*Shane O’Donnell gets a shot away. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
No calculators or rule experts required in Group 4 as routine victories for Feakle and Éire Óg ensured their passages to the last eight of the Clare Senior Hurling Championship.
Éire Óg 4-15
Clarecastle 0-16
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Despite two derby finales, it was rather anti-climactic on both fronts but particularly so in Cusack Park as Éire Óg comfortably brushed aside the challenge of neighbours Clarecastle to send the Magpies into the danger zone of relegation once more.
Last year’s finalists expectedly proved the more clinical side, with David Reidy and Shane O’Donnell in scintillating form as the pair combined for 3-8 of their side’s 4-15 tally.
Indeed, two goals inside the opening seven minutes provided an early platform for the Townies to prosper as Gavin Cooney twice delivery inch perfect passes for first O’Donnell to tee up Darren O’Brien for a top right corner bullet before Reidy fielded to find the net on their way to a 2-3 to 0-0 cushion after only eleven minutes.
Clarecastle did finally open their account through an Oisin Casey free a minute later and finally seemed to settle somewhat with three of the next four points through Rory O’Connell, Colin Brigdale and James Doherty at 2-4 to 0-4 entering the second quarter. The Magpies even got a slice of luck when David Reidy failed to successfully rise his 21st minute penalty earned by Shane O’Donnell and pulled the second attempt wide.
However, the Ennis side did grab a third goal just before the break when O’Brien returned the favour for O’Donnell to secure what seemed an unassailable 3-8 to 0-6 interval advantage.
The only way was up for Clarecastle and while they did resume with three of the first four points, two from Killian McDermott, goalkeeper Cian Broderick had to be at his best to keep out a Shane O’Donnell shot before the two-thirds mark at 3-9 to 0-9.
Those three goals would always provide a healthy buffer for Éire Óg who had strong performances from Aaron Fitzgerald, Oran Cahill, newcomer Liam Kavanagh, Darren O’Brien and substitute Danny Russell alongside the dynamic duo of Reidy and O’Donnell.
Eight points was as close as Clarecastle would come within their neighbours in the second period, with a late Killian McDermott shot on goal repelled by goalkeeper Philly Walsh to rule out any grandstand finish.
If ever there was any lingering doubt, the result was emphatically sealed on the hour mark when Darren O’Brien delivered inside to Reidy to turn his marker and garner his second goal of the contest.
It was sufficient to confirm Éire Óg’s path to an eighth successive quarter-final but there will undoubtedly be bigger tests ahead as Clarecastle were surprisingly meek for long periods and allowed the Townies to dictate matters with a plentiful supply to their lethal inside line.
The Magpies meanwhile have to circle the wagons themselves in order to negotiate another nervy relegation final play-off.
Scorers for Éire Óg: David Reidy 2-6 (4f), Shane O’Donnell 1-2, Darren O’Brien 1-1, Danny Russell 0-3 (1f), Gavin Cooney 0-1, Mikey Moloney 0-1, Oran Cahill 0-1
Scorers for Clarecastle: Oisin Whelan 0-3 (2f), Killian McDermott 0-3, James Doherty 0-2, Jack Murphy 0-2, Oisin Casey 0-1 (f), Rory O’Connell 0-1, Colin Brigdale 0-1, Stephen O’Halloran 0-1, Cian Galvin 0-1, Niall Galvin 0-1
Éire Óg
1: Philly Walsh
2: Jarlath Collins
3: Aaron Fitzgerald
4: Fionan Treacy
5: Oran Cahill
6: Liam Corry
7: Ciaran Russell
18: Nially McMahon
21: Liam Kavanagh
12: Mikey Moloney
8: Darren O’Brien
15: Gavin Cooney
22: Michael Heneghan
11: Shane O’Donnell
14: David Reidy
Subs
13: Danny Russell for Moloney (35, inj)
9: Kevin Brennan for Cooney (44)
23: Bruce Pigott for Heneghan (51)
17: Eoin Guilfoyle for Corry (57)
Clarecastle
1: Cian Broderick
2: Filip Wiechcinski
3: Eoghan Wallace
4: Aaron Hayes
7: David Tuohy
6: Cian Galvin
5: Stephen O’Halloran
8: Conor Halpin
13: Lee Brack
10: Rory O’Connell
9: Colin Brigdale
12: Killian McDermott
14: Oisin Casey
11: Patrick Kelly
15: James Doherty
Subs
18: Oisin Whelan for Wiechcinski (10, inj)
20: Darragh Healy for Casey (23)
26: Ronan Donnelly for Wallace (36)
19: Jack Murphy for Kelly (45)
21: Niall Galvin for Brack (51)
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
