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*David Fitzgerald gets away from Eoghan McMahon. Photograph: Ruthie Griffin.
INAGH/KILNAMONA made it back-to-back wins in the TUS Clare SHC after comfortably seeing off St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.
Inagh/Kilnamona 0-25
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 0-12
Venue: Páirc na nGael, Ruan
Inagh/Kilnamona had the better of a cagey contest from the outset and, having raced into an 0-8 to 0-1 lead inside the opening quarter, they were never seriously threatened thereafter.
Dara Nagle got Doora/Barefield’s second score in the sixteenth minute, but it proved to be their only point from play during the opening half.
Éamonn Foudy’s puckout range was a notable feature throughout, he even landed a wide directly from one of his restarts.
It was very much a shootout between the free takers in the first-half. Aidan McCarthy was imperious from placed balls, converting all seven of his first-half attempts as Inagh/Kilnamona built a commanding advantage. Pádraic O’Donovan was equally dependable from frees for the Parish, accounting for five of their six first-half points.
Fred Hegarty produced the score of the opening half with a sublime sideline cut with the final puck before the interval, sending Inagh/Kilnamona into the break 0-15 to 0-6 ahead.
Doora/Barefield goalkeeper Aaron Landy was called upon five minutes after the restart to try and find the net from a close-range free, but his effort failed to trouble the Inamona defensive wall as Shane Woods dealt with the attempt comfortably.
David Fitzgerald was in red-hot form once again, finishing the game with a personal total of four points. His third being the first score from play in the second-half in the thirty-seventh minute, before Sean Rynne got in on the scoring act a minute later.
Half-time substitute David Conroy and Eoin Burke replied with points from play to reduce the deficit to eight, before Eoin McMahon landed a monster free from well inside his own 65 to leave eight between the sides again at 0-18 to 0-11. That was as close as Doora/Barefield would get for the remainder of the tie, scoring just one point in the final 15 minutes compared to their opponents seven.
The first clear-cut goal chance of the contest arrived with just four minutes remaining when Fitzgerald found a way through the Barefield defence. Landy was quick off his line, however, and did enough to smother the danger before a green flag could be raised.
The second half became increasingly tetchy, with a number of off-the-ball incidents and tempers beginning to flare as the game entered its closing stages.
Fionn Kelleher was left frustrated after a decision went against him in his battle with McCarthy and, as matters began to settle, the Clare senior footballer appeared to swipe across McCarthy’s ankle. Despite already being on a booking, referee Eoghan O’Leary produced a straight red card for the incident. Moments before this, a member of the Inagh/Kilnamona management went face to face with Kelleher.
Keith White, James Hegarty, Sean Rynne, David Fitzgerald and Aidan McCarthy were among the standout performers for the winners as they maintained their perfect start to the championship.
All photographs by Ruthie Griffin.
Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona: A McCarthy (0-11, 9f, 1 ‘65), D Fitzgerald (0-4), S Rynne (0-4), É Foudy (0-1, 1f) K Hehir (0-1), J Hegarty (0-1), K Guyler (0-1), F Hegarty (0-1, 1sc), N Mullins (0-1)
Scorers St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: P O’Donovan (0-7, 6f, 1sc) D Conroy (0-2), E McMahon (0-1, 1f), D Nagle (0-1), E Burke (0-1)
Inagh/Kilnamona:
1: Éamonn Foudy
4: Conor Rynne
3: Shane Woods
6: James Hegarty
5: Kevin Hehir
2: Keith White
8: Darren Callinan
10: Gearóid Barry
11: Sean Rynne
7: David Fitzgerald
21: Kealan Guyler
14: Aidan McCarthy
15: Fred Hegarty
9: Conner Hegarty
13: Joshua Guyler
Subs:
19: Mark Callinan for G Barry (42)
12: David Mescall for C Hegarty (49)
30: Niall Mullins for J Guyler (52)
18: Jack Mescall for K Guyler (57)
17: Jason McCarthy for White (63, blood)
St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield:
1: Aaron Landy
3: Paddy Nagle
4: Mark O’Connor
2: Conor Daly
17: Darragh Ball
7: Fionn Kelleher
6: Eoin McMahon
5: Eoin Ógie Fanning
8: Adam Mungovan
9: Dara Nagle
11: Eoin Burke
20: Pádraic O’Donovan
10: Cathal McMahon
14: Thomas O’Connor
15: Eoin Lahiffe
Subs:
12: David Conroy for C McMahon (HT)
25: Senan Crosbie for D Nagle (41)
26: Ian Williams for O’Donovan (41)
18: Francis Meaney for Fanning (44)
Referee: Eoghan O’Leary (Whitegate)
