*Shane Cahill. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
A SEASON in which they played fifteen matches, eight championship, five in the Leinster league and two challenges, ended in heart-breaking fashion for the Clare minor footballers on Saturday afternoon.
Down 1-12
Clare 1-8
Venue: Pearse Park, Longford
Level with their Northern opponents at 1-10 each as four minutes of ‘added time’ were signalled, Clare bowed out of the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor tier two championship for the Paul McGirr cup at the quarter final stage.
Down got in for two points in the last of the four added minutes to progress to the last four of the competition.
“I would love if we had got over the line because of the effort that the lads have put in all season and in this tie. We are hugely disappointed but all credit to the lads, they fought to the end”, commented team manager Joe Hayes shortly after the game.
“I am extremely proud of the lads for the battle they showed throughout this game and throughout the season. They showed great character in the way they bounced back from their loss to Waterford in the first game and again from their loss to Cork in phase two, the amount of games they have played this season will surely stand to them going forward”, the Lissycasey clubman told The Clare Echo.
Hayes acknowledged that “Down missed a lot and they clearly had a bit of work done on us as they had a player sitting back in front of Liam Keane and they also pressed up on our short game”.
Despite being watched so closely, Keane was, again, one of the lesading performers for the Banner side and he finished the game with a tally of 1-8 which included two 2 pointers one of which was a free.
Down made the better start and they had 0-3 on the board before Clare opened their account. Clare had the aid of the breeze in the opening half at the end of which they were two points clear, 1-5 to 1-3.
The winners piled on the pressure when play resumed and they hit four unanswered scores.
Despite facing into a strong wind Clare fought back, led superbly by outstanding captain Shane Cahill and they levelled the tie at 1-9 each.
It was 1-10 each at the end of sixty minutes and this was still the case three minutes later when Down took the lead and they quickly followed with a point to seal their passage to the semi-final.
Goalkeeper Conor Griffin who has had an outstanding campaign for Clare, turned in another excellent performance and he contributed 0-2 to Clare’s tally.
Team captain Cahill was Clare’s standout player on the day while Conor Griffin, Caelum Killeen and Liam Griffin were also prominent.
Corner forward Sam Murdock contributed 0-6 for the winners and this included one 2 pointer. Dylan McAleenan who filled the other corner forward position was the team’s goalscorer while defender Jack O’Mahoney contributed 0-2.
“Look, it’s disappointing to have lost out but these lads have shown great character throughout the season and they will benefit from their involvement”, concluded the manager.
Clare;
1: Conor Griffin (Ennistymon) 0-2
2: Gavin Browne (Cooraclare)
3: Siney Neenan (Kildysart)
4: Tristan O’Loughlin (St. Breckans)
17: Darren Fitzpatrick (St. Breckans)
6: Caelum Killeen (Lissycasey)
7: Stephen O’Neill (Éire Óg)
8: Shane Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane) Captain
5: Tadhg Bane (Banner)
10: Rian Cotter (Kilrush Shamrocks)
11: Seán O’Callaghan (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
12: John Greene (Corofin);
13: Robbie Killy (Kildysart)
14: Liam Keane (Lissycasey) 1-8, 2 tp
15: Thomas Dillon (Doonbeg)
Subs:
9: Paddy Neylon (Shannon Gaels) for Bane;
21: Jack Lavin (Ennistymon) for Cotter;
24: Zak O’Shea (Doonbeg) for Dillon
22: Ryan Brody (Ennistymon) for O’Callaghan
Down;
1: Brodie McCreevy
2: Joel Barr,
3: Luca Smyth,
4: Ruairi McCaffrey;
5: Thomas Mulligan,
6: Frankie McHugh,
7: Jack O’Mahoney;
8: Ross Austin Captain,
9: Tiernan Conway;
10: Dara Ward,
11: Shea King
12: C.J. Harrisson;
13: Sam Murdock,
14: Conall Gallagher
15: Dylan McAleenan
Referee: Ronan Hynes (Sligo)
