*Seamus Foudy and Jason McCarthy hold up Martin Daly. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
The race for this year’s Clare Cup has been blow wide open after Feakle suffered their first set-back of 2021 against Inagh-Kilnamona last Saturday.
It means that Feakle, Sixmilebridge and Cratloe are all locked at the top of the table ahead of the final round on Saturday week that throws up a mouthwatering Garneyside derby showdown between Cratloe and Sixmilebridge while Feakle must take down the current holders Kilmaley on away soil.
Clare Cup Division 1A Round 4
Inagh-Kilnamona 3-19 Feakle 0-15
A first Clare Cup crown in 33 years is still tangible but Feakle’s home party was certainly unceremoniously spoiled by Inagh-Kilnamona on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from David Mescall (2) and Kevin Hehir did the bulk of the early damage as Feakle were made to suffer a first half horror show that they never recovered from after finding themselves trailing by 3-10 to 0-09 at the midway mark.
The hosts did inevitably regroup, with chief marksman Shane McGrath reaching double figures once more. However, the experience of Conor Tierney and Kevin Hehir kept any revolt at bay as Inagh-Kilnamona continue to build their own pre-championship momentum with back-to-backs victories.
Inagh-Kilnamona: Patrick Kelly; Seamus Foudy, Sean Mahony, Cathal McConigley; Colin Shannon, Jason McCarthy, Austin Kerin; Cian McInerney Darren Cullinan; Gerry Coote, Milo Keane, Kevin Hehir; Conor Tierney, David Mescall, Josh Guyler.
Subs: Eoin Fitzgerald, Keith Barry, Shane Vaughan, Evan McInerney for Guyler (inj), Shane McInerney
Feakle: Stevie Moloney; Ger Hanrahan, Evan McMahon, Eric Conway; Justin Nelson, Eoin Tuohy, Austin McMahon; Shane McGrath, Killian Bane; Fiachra Donnellan, Raymond Bane, Enda Noonan; Oisin Clune, Martin Daly, Steven Conway
Subs: Francis O Grady, Diarmuid Bane, Cathal Collins
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
Sixmilebridge 1-19 Broadford 0-14
A devastating opening half display effectively ended this derby duel as a contest in Broadford on Saturday evening as Sixmilebridge collected their third consecutive victory.
With the wind at their backs, the back-to-back county champions hit the ground running with a Brian Corry goal and a succession of points, mainly through Jamie Shanahan who was excellent from long range frees and ended up with eight points. The ‘Bridge’s clinicalness was in contrast to a profligate Broadford who hit 17 wides over the hour, with the majority coming in that opening period which allowed the visitors to carve out a 1-13 to 0-05 interval cushion.
The home side did hone their radar in the new half especially after Jamie Shanahan had to retire early through injury. However, while they had good displays from Darragh Whelan, Diarmuid Moloney and Diarmuid O’Brien, Broadford never threatened a full rebellion as Caimin Morey took over the ‘Bridge frees to close out a good neighbourly battle.
Sixmilebridge: Derek Fahy; Brian Carey, Noel Purcell, Christy Carey; Jordan Downes, Caimin Morey, Seadna Morey; Jason Loughnane, Evan McInerney; Alan Mulready, Jamie Shanahan, Pa Mulready; Paul Corry, Brian Corry, Leon Kelly
Subs: Timmy Crowe, Cillian Custy, Luke Keogh
Broadford: Cian O’Brien; Davy Boland, Eoin Donnellan, Darragh Whelan; Cian Mulqueen, Darren Chaplin, Paurig Taylor; Diarmuid Moloney, Cathal Chaplin; Paul Moloney, Diarmuid O’Brien, Eoin O’Brien; Mark Moloney, Cian Cremins, Shane Taylor
Subs: Mike Hogan, Conor Phelan, Oisin Kavanagh, Shane Tuite
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
Cratloe 1-20 Crusheen 1-14
A third win on the spin has boosted Cratloe into Clare Cup contention after holding off Crusheen on home soil on Saturday evening.
Having left it late against both Inagh-Kilnamona and Kilmaley, this time Cratloe struck early to ensure they remained in the ascendancy throughout despite bouts of heavy rain. An early Mikey Hawes goal settled the hosts into their stride and while Breffni Horner responded with a like score for the visitors, Cratloe always seemed able to keep their noses in front before finishing the half with a flourish, mainly through Rian Considine to power 1-14 to 1-07 clear.
