*Clondegad’s Morgan Garry tries to rescue the ball back from Shannon Gaels’ Dylan Kenny. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
SUCCESSIVE wins for Corofin, Clondegad and Kilrush Shamrocks have sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the TUS Clare intermediate football championship.
All three are leading contenders to win promotion to the senior ranks and their back to back victories have them in pole position to top their respective groups following the second round of games.
First wins of the campaign were recorded by Naomh Eoin and Banner, two teams both aspiring to advance to the knockout stages.
Coolmeen caused the shock of the round when overcoming O’Currys to leave the men from Carrigaholt and Doonaha at real risk of ending up in the relegation play-offs.
Naomh Eoin get first win under the belt
Naomh Eoin 1-21
Liscannor 2-12
Venue: Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg
After losing out to Corofin in round one, Naomh Eoin bounced back in a must-win game against Liscannor aided by their vast spread of scorers.
Underdogs Liscannor matched their opponents in certain sectors of the field but were cleaned on kickouts from both ends, they retained just over thirty percent of their own kickouts and really struggled to match Naomh Eoin in the air and were slow to reach to breaking ball.
Expectation is on Naomh Eoin’s shoulders this season, successive semi-final appearances and a first-ever Clare IFC final showing last year brings with it a degree of pressure to go further. They appear to be struggling to cope with this pressure and it is acting as a source of tension both on and off the field which has been evident in both of their outings thus far. Adapting to deal with this pressure will determine how far they progress in the Clare IFC.
They claimed the spoils on this occasion but found it more difficult than anticipated by neutrals.
Level three times inside the opening ten minutes, it was Liscannor who took the lead on two different occasions, Alan Clohessy and Brian Considine putting them in front.
Joseph Roche’s goal, ten minutes into the game came as a timely lift for Naomh Eoin. Eoin Hanrahan delivered an excellent ball to Owen Lynch and the lively corner forward provided the assist for Roche. They had four of the next five scores to carve out a six point advantage by the seventeenth minute.
Well-taken two pointers from Conor Magner and Tomás Bonfil gave Naomh Eoin a commanding 1-13 0-8 lead by the sounding of the half-time whistle.
Liscannor produced a lively start to the second half, kicking 1-1 without reply. Darren Nagle had the point while centre forward Michael Foley finished a one on one opportunity to the net after the spine of the Naomh Eoin defence disintegrated.
Foley’s thirty fourth minute goal was cancelled out with the Cross outfit kicking the next three points.
Former Clare captain Alan Clohessy kicked a two pointer from a free reducing the deficit to five points on forty seven minutes and the North Clare men received a huge lift when they struck for a second goal.
Clohessy sent the ball into the danger area and substitute Seán McDonagh did tremendously well with skills suitable to a volleyball team to not alone keep the ball in possession but palm in the direction of Cathal Finnucane who duly obliged to raise the green flag.
(All photographs by Gerard O’Neill)
Crucially this goal on fifty three minutes which made it a three point game was Liscannor’s final contribution to the scoreboard while Naomh Eoin finished out the tie with points from Owen and Odhran Lynch.
Notably three Owen Lynch frees in the second half were all very preventable from Liscannor. Two were awarded for a breach where they failed to have the required three forwards inside their own half while one was brought up to the 21m line for ‘abuse’ of an official. To concede three points for such demeanours really hurt their cause.
Securing primary possession on restarts and winning their share of breaks has to be the focus for Liscannor when they begin preparing for Corofin in round three. Tom Hanrahan, Francesco Bonito and Alan Clohessy did well for Liscannor.
Nine different scorers contributed to Naomh Eoin’s victory while over the course of two games, they have clocked up thirty five scores. They come with a different plan for each outing and continually play to their strengths. Marking and concentration is an area where they fell down on this occasion but they have put the odds back in their favour of progressing to the quarter-finals for the third year running. Owen Lynch once again excelled in attack while Sean Bonfil, Eoin Hanrahan, Niall Bonfil and Tomás Bonfil were others to lead by example.
Scorers Naomh Eoin: Owen Lynch (0-9 5f), J Roche (1-0), C Downes (0-2), C Magner (0-2 1TP), T Bonfil (0-2 1TP), Odhran Lynch (0-2), S Bonfil (0-1), F Keane (0-1), G Magner (0-1).
Scorers Liscannor: A Clohessy (0-5 1TPf 2f), B Considine (0-4 2f), M Foley (1-0), C Finnucane (1-0), C Guerin (0-1), S Murray (0-1), D Nagle (0-1).
