*Aidan McCarthy hit 0-9 as Inagh/Kilnamona edged towards a quarter-final spot. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
QUARTER-FINAL places in the Clare Cup have been secured by Crusheen, Sixmilebridge, Clonlara and Newmarket-on-Fergus while Aidan McCarthy’s return to Inagh/Kilnamona strengthened their push for the knockout stages.
Top four teams from Division 1A and Division 1B of the willwego.com Clare Cup will qualify for the quarter-finals.
Following the penultimate series of games in the league, Crusheen, Sixmilebridge, Clonlara and Newmarket-on-Fergus are assured of their spot in the knockout stages.
In Division 1A, Inagh/Kilnamona will guarantee a quarter-final spot with a final round win over Sixmilebridge while in 1B Kilmaley are well positioned to be in the last eight.
O’Callaghans Mills made it three from three which their neighbours, Scariff, got a much needed brace of points when overcoming Kilmaley.
Clonlara and Crusheen kept up their strong challenge for ultimate honours while Clarecastle were impressive and deserving winners over county champions Feakle in a lively tie.
Aidan McCarthy top scores for Inagh/Killnamona
Inagh/Kilnamona 2-21
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-13
Venue; Gurteen
Playing his first Clare Cup game of the season, All-Ireland medal winner Aidan McCarthy landed 0-9 for Inagh/Kilnamoa in their comfortable win over Doora/Barefield.
A surprising omission from Clare’s panel in their successive championship loss to Tipperary, the county’s loss was Inagh/Kilnamona’s gain.
The first half saw the sides evenly matched with the winners going to the break with a four point advantage 0-11 to 0-7.
Second half goals from Conner Hegarty and substitute Evan McNamara helped the visitors to take command and they went on to build up a comfortable winning margin of eleven points and keep their hopes of success in the competition very much alive.
(All photographs by Gerard O’Neill)
David Conroy top scored for the home side with 0-8.
Overall the winners were a more evenly balanced team and this was a key factor in their victory.
Inagh/Kilnamona; Pa Kelly; Padraig Devitt, Keith White, Cathal McConigley; Jason Griffin, Jason McCarthy, Ricky Wynne (0-1); Mark Callinan, Seamus Foudy (0-1); Darren Cullinan, Connor Hegarty, (1-2), Josh Guyler (0-2); Adan McCarthy (0-9), Tom Barry, Gerry Coote;
Subs; David Mescall (0-4) for J. Griffin (inj); Keelan Guyler for J. Guyler (inj); Eoghan Foudy for T Barry; Kevin Hehir for M Callinan (inj); Evan McNamaara (1-2) for G. Coote.
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Aaron Landy; Ciaran O’Driscoll, Jarlath Colleran, Paddy Nagle; Dara Nagle, Dara O’Shea, Conor Daly; Darragh McMahon, Darragh Ball (0-1); Senan Crosbie, David Conroy (0-8), Eoin Burke; Eoin ‘Ogie’ Fanning, Eoin Lahiffe (1-3), Brian Guilfoyle
Subs; Eoghan Thynne for J Colleran; Michael Nash (0-2) for B Guilfoyle; Eoghan Talty for D McMahon.
Referee; Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
Comfortable win for Clonlara
Clonlara 3-25
Corofin 1-15
Venue: Clonlara
Clonlara kept up their strong challenge for Clare Cup honours with this comfortable win over Corofin on Friday evening.
With a ten point lead at half time Donal Madden’s charges were well on the way to their latest victory.
Two first half goals from Kieran Galvin propelled the South Clare side to a half time score of 2-13 with the visitors managing 0-9 in that opening half.
The winners continued to dominate in the second half when Clare panellist Colm O’Meara struck for their third goal.
Teenager Seanán Kirby got through for the visitors’ goal in the second half on an evening when Gearoid Kelly contributed 0-12 to their tally, all but one of which came from placed balls.
On the evening, however, the home side dictated matters with the half back trio of David Fitzgerald, Aidan Moriarty and Paraic O’Loughlin leading the way.
