*Corofin/Ruan’s Shane Punch. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
Corofin/Ruan sealed their place in the U21A hurling final while Crusheen/Tubber will meet Bodyke O’Callaghans Mills in the B decider.
Corofin/Ruan justified their favourites tag as they produced a stirring second half display to overcome Scariff/Ogonnelloe in the U21A hurling semi-final.
Corofin/Ruan 1-23
Scariff-Ogonnelloe 4-13
Venue: Dr Stuart Park, Ogonnelloe
Half time substitute Conor Leen made his mark when introduced for Corofin/Ruan but their key personnel also stood tall as they managed to overturn an eight point half-time deficit when they trailed 3-11 1-09.
Out of action for much of the year due to injury, Leen was handed the role of sweeper when introduced and this released Gearoid Cahill to move forward in an effort to curb Patrick Crotty who had scored 1-5 in the opening half when he caused caused huge problems for Corofin/Ruan.
The winners won the toss and opted to play against the wind in the opening half. Goals from Mark Rodgers (2) and Crotty helped the East Clare side to a 3-9 to 1-7 interval lead, Rodgers’ second effort was very impressive given he did so without the assistance of his hurley.
Corofin/Ruan’s goal came from Robin Mounsey after he took a pass from Diarmuid Cahill. The duo linked up well throughout the course of Sunday’s fixture.
The wind increased as the game progressed and the winners gradually reduced the deficit with some good scores from goalscorser Mounsey, Killian McGroary, Killian O’Connor, Kevin Keane, Diarmuid Cahill, Jack McDonagh and Shane Punch.
With the deficit down to the minimum, Corofin/Ruan were rocked when Rodgers got through for his third and his team’s fourth goal but the visitors to the well appointed East Clare venue weren’t to be denied and they finished strongly to take the spoils and set up a final date with Newmarket-on-Fergus, this encounter is provisionally fixed for Sunday week and is expected to be played before Christmas.
Killian O’Connor, the Cahill brothers, Mounsey and Shane Punch impressed for the winners, their powerful second half showing saw the North Clare outfit outscore their East Clare counterparts 0-14 1-02. Patrick Crotty, particularly in the opening half and Mark Rodgers were to the fore for the home side who lost Patrick Ryan to injury at a crucial time in the game
Corofin/Ruan: Cian O’Donoghue; Marc O’Loughlin, Ashley Brohan, Jason Power; Gearoid Hanrahan, Gearoid Cahill, Killian McGroary; Shane Punch, Dara McInerney; Kevin Keane, Robin Mounsey, Diarmuid Cahill; Jack McDonagh, Killian O’Connor, Patrtick OHalloran;
Subs: Oisin Madigan for J. Power; Conor Leen for Madigan; Shane O’Brien for McDonagh.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe; Willian Kavanagh; Seamus McCaul, Tadhg Kavanagh, Adam Sheedy; Sean Collins, Eoin O’Grady, Gearoid Sheedy; Conor Downes, Keelan Hartigan; Shane Kavanagh, Patrick Crotty, Martin Walsh; Paddy Ryan, Mark Rodgers, Eanna O’Brien
Subs: Eoin Keehan for S. Collins; Eoin Hefffernan for A. Sheedy; Scott Cairns for P. Ryan(inj); Paul McGee for E. O’Brien;
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
Crusheen-Tubber and Bodyke-O’Callaghans Mills will contest the final of the Clare under 21 B hurling championship this weekend after they overcame the challenge of opponents Clooney-Quin and Ballyea on Sunday afternoon. Despite some difficult conditions with players having to contend with strong winds, there was some impressive hurling in both games
Second half fight back by Crusheen/Tubber
Crusheen/Tubber 1-16
Clooney/Quin 0-16
Venue: Tubber
Behind by seven points, 0-5 to 0-12, at the interval, Crusheen/Tubber were forced to dig deep in the second half of this tie played at Tubber.
The wind picked up in the second half and the home side capitalised with some good scores. They got control in the middle third of the pitch and this led to their dominance after the break.
For the third game in succession, Crusheen-Tubber played second fiddle in the opening quarter and on this occasion they were fortunate not to have been further behind.
The loss of Joey Droney for this tie was a blow but the team’s defence improved as the game progressed and the switch of Ian O’Brien from wing forward to wing back helped greatly.
Senan Dunford was another to impress and he struck for the game’s only goal midway through the second half after good work by Oisin O’Donnell.
Crusheen/Tubber: Tommy Fahy; Ronan Kearney Pappy Taaffe, John O’Sullivan; Tadhg Deane, Eanna McMahon, Cathal Droney; Diarmuid Mullins, Liam Clancy; Ian O’Brien. Luke Kettalaar, Murrough McMahon; Senan Dunford, Oisin O’Donnell, Dylan Lyons.
Sub: Seanie McNamara for D. Lyons.
Clooney/Quin: Cormac O’Halloran; Evan Maxted, Callum Beirne, Martin Freyne; John Conneally, Eoghan O’Brien, Eoin Guilfoyle; Donagh O’Sullivan, Paul Hogan; Colm Cassidy, Oisin Egan, Darragh Keogh; Ulick O’Sullivan, Andrew Considine, Dylan Cunninghm.
Subs: Shane Harrisson for Considine; Considine for D. Cunningham; Colin Liddy for U. O’Sullivan; Killian Enright for O. Egan; Adam Deegan for Freyne.
Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
Doyle’s goal gives Bodyke/Mills the upperhand
Bodyke/O’Callaghans Mills 1-14
Ballyea 0-10
Venue: Ballyea
Playing with the aid of the wind in the opening half, Bodyke/O’Callaghans Mills had opened a six point lead by the half way point and they maintained this throughout a second half in which the home side were down to fourteen players following the dismissal of Michael Meaney on a second yellow card early in the new half.
Ballyea succeeded in closing the gap to three points but being a man down proved too much and the visitors went on to record a merited win.
Helped by the game’s only goal which came from Seanie Doyle, the winners were 1-6 to 0-3 ahead at the halfway point. The goal came after Doyle took a free short before taking possession back and shooting to the net.
Cormac Murphy, Fionn Slattery, Stephen Donlon, Seanie Wiley, Mikey McMahon and Fionn Hickey were prominent for the winners
Bodyke/O’Callaghans Mills: Jack Minogue; Cormac Treacy, Keith Donlon, Ronan Kelly; Mikey McMahon, Sean Wiley, Kevin Drost; Fionn Hickey, Cormac Murphy; Fionn Slattery, Seanie Doyle, Stephen Donlon; Tiernan Slattery, Colm Cleary, Tomas Minogue;
Subs: Jamie O’Donnell for Drost (inj); Darragh Moroney for T. Minogue; Tommy Wiley fort O’Donnell; Stephen Marsh for F. Slattery
Ballyea: Oisin Griffin, Brian Longe, Evan Flynn, Cormac O’Mahoney; Stephen Casey, Cian Meaney, Evan Wall; David Meaney, Liam Crowe; Fergal Guinnane, Diarmuid O’Neill, Michael Meaney; Fiachra Kirby, Mossy Gavin, Cian Kirby;
Subs: Eoin Gavin for D. O’Neill; Niall Carigg for L. Crowe; Barry Nealon for C. Meaney; Danny Quinn for D. Meaney; Daniel Kelly for E. Gavin.
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