Naomh Eoin: Eoin Daly; Adam Foley Keniry, Tomás Bonfil, Conor Tevlin; Mark McQuaid, Conor Magner, Adam Haugh; Gavin Magner, Seán Bonfil; Eoin Hanrahan, Conor Downes, Fergal Keane; Joseph Roche, Niall Bonfil, Owen Lynch.
Subs: Odhran Lynch for Roche (HT), Kevin Roche for Keane (47), Seamus Boland for Downes (53).
Liscannor: Shane Curtin; Robert Lucas, Tom Hanrahan, Ultan McDonagh; Pádraig Haugh, Darren Nagle, Francesco Bonito; Stephen Murray, Brian Considine; Alan Clohessy, Michael Foley, Cian Guerin; Dara Blake, Cathal Finucane, Dan White.
Subs: Sean McDonagh for U McDonagh (41), John Kerin for White (47), Cóbhan Philipson for Blake (53).
Referee: Barry Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)
Corofin seal quarter final spot
Corofin 4-16
Cooraclare 0-12
Venue: Páirc na Muintire, Lisscasey
By Seamus Hayes
Helped by a strong second half showing, Corofin recorded their second successive
victory in the Clare IFC.
For the second game in a row, they played in Lissycasey and a goal from Jamie Malone just before half time after a Cooraclare kickout was intercepted, gave the winners control which they held to the finish.
Up to that goal the sides were evenly matched and everything suggested that there would be little, if anything, between them on the scoreboard when the half time whistle would sound.
Corofin dominated after the break and Cooraclare’s cause wasn’t helped when they were reduced to fourteen men for ten minutes as midfielder Tadhg Lillis was shown a black card. During his absence the winners piled on the scores and opened a big lead.
Malone was their top scorer with 1-7 with Gearoid Cahill contributing 0-7 as Corofin sealed their passage to the championship quarter finals with their final group game against Liscannor to come.
Corofin; Luke Neylon; John Rees, Cilléin Mullins, Colin Fitzgerald; Cathal Flanagan, Caoimhin O’Donovan, Kevin Keane (1-0); Cillian McGroary (0-1 f) Gearoid Kelly; Cian Doolin, Sean O’Brien, Evan Doolin (1-1); Damian O’Loughlin, Gearoid Cahill (0-7, 6f), Jamie Malone (1-7, 2TP)
Subs; Colm Breen for McGroary; Josh Ryan (1-0) for C Doolin; Seanán Kirby for G. Kelly.
Cooraclare; Harry O’Gorman (0-3, 1TP); Gary Donnellan, Sean O’Dea, Ronan Donnelllan; Ciaran Chambers, Fergal Donnellan, Aaron Townsend (0-1); Pearse Lillis, Tadhg Lillis; Kevin Marrinan, Sean Molloy, Gary Cunningham; Simon Culligan (0-5, 1TP), Darragh Townsend, Jack Carey
Subs; Shane Lillis (0-2) for K. Marrinan; Jake Garry for S. Molloy; James Burke for G. Cunningham; Colin McNamara (0-1) for S. Culligan; Gearoid Lillis for A. Townsend
Referee: Niall Quinn (St Joseph’s Miltown)
Comfortable win for Kilrush
Kilrush Shamrocks 5-13
Ennistymon 1-10
Venue: Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
By Seamus Hayes
Kilrush Shamrocks continued their winning ways when they accounted for Ennistymon by fifteen points on Saturday afternoon.
Helped by a first half goal from Conor Fennell they led at the break by eight points, 1-9 to 0-4 and went on to dominate the second half.
Sean Fennell (2), Darragh Bolton and Don O’Driscoll were the second half goalscorers on a day when both midfielders and five of the starting front six got on the scoresheet.
Killrush showed a number of changes from their opening day line out as Stephen Ryan (injured) and Dylan O’Brien (suspended) were both ruled out for this one.
It was 5-13 to 0-9 as the game entered the closing minutes but Ennistymon finished strong shooting 1-1 before the final whistle, the goal coming from Niall Canavan.
The North Clare side’s full forward trio of Danny Rouine, Paudie Considine and Niall Canavan accounted for all of their side’s tally of 1-10.