Clonlara: Seimi Gully; Logan Ryan; Paul McNamara, Michael Clancy; David Fitzgerald (0-3), Aidan Moriarty, Paraic O’Loughlin (0-1); Dylan McMahon (0-1), Jathan McMahon; Micheál O’Loughlin (0-12), Daniel Moloney, Colm O’Meara (1-1); Eoin Begley (0-2), Tom Power (0-2), Kieran Galvin (2-2)
Subs; Kieran Howard (0-1) for M. O’Loughlin; Fionnan O’Brien for D. Moloney; James McCormack for J. McMahon; Conor Cahill for K. Galvin; Gearoid O’Brien for D. McMahon
Corofin; Liam Corbett; Liam Fitzpatrick, Damian O’Loughlin, John Rees; Killian O’Connor, Cillian McGroary, Adrian Shannon; Gearoid Cahill, Micheál Duffy; Gearoid Hanrahan, Gearoid Kelly (0-12), Evan Doolin (0-1); Cian Doolin, Diarmuid Cahill (0-1), Seanán Kirby (1-1);
Subs: Colin Fitzgerald for J. Rees; Cathal Flanagan for G. Hanrahan; Caoimhin O’Donovan for C. Doolin; Adam O’Loughlin for S. Kirby; Eoin Carroll for M. Duffy
Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate)
Magpies flying high
Clarecatle 2-17
Feakle 0-18
Venue: Clarecastle
Paul O’Connell’s goal in the final minute sealed victory for Clarecastle over Feakle in a lively tie played in brilliant sunshine at Clarecastle on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies showed their intent from the outset as they raced into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after ten minutes.
The switch of Shane McGrath to the inside forward line with Gary Guilfoyle moving out helped Feakle close the gap as McGrath caused some problems for the home team’s defence.
Three in a row from the visitors left two between the sides at the end of the first quarter.
In the next ten minutes Feakle outscored the home side 0-4 to 0-2 to level the tie with three minutes of the half still to play.
Two Shane McGrath efforts had Feakle in front before Conor Ralph pulled one back to leave just the minimum between the sides at the interval, Feakle leading 0-10 to 0-9.
Three minutes into the new half the sides were level again at 0-11 each but five minutes later Feakle had edged two clear but Clarecastle weren’t throwing in the towel and they struck a major blow in the eighth minute of the half when Ralph finished a good move with a goal.
Shane McGrath levelled but Clarecastle were growing in confidence and points from Niall Galvin, Cian Broderick from a long range free and Oisin Whelan saw them open a three point lead.
They had stretched this to four with ten minutes to go but Feakle were piling on the pressure and two Shane McGrath efforts left two between the teams with five minutes of normal time remaining.
The game was in the final minute when Liam O’Connor’s short puckout was intercepted and Paul O’Connell sealed victory for the home side when firing to the net.
Clarecatle; Cian Broderick (0-1); Conor Griffin, Filip Wiechinski, Niall Brigdale; Evan Price, Stephen O’Halloran, Josh Brack; Conor Whelan, Colin Brigdale (0-1); Conor Ralph (1-2), Oisin Whelan (0-6), Conor Halpin (0-2); Paul O’Connell (1-4), Patrick Kelly (0-1), Jack Murphy
Subs; Niall Galvin (0-2) for J. Murphy; Nathan Casey for F. Wiechinski; David Tuohy for P. Kelly; Murphy for O Whelan (inj);
Feakle: Liam O’Connor; Enda Madden, Killian Bane, Conor Tuohy; Patrick Daly, Ronan O’Connor (0-2), Eoin Tuohy (0-1); Enda Noonan, Oisin Clune; Ray Bane (0-1), Shane McGrath (0-11), Sean Walsh; Owen McGann (0-2), Gary Guilfoyle, Oisin O’Connor (0-1).
Subs: Eoghan Daly for Madden (inj); Martin Daly for Walsh; Eoin McGuinness for E Noonan;
Referee: Jarlath Donnellan (Wolfe Tones)
Strong second half showing from Crusheen
Crusheen 3-22
Sixmilebridge 1-25
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
Nine points in arrears after just eight minutes when the score was 1-6 to 0-0, not many would have expected Crusheen to overcome Sixmilebridge on their own grounds but the visitors hit back strongly at the start of the second half when they hit 1-6 without reply on their way to what may yet prove to be a vital victory.
Two Alex Morey points and three from Jamie Shanahan were followed by 1-1 from Brian Corry as the home side opened that early lead. From there to half time the sides were evenly matched with the home side leading 1-15 to 1-8 when the short whistle sounded, the visitor’s goal coming from Jamie Fitzgibbon.
Oisin O’Donnell, Diarmuid Mullins and Conor O’Donnell landed early second half points for Crusheen before Oisin O’Donnnell struck for the team’s first goal.
Two more Oisin O’Donnell points followed and one from Cian Dillon before Sixmilebridge opened their second half account.
Points were traded a few times before a Diarmuid Mullins goal gave the visitors the edge which they held to the finish.
Both sides remain very much in contention for league honours as they head into the final round of games.
