Clooney/Quin overcome Tony Kelly led Ballyea to reach Clare SHC final

*Jack O’Neill and Sam Scanlon celebrate. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

CLOONEY/QUIN have claimed their place in the Clare SHC final for the first time since 2017 after seeing off the challenge of battle-hardened Ballyea.

Clooney/Quin 4-15
Ballyea 2-19
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis

The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SHC is with thanks to The Temple Gate Hotel.

Not even a Tony Kelly masterclass was enough for Ballyea to stop a better balanced Clooney/Quin who won by a margin of two points to set up a first-ever final showdown with Éire Óg. He scored 1-14 while county teammate Peter Duggan hit 1-10 with both men standing out for their clubs.

Goals win games and Clooney/Quin struck for one in each quarter of the game to pick up what was a merited victory.

They had the brighter start and went 1-2 0-0 in front by the seventh minute, Sam Scanlon raiding for goal after Jimmy Corry burst through the spine of the Ballyea defence, only for an excellent Tadhg Ó hUallacháin interception stopped him and put the ball in Scanlon’s path.

This prompted Ballyea to spur to life and they had a goal of their own via Fiachra Kirby in the next attack, Aaron Griffin secured possession and Morgan Garry made a quick offload which Kirby dispatched to the net.

Just as Ballyea reduced the arrears to a point, Peter Duggan struck for goal. He caught a puckout from his cousin Cillian, ran over forty metres in possession before planting it to the back of the net.

Once again Ballyea fought back and got seven of the final eight scores in the opening half to lead by two points at the break, Tony Kelly scoring 0-9 of their 1-10 tally at this juncture.

Peter Duggan levelled matters with two frees in the first five minutes of the new half. Kelly then swapped scores with Scanlon and Callum Hassett before Duggan and Daniel Costelloe traded efforts by the thirty eighth minute.

Darragh McNamara who has stepped up at vital moments already this year for Clooney/Quin picked off their third goal on forty one minutes with captain Corry again having a starring role to create the chance.

Daragh Moylan following on from three Kelly points helped to put Ballyea on level terms again with fifty three minutes played and they shoved in front thanks to a Cian Kirby point, two minutes later.

Again it was Peter Duggan to step up for his side, he hit two points and then made another big catch, this time offloading to Jerry O’Connor to leave the sliotar in the roof of the net and have Clooney/Quin with one foot in the final, heading into additional time.

Kelly stepped up with 1-1 in additional time, the goal a penalty won after Niall Deasy was fouled. In between these scores, Martin Duggan landed a big score for the winners, chasing back to overturn Jack Browne and then point on a swivel.

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