The Fennell brothers, Sean and Conor contributed 3-6 of the winner’s total
Kilrush Shamrocks: Bobby Carey; Tadhg Lysaght, Ross Cullinane, James Blunnie; Padraig Browne, Kieran Bermingham, Sean Canny; Sean Fennell (2-1), Darragh Bolton (1-1); Dean Neary (0-1), Conor Fennell (1-5), Dara Blunnie; Don O’Driscoll (1-2, 0-2 tp), Gearoid O’Brien (0-1), Ross Phelan (0-2);
Subs; Keith Crowley for G. O’Brien (inj); Ray Glynn for D. Neary; Jim Young for D. Bolton (inj.)
Ennistymon; Conor Morrissey; Lawrence Healy, Conor Rynne, John Murphy; Ryan Barry, Gerry Coote, Daniel Brody; Mattie Kinch, Dara Rouine; Ruairi Murphy, Fred Hegarty, Joe Dowling; Danny Rouine (0-2), Paudie Considine (0-5, 1tp), Niall Canavan (1-3).
Subs; Cathal Frawley for D. Brody; Jack O’Regan for R. Murphy; Joe Casey for F. Hegarty
Referee: Noel Meaney (Coolmeen)
Kilroy’s two pointers steer Banner to victory
Banner 0-15
Michael Cusacks 1-10
Venue: Páirc Finne, Corofin
By Seamus Hayes
Banner justified favouritism when accounting for Michael Cusacks on Sunday but they will need to show a big improvement if they are to challenge for the title
A Michael Cusacks side that had only seventeen players available made things difficult for their Ennis opponents.
A tally of four points for the winners in the second half, two of which came from frees is unlikely to be enough as the championship progresses.
Cusacks had the better of the early exchanges and they led 0-3 to 0-1 after twelve minutes. Banner hit the next two points to level by the end of the opening quarter.
The sides exchanged two pointers Sean McNamara’s score for Cusacks being cancelled out by a like score from Ronan Kilroy.
A Sean McMahon free put the winners ahead before Kilroy landed another two pointer but Sean McNamara replied with a brace in the space of a minute to leave one between the sides.
Shane Meehan then landed one for the winners before Kilroy fired over another two pointer to leave the half time score at 0-11 to 0-7 in the winners favour.
Banner outscored their opponents 0-3 to 0-1 in the third quarter pushing their lead out to six (0-14 to 0-8) as the tie entered the final quarter.
Cusacks weren’t giving up and Ruairi McMahon gave their supporters hope when he crashed a low shot to the corner of the net. A Sean McMahon free after Cusacks breached the 3 back rule, put four between the sides with ten minutes to play.
In the remaining time Cusacks piled on the pressure and they had points from Sean McNamara and Noel Hynes but despite their best efforts they failed to get back on terms.
Banner; Mark Cleary; Conor O’Toole, Kenneth Higgins, Cian Rynne; Justin McGrath, Eoin Walsh, Fuwhad Akinwale; Brian McDonald (0-1), Ronan Kilroy (0-7, 3tp); Matthew McGrath, Shane Meehan (0-1), Eoin Fitzpatrick; Cian O’Connor, Sean McMahon (0-5, 3f), Conor Dennehy (0-1)
Subs; Johnny Martyn for M. McGrath; Oisin McMahon for C. Dennehy; Thomas O’Hallloran for E. Fitzparick; Finn White for E. Walsh
Michael Cusacks; Shane Lee; Darragh Cassidy, Pappy Taaffe, Robbie Cassidy; Kevin Fawle, Conor McGann, Ruaidhri McMahon (1-0); Neil O’Loughlin, John Fawle; Tadhg Geoghegan, Seaghan Brosnan, Sean McNamara (0-7, 3f, 1tp;) Noel Hynes 0-2), Oisin McNamara, Thomas Roche (0-1);
Subs; Joe Clancy for Brosnan; Padraig Fahy for C McGann Iinj)
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
Clondegad in cruise control against Shannon Gaels
Clondegad 3-18
Shannon Gaels 1-11
Venue: Kildysart
For the second year in a row, Clondegad proved too strong for Shannon Gaels in the group stages of the Clare IFC.
Last year the margin was three points but this time Clondegad ran out winners by thirteen points. James Murrihy’s charges have recorded two thirteen point wins in the opening rounds to seal their place in the quarter-finals for the second year in a row.
Clare FM’s Derek Dormer has been impressing listeners with his fresh approach as a stand-in presenter of Sideline View but the Shannon Gaels selector was given a sideline view of his own by referee Eoin Keane when he sent him off with a second yellow card twenty two minutes into the game.