Crusheen; David Kearney; Mark Perrill, Gavin O’Brien, Ian O’Brien; Diarmuid Mullins (1-3) Eanna McMahon, Cillein Mulllins; Oisin O’Donnell (1-5), James O’Sullivan; Jamie Fitzgibbon (1-3), Cian Dillon (0-2), Conor O’Donnell (0-2); Luke Ketalaar (0-3), Murrough McMahon (0-1), Gerry O’Grady (0-1);
Subs; Tadhg Deane (0-1) for M. McMahon; John O’Sullivan for J. O’Sullivan; Glen O’Sullivan (0-1) for L, Ketalaar;
Sixmilebridge: Daniel Chaplin; Adam Breen, Barry Fitzpatrick, Pa Mulready; Noel Purcell, Leon Kelly Paidi Fitzpatrick; Conor Deasy (0-1), Sean Macnamara (0-3); Seadna Morey (0-1), Jamie Shanahan (0-6), Alex Morey (0-9); Adam Murray, Alan Mulready (0-1), Brian Corry (1-2).
Subs; Shane Golden (0-1) for A Murray; Colm Flynn for A. Breen; Paul Corry for A. Mulready; Lorcan Fitzpatrick (0-1) for D. Deasy; Brian Carey for Macnamara
Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate)
Impressive points tally from Broadford
Broadford 0-26
Cratloe 2-14
Venue; Glenomra Park, Broadford
Seven players got on the scoresheet as Broadford ran up an impressive tally of twenty six points when accounting for Cratloe at Broadford on Saturday afternoon.
The winners had opened a five point lead by the half way mark when the score was 0-14 to 1-6.
With all six forwards getting on the scoresheet, they continued to hold the lead in the second half on a day when the full forward trio contributed 0-16 of the team’s final tally.
Cathal McInerney lined out for Cratloe having missed most of the campaign to date due to injury and he showed that he is still a key player for the club, contributing 2-2 to the team’s tally.
Rian Considine again made a valuable contribution, shooting 0-8 of the side’s tally.
Broadford; Cian O’Brien; Damian Keniry, Eoin Donnellan, Dara Whelan; Paraic Taylor, Davy Boland, Conor O’Donnell; Cian Mulqueen, Michael Vaughan (0-2); Craig Chaplin (0-7), Darren Chaplin (0-1), Cian Crimmins (0-1); Oisin Kavanagh (0-4), Niall O’Farrell (0-7), Diarmuid Moloney (0-4).
Subs; Mark Moloney for Craig Chaplin; Aodán O’Driscoll for C. Mulqueen.
Cratloe; Eoin Deegan; Oisin Collins, Sean Collins, Jack Manley; Emmet Costigan, John Flanagan, Kevin Danaher; Daithi Collins (0-1), Podge Collins; Cathal McInerney (2-2), Daire Neville (0-1), Sean Gallagher (0-1); Jack McInerney, Rian Considine (0-8), Kyle Neylon (0-1).
Subs; Rian McNamara for J. McInerney; Jamie Costigan (0-1) for K. Neylon; Sean Ryan for K. Danaher; Mikey Flanagan for J. Manley
Referee; Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
Three in a row for the Mills
O’Callaghans Mills 1-20
Wolfe Tones 1-7
Venue: Hamilton Park, Kilkishen
O’Callaghans Mills recorded their third win in a row when they comfortably accounted for a disappointing Wolfe Tones side on Friday evening.
A thirteen point margin didn’t look likely in the opening quarter at the end of which the sides were level at 0-4 each.
A Darragh Moroney goal two minutes into the second quarter gave the home side a lead they held to the finish. They held their opponents scoreless in that second quarter when they landed 1-5 without reply on their way to a half time lead of eight points, 1-9 to 0-4.
The home side landed the first two points of the new half before there was a brief rally by the visitors who had a goal from Aaron Cunningham six minutes after the resumption of play.
(All photographs by Gerard O’Neill)
Four unanswered points followed from the winners and at the three quarter stage the Mills were ten points clear, 1-15 to 1-5.
Substitute Colin Riordan got in for a point for the Shannon side but the winners landed another four in a row on their way to this comfortable win.
Jacob Loughnane top scored for the winners with a dozen points, five of which came from open play.
The half back trio of Sean and Aidan O’Gorman and Aidan Fawl led the way for the home side.
Aaron Cunningham with 1-4 was one of just four scorers for Wolfe Tones who struggled in most positions throughout.
There were a couple of flash points in the closing stages resulting in the issuing of yellow cards to Michael Hayes, Stephen Donnellan, and Liam Murphy (Wolfe Tones), Aidan Fawl and Sean Cotter (O’ C. Mills).
