*Rian McNamara gets the ball away as Sean Rynne closes in. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
CRATLOE have progressed the quarter-finals of the Clare SFC while Ennistymon are now in the relegation series.
Cratloe 2-11
Ennistymon 2-5
Venue: Gurteen
By Derek Dormer
Incredibly reigning Cusack Cup holder’s and last year’s beaten County finalists Ennistymon will now face into the ignominy of the relegation series after succumbing to Colm Collin’s heroic men in blue by six points.
With Kildysart defeating Lissycasey in Clarecastle at the same time, it is the Estuary club that will top the group and be seeded for the quarter final draw. However with both Lissycasey and Ennistymon finishing level on two points apiece the head to head ruling applies thus sending Mark Shanahan’s men into the dreaded relegation scenario.
It must be noted that Cratloe were fully deserving winners on the day. Showing a fierce determination and a huge appetite for work rate, the 2014 champions put in their best performance in recent memory.
Cratloe, showing that hunger, took the game to their opponents immediately from the throw in.
Pressing up on the Ennistymon kick out provided the platform from which to attack and this tactic clearly paid dividends. Tommy Rooney opened the scoring in the third minute and then the outstanding Shane Neville kicked the first of his three points from play. Neville who started for the injured Podge Collins was tremendous all afternoon and proved a constant thorn in Ennistymon’s side.
It took a full thirteen minutes for Ennistymon to register their first score when wing back Josh Guyler curled a beauty on the run. Moments later a sweeping team move resulted in the game’s opening major when corner back Ciaran McMahon played a beautiful one two before releasing David Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald showing lovely vision, unselfishly off loaded to the on rushing Keith White who blasted to the net from close range. The response though from Cratloe typified their resolve and highlighted their desire as they kicked the next three points before the interval with a Cathal McInerney beauty the highlight.
At half time it was Cratloe who led by two on a six points to 1-1 scoreline.
An outside of the right boot peach from Keith White from an acute angle reduced the arrears to the bare minimum on the resumption of play.
Cratloe were then dealt a huge blow when referee Chris Maguire black carded Jack McInerney but it was in this ten minute spell where this game was won and lost.
Numerically at a disadvantage Cratloe conceded the restarts and crowded the middle third. Using a counter attacking tactic they managed to outscore Ennistymon 1-2 to a solitary point in this period.
The goal was a moment of sheer brilliance as Shane Neville played a world class defence splitting pass to midfielder Diarmuid Ryan who unleashed a rocket that flew off the underside of the crossbar and back into play with umpire Frank Mee immediately reaching for the green flag. Upon his return Jack McInerney pointed and the lead was now six points with eight minutes to play.
Substitute Eanna Rouine who had a massive impact upon his arrival traded points with the returning Conor Ryan before Rouine palmed to the net after a beautiful team move with another substitute Tiernan Hogan providing the assist. Rouine and David Collins then traded scores and it was a one score game with the clock ticking down at 1-11 to 2-5.
Four additional minutes was signalled for and Ennistymon threw everybody forward in the hope of grabbing an equalizing goal that would have kept their championship ambitions alive.
However deep into additional time a long clearance found powerhouse midfielder Ryan in acres of space and the Clare hurler finished to the net with aplomb to send the blue army into the quarter finals.
Scorers for Ennistymon: Eanna Rouine 1-2, Keith White 1-1, Joshua Guyler, Sean Rynne 0-1 each
Scorers for Cratloe: Diarmuid Ryan 2-0, Cathal McInerney 0-3 (1f), Shane Neville 0-3, Tommy Rooney, Conal O’Hanlon, Jack McInerney, Conor Ryan, David Collins 0-1 each
CRATLOE
1: Padraigh Chaplin;
2: David Collins;
3: Kevin Harnett;
4: Liam Markham;
5: Enda Boyce;
6: Mike Brennan;
7: Riain McNamara;
8: Diarmuid Ryan;
9: Conal O’Hanlon;
23: Shane Neville;
11: Sean Collins;
12: Tommy Rooney;
13: Jack McInerney;
14:Cathal McInerney;
10: Rian Considine;
Subs:
25: Conor Ryan for Considine (53 mins)
ENNISTYMON
1: Noel Sexton;
2: Ciaran McMahon;
3: Adam Ralph;
4: Joey Rouine;
5: Liam Cotter;
6: David McNamara;
7: Joshua Guyler;
17: Cathal Malone;
9: Liam Devitt;
10: Eoin Rouine;
15: Sean Rynne;
8: Joshua Vaughan;
20: Keith White;
11: David Fitzgerald;
14: Kealan Guyler;
Subs:
13: Ryan Barry for Eoin Rouine (HT);
19: Tiernan Hogan for Liam Cotter (42 mins);
12: Eanna Rouine for Kealan Guyler (46 mins);
28: Enda Ralph for Liam Devitt (60 mins);
18: Brian McNamara for Joshua Guyler (60 mins);
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
