Crusheen go top of Clare Cup standings following Cratloe win

*Crusheen’s Tadhg Dean. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. 

CRUSHEEN made it three wins from three to go top of Division 1A of the willwego.com Clare Cup after defeating Cratloe.

Crusheen 2-16
Cratloe 1-17
Venue: Páirc Michael Ui Heithir, Cratloe

In their round three tie played on Tuesday evening, Crusheen struck for 1-2 without reply just before half time and this played a big part in their latest win.

The home side led by the minimum, 1-3 to 1-2 at the end of the opening quarter and as half time approached the teams were level at 1-7 each. Crusheen’s strong finish to the half saw them go to the break 2-9 to 1-7 in front and Cratloe will feel that they had missed a couple of good goal opportunities in that opening period.

The margin was still five points at the three-quarter stage after both sides had added four points in the third quarter.

Cratloe, with the aid of the breeze, managed to get to within two points of their opponents in the final quarter but, ultimately, Crusheen’s strong finish to the first half proved decisive.

Crusheen: David Kearney; Luke Hayes, Tadhg Dean, Mark Perrill; John O’Sullivan, Gavin O’Brien, Ian O’Brien (0-1); Oisin O’Donnell (0-5), Jamie Fitzgibbon; Conor O’Donnell (0-3), Cian Dillon (0-2), Fergus Kennedy (0-1); Gerry O’Grady (1-1), Luke Ketalaar (1-3), Murrough McMahon;

Subs; James O’Sullivan for M. McMahon; Kyle Scanlan for John O’Sullivan ; Cillein Mullins for T. Dean (inj);

Cratloe; Eoin Deegan; Oisin Collins, Jake Higgins, Sean Collins; Rian McNamara, John Flanagan, Emmet Costigan; Sam Sheehy, Conor McGrath (0-2); Sean Gallagher (0-1), Podge Collins (0-1), Kevin Danagher (0-1); Daire Neville (0-2), Riain Considine (1-5), Jake Moylan (0-2);

Subs: Kyle Neylon (0-2) for K. Danagher; Jack Manley for R. McNamara; Sean Ryan for J. Higgins; Michael Flanagan (0-1) for S Gallagher;

Referee: Fergal O’Brien (Broadford)