Gaels manager Fergie O’Loughlin had already been booked by the referee with thirteen minutes on the clock. Dormer’s first booking was for running onto the field, an act that also saw Doora/Barefield coach Eoin Troy cautioned during the weekend’s activities.
While the Gaels did win more frees than their opponents, there is a level of indiscipline both on and off the field that will see them penalised by officials. It happened in this outing when instead of Keith Ryan getting the kick the ball out following Seán McAllister’s first point of the second half, they instead conceded a free which Barry Toner duly converted after Gaels players criticised the umpires.
Clondegad had a glorious start kicking 1-1 inside the first fifty eight seconds of the game, Toner kicking the point when they attacked straight from the throw-in while Fiachra Kirby raided for goal with Cillian Brennan providing the assist.
Dylan Kenny opened Shannon Gaels’ account on four minutes while they missed their next three chances, one of which saw Brian Casey clear the ball off the line.
Kirby hit his second goal on sixteen minutes to make the gap five points by the sixteenth minute. They retained their own kickout and worked the ball up field with ease before finishing to the net.
Thomas Kelly at centre forward converted two frees in the second quarter for the Gaels in response but Morgan Garry who has been a big boost to the Clondegad fold since returning kicked a two pointer before the break to make it 2-8 0-6 at half time.
Micheál O’Donoghue had the first score of the second half but Clondegad replied with four points in a row before Julian Linnane kicked a two pointer for the Gaels.
Goal number three arrived for Clondegad on forty seven minutes via the experienced boot of Barry Toner while substitute Dylan O’Neill pulled back a goal for the challengers on fifty seven minutes.
Despite such a heavy defeat, it’s still all to play for entering the final round for Shannon Gaels. A win over Coolmeen would see them secure a second place finish in Group 3 and qualify directly for the quarter-finals, that is well within their possibility but they have faded completely in both of their games which is concerning from their perspective. Julian Linnane and Thomas Kelly did well for the men from Labasheeda and Kilmurry McMahon.
Top spot in the group is guaranteed for Clondegad regardless of how their final round pans out. They were clinical and smart in possession, they kicked just three wides in the course of sixty minutes while amassing twenty one scores. They were even able to take off their hurlers and pulled up on the break but still were comfortable winners, the concession of O’Neill’s goal three minutes from the end will annoy them. Best for Clondegad were Cillian Brennan, Seán McAllister, Morgan Garry, Fiachra Kirby and Barry Toner.
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scorers Clondegad: F Kirby (2-1), B Toner (1-6 4f), M Garry (0-3 1TP), D Costelloe (0-2), C Brennan (0-1), D Kelly (0-1 1’45), S McAllister (0-1), C Kirby (0-1), C Gavin (0-1), E Glynn (0-1).
Scorers Shannon Gaels: Thomas Kelly (0-5 4f), D Kenny (0-3 1TPF), D O’Neill (1-0), J Linnane (0-2 1TP), M O’Donoghue (0-1)
Clondegad: Daniel Kelly; Dillon Kiloughrey, Brian Casey, Tadhg Ó hUallacháin; Mark Crowe, Cillian Gavin, Cillian Brennan; Seán McAllister, Daniel Costelloe; Evan Flynn, Cian Kirby, Morgan Garry; Diarmuid O’Neill, Barry Toner, Fiachra Kirby.
Subs: Colm Meaney for Flynn (HT), Kieran McDonnell for F Kirby (40), Eoin Glynn for C Kirby (45), Eoin Kennedy for Costelloe (48), Niall Lynch for Ó Úallacháin (48)
Shannon Gaels: Keith Ryan; Tomás Cleary, Fergal Kenny, Eoin Keane; Damien Downes, Tadhg Kelly, Dylan Kenny; Jack Reidy, Matthew Reidy; Julian Linnane, Thomas Kelly, Jack McCarthy; John Ryan, Dave Bannigan, Michael O’Donoghue.
Subs: Dylan O’Neill for Ryan (38), Joseph Hehir for Cleary (42)
Referee: Eoin Keane (Corofin)
Coolmeen cause a shock to pile pressure on O’Currys
Coolmeen 1-13
O’Currys 0-12
Venue: Captain Tubridy Memorial Park, Kilrush
Coolmeen kicked the final three scores of this game including an excellent two pointer from Cathal O’Connor to run out victorious over O’Currys.
