Ballyea & Clonlara battle out a draw to tee up decisive final round

*David Fitzgerald and Thomas Kelly compete for possession. Photograph: Ruthie Griffin.

BALLYEA almost pulled off a major two week turnaround, coming within moments of defeating Clonlara and ended up having to settle for a share of the spoils.

Ballyea 1-17
Clonlara 2-14
Venue: Páirc Micheál Uí hEithir Cratloe

Defying the dominant conditions and the first round form guide, the Tony Kelly led side got themselves two clear by the 66th minute in this critical Group 1 showdown with Clonlara.

Despite only five additional minutes being called, a protracted row had extended the allocated time which resumed with an Ian Galvin free before the drama heightened in the next passage of play.

Mossy Gavin superbly defended a goalmouth scramble and believing it was the last play, flicked the ball over the sideline about 30 metres from his own goal.

However, there would be time for one last Clonlara push with Micheál O’Loughlin cleverly knocking the sideline cut back to halfway for Aidan Moriarty to loft over and split the spoils.

That heightened level of drama and intensity permeated throughout the entire hour that was level seven times and saw the lead change hands on six more occasions.

The wind while blowing towards the Limerick end wasn’t as straight-forward as initially anticipated as between them, they shared 30 wides and only combined for 34 scores.

Indeed, both sides played better into the gale, with Clonlara taking an early advantage through Michael Collins and Micheál O’Loughlin only to lose Diarmuid Stritch to a head gash only six minutes after finally making his 2026 championship bow.

His absence around the centre was particularly felt when Tony Kelly began to dominate proceedings scoring three of a four point blitz to open up a two point gap by the end of the opening quarter.

That seesaw pattern would be maintained as Clonlara responded with four of their own through O’Loughlin, Collins, John Conlon and David Fitzgerald, only for Mossy Gavin and Niall Deasy to open their accounts and level matters for the third time by the 22nd minute at 0-7 to 0-7.

An opportunist breakthrough goal for Ian Galvin did nudge Clon back in front but needing to mammies their wind advantage, Tony Kelly almost singlehandedly flipped the script when first rifling a 20 metre free to the left corner of the Clonlara net before adding a late free to ensure a 1-11 to 1-09 half-time edge.

Robbie Hogan’s side would have still been wiping their brows heading into the dressing rooms though after Ian Galvin’s meandering hickey skills only found the side-netting before a last gasp Tom Power one-on-one was expertly smothered by onrushing goalkeeper Barry Coote.

Clonlara would grab a second goal but in rather unlikely circumstances though as with Coote soloing out of defence on the right wing, Micheál O’Loughlin’s persistence allied to a Cathal O’Connell pass picked out John Conlon to lob over the last defender from 35 metres and into an empty net at 2-09 to 1-11 on the resumption.

With the wind now at their backs, it should have been advantage Clonlara but ten second half wides would scupper that optimism as instead a rampant Tony Kelly upped the ante with Ballyea’s next four points to snatch back the ascendency entering the final quarter at 1-15 to 2-10.

One expected a Clon backlash but they appeared increasingly out of ideas up front as aside from an early Michael Collins point, a Micheál O’Loughlin free entering the final ten minutes was all the South East Clare side could muster on the scoreboard in a 30 minute period.
Ballyea didn’t have much luck in front of the posts either though but Mossy Gavin did restore a two point cushion as did Kelly with a masterful injury-time point to match one from Michael Clancy at 1-17 to 2-12.

Clare’s captain even threw himself in the way of an Eoin Begley goal sighting as he did whatever it took to cling to his side’s two point cushion.

After a brief getting-to-know-you session at the Ballyea 20 metre line, Ian Galvin earned and converted a 66th minute free but it was Moriarty’s composed leveller that proved inspirational for Clon to cement what could yet be an invaluable point.

It’s still all to play for in Round 3 in a fortnight’s time though as a positive result for Clonlara against Inagh/Kilnamona guarantees their passage to the quarter-finals but if Eugene Cullinan’s side maintain their winning start, score difference would come into play provided that Ballyea can overcome St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.

Scorers for Ballyea: Tony Kelly 1-12 (1-7f), Mossy Gavin 0-2, Jack Browne 0-1, Niall Deasy 0-1, Daniel Costelloe 0-1

Scorers for Clonlara: Micheál O’Loughlin 0-5 (2f), Michael Collins 0-3, John Conlon 1-1, Ian Galvin 1-1 (1f), David Fitzgerald 0-1, Colm Galvin 0-1, Aidan Moriarty 0-1, Michael Clancy 0-1.

All photographs by Ruthie Griffin