Fitzy on fire as Inagh/Kilnamona ignite championship campaign

*David Fitzgerald delivers under pressure from Gearoid O’Connell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

INAGH/KILNAMONA got their Clare SHC campaign off to the ideal start as they produced an impressive display to see off Ballyea by ten points.

Inagh/Kilnamona 0-29
Ballyea 0-19
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg

Despite finding themselves in what many regard as the ‘Group of Death’, Inagh/Kilnamona laid down an early marker with a dominant performance from start to finish.

Playing with the aid of the breeze in the opening half, Eugene Cullinan’s charges built up a commanding lead and were full value for their 0-16 to 0-8 advantage at the interval.

David Fitzgerald was back to his scintillating best, finishing with a personal tally of six points. The movement and interchangeability of the Inagh/Kilnamona attack was particularly impressive throughout the opening thirty minutes.

Aidan McCarthy was hugely influential in a slightly deeper spot than usual, and played a crucial role in helping his side absorb Ballyea’s period of pressure during the third quarter. Despite his radar being off from placed balls early on, the captain had struck 0-7 by half-time, with 0-5 coming from play, including a monstrous effort from distance approaching the break.

Ballyea came bursting out of the traps after the restart, with Daniel Costelloe splitting the posts straight from the throw-in before repeating the feat seven minutes later.

With 42 minutes on the clock, Tony Kelly broke through on goal before being pulled back, with referee Niall Malone signalling for a penalty.

Éamonn Foudy produced a superb full-stretch save to deny Kelly’s effort and ensure the gap wasn’t reduced from five points down to two. Five minutes later, the Inagh/Kilnamona shot-stopper came to his side’s rescue again, keeping out a slightly tamer effort from his Clare teammate.

The prevention of a green flag from the penalty proved to be a crucial moment in the contest. Inagh/Kilnamona responded by striking the next four points on the bounce to push the gap back out to eight and almost put the game beyond Ballyea with ten minutes remaining.

With two minutes of normal time remaining, a second yellow card was brandished in the direction of Gearóid O’Connell, meaning Ballyea finished the game with fourteen men.

The winners’ final score from play came through the influential Sean Rynne, who burst through the middle with just under a minute remaining before sending the sliotar sailing over the crossbar.

Shane Woods did an outstanding man-marking job on Tony Kelly, holding the Ballyea talisman scoreless from play.

Aidan McCarthy and David Fitzgerald were in sparkling form in attack for the winners, scoring nineteen points between them, while Sean Rynne was prominent in the middle of the field.

Éamonn Foudy impressed between the sticks, with his puckout range providing a major platform for their victory. Kevin Hehir, James Hegarty and the aforementioned Shane Woods were all very solid in defence.

Daniel Costelloe, Mossy Gavin and Tadhg Ó HUallacháin performed commendably for Ballyea.

Gallery of photos by Gerard O’Neill.