Murrough McMahon reduced the deficit to five on the restart while Cratloe’s attempts to finish the contest were halted by a superb Donal Tuohy stop from the ever-elusive Considine. Still, Cratloe were able to maintain their seven point advantage by the final water break, enough of a cushion to withstand anything Crusheen could muster for the remainder.
Cratloe: Gearoid Ryan; Jack Manley, Liam Markham, David Collins; Aaron Costigan, Damien Browne, Kevin Danaher; Enda Boyce, Daithi Collins; Shane Gleeson, Rian Considine, Mark O’Brien; Shane Neville, Mikey Hawes, Conor McGrath
Subs: Sean Collins, Shane O’Leary, Jack Donnelly, Kyle Neylon, Jamie Costigan
Crusheen: Donal Touhy; Luke Hayes, Gavin O’Brien, Eanna McMahon; John Brigdale, Cian Dillon, Tadhg Dean; Fergus Kennedy, Murrough McMahon; Cillein Mullins, Conor O Donnell, Diarmuid Mullins; Luke Ketelaar, Ciaran O’Doherty, Breffni Horner
Subs: Alan Tuohy, Conor Hayes
Referee: Fearghal Gray (Feakle)
Kilmaley 3-20 Clooney-Quin 0-13
Kilmaley bounced back to winning ways in style when easing away from Clooney-Quin on away soil on Saturday.
A Mikey O’Malley goal inside the opening minutes provided the perfect boost for the visitors who had suffered recent back-to-back defeats. In addition, Sean O’Loughlin was Kilmaley’s chief marksman in the absence of Cian Moloney on their way to a 1-12 to 0-07 interval lead.
Darragh Keogh’s frees had kept a lacklustre Clooney-Quin in touch but a Sean O’Loughlin third quarter goal only extended the gap further to ten points before substitute Barry Lynch capped off a dominant final quarter (1-5 to 0-2) with a third major for the holders.
Kilmaley: Bryan O’Loughlin; Tommy Barry, Colin McGuane, Brian Cahil; Aidan Griffey, Aidan McGuane, Sean Kennedy; Mikey O’Neill, Sean Crowley; Tom O’Rourke, Mikey O’Malley, Kenneth Kennedy; Eanna McMahon, Daire Keane, Sean O’Loughlin
Subs: Joe Carmody, Barry Lynch, Peter Ronan, Shane Darcy, Martin O’Connor
Clooney-Quin: Keith Hogan; Conor Harrison, Shane McNamara, Michael Culligan; Eoghan O’Brien, Cillian Duggan, Donnchadh Murphy; Oisin Egan, Mike Corry; Shane Harrison, Alan Culligan, Darragh Keogh; Eoin Guilfoyle, Fergal Lynch, Ronan O’ Donnell
Subs: Mike McNamara, Dylan Cunningham, Gary Hogan, Cathal O’Halloran for Murphy (inj)
Referee: Wayne King (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
Clare Cup Division 1A Round 4
Ballyea 2-13 Clonlara 1-12
A first victory for Ballyea also dashed Clonlara’s ambitions of securing some early silverware in what was a good test in testing conditions in Ballyea on Saturday evening.
A blitzkrieg attack just before the first water break would prove decisive as Clonlara’s positive start was wiped out through quick fire goals from Martin O’Leary and Aaron Griffin. Those strikes would remain the difference thereafter as once Cathal O’Connell had to succumb to an injury, Clonlara’s wide count prevented them from mounting any meaningful fightback.
Instead, Ballyea carved out a six points cushion by half-time (2-9 to 0-9) and the three-quarter mark (2-12 to 0-12). And while Micheál O’Loughlin did finally make the breakthrough for the visitors, it came too late to rescue any spoils.
Ballyea: Oisin Hennessy; Brian Murphy, Peter Casey, Joe Neylon; Mark Crowe, Cian Meaney, Matthew Reidy; Gary Brennan, Stan Lineen; Niall Deasy, Mossy Gavin, Cillian Brennan; Aaron Griffin, Pearse Lillis, Martin O’Leary
Subs: Brian Casey, Eoghan Donnellan
Clonlara: Cillian O’Brien; James Hastings, Paul McNamara, Pa Conlon; Ger Powell, Paraic O’Loughlin, Garrett Kennedy; Jathan McMahon, Cathal O’Connell; Micheál O’Loughlin, Kieran Galvin, Sean Begley; Micheál Stritch, Daniel Moloney, David Fitzgerald
Subs: Conor Bourke for O’Connell (inj), Bryan McLeish, Michael Clancy, Fionnan O’Brien, Sean Moriarty
Referee: Jarlath Donnellan (Wolfe Tones)
