance played a key part for the winners as Bryan Grogan delivered a man of the match performance in this key area.
The sides exchanged two pointers inside the opening five minutes when the respective goalkeepers, Cian Corry for the winners and Killian Normoyle hit the target.
Helped by another two pointer from Alan Behan, the winners went on to open a 0-6 to 0-2 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Three in a row from Lissycasey, two from Niall Meere and one from Sean Hayes, left the minimum between the sides with twenty minutes played.
Points from Colm Pyne, Odhran Cunningham, Jack and Mikey Kelleher saw the winners go 0-11 to 0-7 clear by half time.
Lissycasey started the second half well with a brace of points from Niall Meere before taking a one point lead when Sean Hayes broke through for the game’s only goal.
Jack Kellleher levelled for the winners and the sides then exchanged points to leave the score tied early in the final quarter.
A superb two pointer from Liam Culligan followed and the winners went three clear when Mikey Kellleher hit the target with nine minutes to play.
Lissycasey weren’t finished and they responded with points from Niall Meere, Shane Culligan and Aidan Weaver whose effort just went over the bar to tie up the contest with five minutes remaining.
Killimer weren’t to be denied, however and Colm Pyne landed the winner three minutes from the end.
Both sides will point to missed chances over the course of the hour on a day when Killimer’s all-round better balance was decisive.
As mentioned Bryan Grogan excelled and others to impress were Liam Culligan, Josh Hassett, the Kelleher brothers and Colm Pyne.
Matthew Cullleton, Ewan Wragg, Aidan Weaver, Ben Skerritt, particularly in the second half, Sean Hayes and Niall Meere were prominent for Lissycasey.
After the game Clare GAA chairman Kieran Keating presented the Michael Toner cup to the Killimer joint captains Liam Culligan and Odhran Cunningham
Scorers Killimer: Liam Culligan (1TP), Mikey Kelleher (1 f), Jack Kelleher (2f 0-3) each Cian Corry (1TP), Alan Behan (1TP), Colm Pyne (0-2) each; Odhran Cunningham, Luke Callinan (0-1) each
Scorers Lissycasey: Niall Meere (0-5, 3f), Sean Hayes (1-2), Killian Normoyle (1 tp), Shane Culligan (0-2, 1f) each; Aidan Weaver, Cathal Casey (0-1) each
Killimer; Cian Corry; Declan Pyne, Fiachra McKeown, Daniel Maloney; Sean Kelly, Josh Hassett, Paul Browne; Liam Culligan (joint capain), Bryan Grogan; Mikey Kelleher, Odhran Cunningham (joint captain), Luke Callinan; Jack Kelleher, Colm Pyne, Alan Behan
Subs; Kevin Hassett for P. Browne (half time); James Browne for D. Pyne (42)
Lissycasey; Killian Normoyle; Evan O’Haire, Matthew Culleton, Ronan McCarthy; Christopher Talty, Cian O’Callaghan, Ewan Wragg; Aaron Clohessy, Cathal Considine; Kevin Shivers, Ben Skerritt, Aidan Weaver; Shane Culligan, Sean Hayes, Niall Meere;
Subs; Cathal Doohan for C. Talty (half time); Martin Moran for E. O’Haire (half time); Cathal Casey for K. Shivers (41) Daire Meaney for A Clohessy (45); Josh Daniels for C. Considine (50);
Referee: Eoin Keane (Corofin)
