*Cratloe’s Liam Markham
Cratloe laid out their intentions as the Clare SFC got underway with five games taking place across the weekend.
Champions St Josephs Miltown survived a scare to record a 1-16 1-12 win over Kilmihil in the first tie of the weekend. Seven points from the boot of Eoin Cleary plus a Kieran Malone treble and a double each from Cormac Murray and Gearoid Curtin saw David O’Brien’s charges home. Their scoring spread up front which also saw Graham Kelly raise a green flag will be difficult for every defence in Group One and the entire county.
Aidan ‘Horse’ Moloney’s return as Kilmurry Ibrickane boss was a successful one as they oversaw Lissycasey 0-09 0-07. Daryn Callinan contributed six points of the Bricks’ final tally, their attack was diminished through the absence of Keelan Sexton and the subsequent hand injury sustained by Dermot Coughlan. Although they ended up on the wrong side of the result, Lissycasey will take a lot of positives from it before their do or die game with Corofin on the first weekend of September, the work they do between now and then will determine whether they make the quarter-finals.
In the battle of the Magpies, it was the North Clare ones from Ennistymon as opposed to Doonbeg in the West that flew home from Cusack Park with two points in the bag, finishing 1-11 1-08 in their favour. Doonbeg with two David Tubridy points were first on the board but Ennistymon replied with seven scores in a row to lead at the break. A Doonbeg revival followed on the restart but crucially a Paul Dillon penalty was saved by Shane Keane who also stepped up to deny Shane Ryan and Eoghan Tubridy green flags at other stages in the game. With one point between them and eight minutes remaining, a Sean McConigley penalty would swing the tie in Ennistymon’s favour.
2017 finalists Clondegad received a heavy eleven point defeat going down to Cratloe on a scoreline of 1-18 0-10. The impressive Cathal McInerney kicked 1-08 for the winners while Podge Collins was very lively at centre forward adding two points of his own with Liam Markham forming a solid anchor at the back, based on scoring difference Colm Collins’ side are effectively through to the knockout stages. It is most definitely a setback for Clondegad but the beaten Cusack Cup finalists have time and the players to turn it around ahead of their crunch third round meeting with Éire Óg.
Kilrush Shamrocks made their first appearance in the senior championship in three years and ensured they collected a win as they edged past Naomh Eoin/O’Currys 1-13 2-08. The Shams led by five points at the interval with Darragh Bolton raising a green flag. Owen Lynch kicked both goals for the amalgamation who are managed by Joe Garry but Kilrush four of the last six points to secure a vital two point win.
Although victory eluded Naomh Eoin/O’Currys, one half of the amalgamation got a taste of success. O’Currys overcame St Senan’s Kilkee in the intermediate championship on Saturday evening. Goals proved pivotal for Kilfenora in the North Clare meeting with Liscannor. The green flags from Micheál Duffy, Matthew Egan and Cronan Howley determined the result in Ennistymon.
It finished all square between Kildysart and St Josephs Doora/Barefield. Emmet McMahon goaled for last year’s beaten finalists with eight minutes of normal time remaining to put them ahead by two points but the Parish fought back to earn a share of the spoils. Coolmeen overcame 2018 Junior champions Éire Óg by the smallest of margins in the final tie of the weekend.
RESULTS
Clare SFC
Group One:
St Josephs Miltown 1-16 Kilmihil 1-12
Kilrush Shamrocks 1-13 Naomh Eoin/O’Currys 2-08
Group Two:
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-09 Lissycasey 0-07
Group Three:
Ennistymon 1-11 Doonbeg 1-08
Group Four:
Cratloe 1-18 Clondegad 0-10
Clare IFC
Group One:
Kilfenora 3-06 Liscannor 0-06
Group Two:
Kildysart 1-08 St Josephs Doora/Barefield 0-11
Group Three:
O’Currys 2-14 St Senan’s Kilkee 3-06
Group Four:
Coolmeen 3-04 Éire Óg 1-09
