Cratloe strike late to overcome Kildysart

*Cratloe’s Kevin Harnett. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

CRATLOE struck for 1-1 in the final two minutes to overcome Kildysart in the second round of the TUS Clare SFC.

Cratloe 1-13
Kildysart 0-12
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Cíosóg, Ennis

The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SFC is with thanks to The Shannon Springs Hotel.

Level seven times throughout the course of Saturday evening’s tie, it was a very even encounter but Jamie Moylan’s goal on fifty nine minutes was the deciding factor.

With three teams to emerge from Group 1, the win is likely to be enough to push 2023 champions Cratloe into the knockout stages.

Both managers, Colm Collins and Maurice Walsh were wearing jeans on the sideline but there was nothing casual or formal from the approach of either side.

In what was a lively start, there were three scores inside the first ninety seconds. Liam Markham landed a two pointer for Cratloe only for Kildysart to reply with efforts from Jamie Evans after they broke successfully from their kickout and Luke McGrath aided by Padraigh Chaplin’s kickout from the Cratloe going directly to his opposing side.

Two Seán Collins frees had Cratloe back in front by the sixth minute with Diarmuid O’Donnell levelling matters twice.

Conor Moloney who was effective as an attacking platform from wing back gave Kildysart the lead for the first time on fifteen minutes. At the other end, Stephen Sheehan produced a fine block to stop Podge Collins from goaling.

Scores were traded by Seán Collins and Conor Hassett before Kildysart hit successive points via McGrath and Evans to go three in front. The gap was reduced to two by the sounding of the half time whistle, Collins converting his third free of the half.

Two Collins frees were answered by points from Diarmuid O’Donnell and Rory McMahon in the third quarter with Rian Considine fisting over an effort to reduce the deficit to the minimum on forty one minutes.

Another free from Collins put Cratloe back on parity as the game entered the final quarter. They took the lead for the first time in the fifth minute when David Collins split the posts and they denied Kildysart a major when Riain McNamara made a goal-line clearance on fifty minutes.

There was another kick in Kildysart who kicked the next two points through Michael Donnellan and Conall Casey.

However that was the last contribution they made to the scoreboard with Casey’s point on fifty three minutes their last score of the game, Cratloe finishing with points from Podge Collins and Diarmuid Ryan along with a Jamie Moylan goal.

A dropping delivery from Eoin Carey was palmed to the net by Moylan, the Clare U20 had an earlier chance of a goal which went abegging when Diarmuid Ryan left him a handy finish, however he made amends and the goal was the winning of the game so all’s well that ends well.

MORE TO FOLLOW

Scorers Cratloe: S Collins (0-7 7f), J Moylan (1-0), L Markham (0-2 1TP), R Considine (0-1), D Collins (0-1), P Collins (0-1), D Ryan (0-1).

Scorers Kildysart: L McGrath (0-3 2f), D O’Donnell (0-3 1f), J Evans (0-2), C Moloney (0-1), C Hassett (0-1), R McMahon (0-1), M Donnellan (0-1), C Casey (0-1).

Cratloe:
1: Padraigh Chaplin

4: Riain McNamara
3: Kevin Harnett
2: David Collins

5: Enda Boyce
6: Mike Brennan
7: Liam Markham

8: Diarmuid Ryan
19: Conor Ryan

9: Tommy Rooney
11: Seán Collins
12: Tadhg Lohan

13: Padraic Collins
14: Rian Considine
17: Jamie Moylan

Subs:
22: Marc O’Brien for Rooney (39)
30: Eoin Carey for C Ryan (39)
24: Ryan Harkin for Considine (57)

Kildysart:
1: Conor Cusack

3: Fergal Ginnane
4: Stephen Sheehan
2: Cillian Kelly

22: Conall Casey
6: Rory McMahon
5: Conor Moloney

8: Keith O’Connor
9: Kieran O’Brien

13: Jamie Evans
18: Michael Donnellan
11: Luke McGrath