Level five times during the course of the game, Coolmeen provided an extra push when the need was greatest to put themselves firmly in contention for a place in the quarter-finals if they can cause another shock and overcome Shannon Gaels in the final round.
As it stands O’Currys are now staring down the barrel of a relegation battle unless they can spring the surprise of the championship and defeat Clondegad in the final round. A draw against the Ballynacally outfit coupled with a win for Coolmeen in the final round would also save O’Currys.
It was in Captain Tubridy Memorial Park last September that O’Currys defeated Coolmeen 1-9 0-7 to qualify for their third quarter-final in four years but eleven months later at the same venue they came out the wrong side of a four point defeat to leave their season hanging by a thread.
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Ironically missed chances cost Coolmeen on that occasion when they kicked ten second half wides and spurned four goal chances whereas this time round it was O’Currys’ turn to put on the wasteful boots, they had thirteen wides over the hour and missed five scoreable frees while Danny Downes had a glorious chance to bag a goal before half time.
Downes and Shane Browne kicked two pointers in the first quarter to see O’Currys hold a 0-6 0-3 advantage. However they were level by the twenty ninth minute with points from Michael Kennedy, Cathal O’Connor and Aidan Corry all splitting the posts. The final score of the half fell to Brian Keane to leave O’Currys 0-8 0-7 in front but their lead should have been much greater.
Ben Cleary was denied a goal in the opening half when his palmed effort was kept out by Colin Clohessy but the full-forward made no mistake on thirty four minutes to give Coolmeen the lead for the first time in the game. An Aidan Corry free fell to the full-forward and when given the chance he duly obliged this time.
Had it not been for a vital Luke Murray block on Michael Kennedy then Coolmeen would likely have struck for a second goal moments later.
It took O’Currys six minutes to respond and Danny Downes’ effort just went above Adam Carrig’s crossbar. Ten minutes later it was Downes to get the next score of the game and it levelled matters.
Coolmeen’s fifteen minute wait for a score soon ended and then two arrived at once, Michael Kennedy fisted the ball between the posts and then Cathal O’Connor was on target to see them go two in front.
Browne and Michael Foran managed to get O’Currys back on level terms but Coolmeen found extra momentum, O’Connor’s two pointer was an inspiring effort and it was followed by Dylan Power and Aidan Corry scoring to seal the win.
Energy was lacking from O’Currys who certainly had the winning of this game but failed to score for the final four minutes of normal time and the six minutes of additional time. An ankle injury greatly restricted Thomas Clancy’s involvement from the second half onwards. The missed chances and lifeless finish were their downfall. Darragh Keane, Stephen Kelly and Seamus Keane worked hard throughout for the Gerry Killeen managed side.
Only Dylan O’Halloran and Aidan Corry scored for Coolmeen when they lost to O’Currys last year whereas this time round Dylan Power was in fine scoring form kicking four points from play with Michael Kennedy getting through an amount of work but also contributing two vital white flags and Cathal O’Connor’s two pointers really gave them the belief to go the extra line in the dying moments of the contest. JJ Carrig was exceptional at full-back for the winners, Power, O’Connor and Kennedy also stood out. They have nothing to lose in the final round and certainly won’t fear their neighbours.
Scorers Coolmeen: C O’Connor (0-4 1TP), D Power (0-4), A Corry (0-3 3f), B Cleary (1-0), M Kennedy (0-2).
Scorers O’Currys: S Browne (0-4 1TPF 2f), D Downes (0-4 1TP), B Keane (0-2), E Killeen (0-1), M Foran (0-1)
Coolmeen: Adam Carrig; David Hehir, JJ Carrig, Dylan O’Halloran; Mark Meaney, Thomas Coffey, Rian Meaney; Brian Markham, Eoin O’Connor; Thomas Flynn, Cathal O’Connor, Michael Kennedy; Ben Cleary, Aidan Corry, Dylan Power.
Subs: Joe Corry for Hehir (24), Michael Brooks for Cleary (54), Adam Wallace for Meaney (54), Barry Vaughan for Carrig (58)
O’Currys: Colin Clohessy; Darragh Keane, Stephen Kelly, Luke Murray; Seamus Keane, Eoin Brew, Evan Killeen; Thomas Clancy, Cathal Downes; Liam Griffin, Michael Foran, Brian Keane; Danny Downes, Shane Browne, Eoin Kelly.
Subs: Paddy Clancy for Murray (50), Ian Roche for Kelly (60).
Referee: John O’Connell (Cooraclare)