O’Callaghans Mills: Killian Nugent; Michael Cotter; Keith Donnelllan, Gerry Cooney; Sean O’Gorman (0-2), Aidan O’Gorman, Aidan Fawl (0-2); Fionn Hickey, Michael McGrath; Sean Cotter (0-1), Darragh Moroney (1-1), Jacob Loughnane (0-12); Cormac Murphy (0-1). Mark Pewter (0-1), Sean Murphy;
Subs; Conor Cooney for K. Donnellan; John O’Brien for S Murphy; Niall Melody for M. McGrath; Cathal Lenihan for M. Pewter;; Eoin McInerney for S. Cotter;
Wolfe Tones; Oisin O’Rourke; Michael Hayes, Liam Murphy, Brian Murphy; Gary Cusack, Evan O’Gorman, Sam Meaney; Aaron Kelly, John Guilfoyle; Stephen Donnellan, Aaron Cunningham (1-4), Sean Murphy; Gavin Carigg, Dylan Frawley (0-1). Niall Fitzgerald (0-1);
Subs: Colin Riordan (0-1) for S. Murphy; Peter McEvoy for G. Carigg; Tadhg Fitzgerald for G. Cusack; Shane Nihill for B. Murphy
Referee: Gus Callaghan (Feakle)
Blues edge a tight affair
Newmarket-on-Fergus 0-18
Clooney-Quin 0-16
Venue; Clooney
In recent years, games between Newmarket-on-Fergus and Clooney-Quin at senior level have been tight affairs and so it proved when these neighbours clashed on Saturday.
Little separated the sides throughout this contest with the minimum the margin at half time when the winners were 0-10 to 0-9 ahead, taking the lead with the final three scores.
The teams continued to be evenly matched in the second half when the lead changed hands on a few occasions.
Peter Power contributed 0-7 to the winners tally with full back Colin Guilfoyle chipping in with 0-3 from Long range efforts.
Freetaker Callum Hassett led the way for Clooney-Quin with 0-5 with the lively Jerry O’Connor contributing 0-4.
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Padraic Guilfoyle; Jack Enright, Colin Guilfoyle (0-3), Niall O’Connor; Damian Lyne (0-1), Liam O’Connor (0-1), James McInerney (0-1); James Freeman, Sean O’Connor; Mikey McInerney, Eanna Crimmins (0-1), Paudie McMahon; Peter Power (0-7), Eoin Guilfoyle (0-1), Jack O’Connor (0-1);
Subs; Darragh Jones for J. McInerney; John Feehily (0-1) for N. O’Connor; Stephen Casey for M. McInerney; Zach Treacy (0-1) for J. O’Connor; David Frost for D. Lyne.
Clooney/Quin: Keith Hogan; Sean McNamara, Conor Grogan, Shane McNamara; Evan Maxted, Darragh Keogh (0-1), John Conneally; David Considine, Jimmy Corry (0-2); Sam Scanlan (0-1), Mikey Corry, P.J. McCarthy (0-1); Patrick Finneran (0-1), Callum Hassett (0-5), Jerry O’Connor (0-4);
Subs: David Cahill for D. Considine; Shane Harrisson (0-1) for P. Finneran
Referee: Eoghan O’Leary (Whitegate)
Important points for Scariff
Scariff 3-15
Kilmaley 1-16
Venue: Scariff
A hat trick of goals from Patrick Ryan steered Scariff to a much needed victory over Kilmaley in bright sunshine at Scariff on Sunday.
The sides had exchanged point before Ryan struck for his first goal and they had stretched their lead to four points before Michael O’Malley drilled a 20m free to the net to bring the visitors to within a point.
It was 1-9 to 1-6 in the winners’ favour as the game reached the thirtieth minute. Ryan they struck for goal number two and Keelan Hartigan followed with a point to give the home side a 2-10 to 1-7 half time advantage.
There were a couple of flash points just before the short whistle resulting in Jim Hickey issuing a number of yellow cards.
Kilmaley had the better of the third quarter and outscored their opponents 0-6 to 0-2 to close the gap to a goal.
Five minutes remained when a defensive error by the visitors saw Ryan pounce and fire home goal number three which finally killed off the Kilmaley challenge.
Scariff; William Kavanagh; Diarmaid Nash, Scott Cairns, Eoin Keehan; Sean Collins, Shane Kavanagh, Jack Ryan; Conor Downes, Aaron Collins; Keelan Hartigan (0-3), Patrick Crotty (0-3), Rossa Keehan; Rory Ryan (0-1), Patrick Ryan (3-1), Ben Sweeney (0-7);
Subs; Sean Hartigan for A. Collins; Colin O’Grady for R Keehan; Eanna O’Brien for R. Ryan;
Kilmaley; Bryan O’Loughlin; Martin O’Connor, Colin Carmody, Sean Crowley; Colin McGuane, Daire Keane, Luke Reid; Sean Kennedy, Eanna McMahon; Thomas McGuire (0-1), Michael O’Malley (1-8), Tommy Barry (0-1) Joe Carmody (0-2), Tom O’Rourke, Colm Killeen (0-3)
Subs; James Murphy (0-1) for Kennedy (inj); James Fitzpatrick for E. McMahon; Kevin McNamara for L Reid
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
