*Brian Carey races from Ben O’Gorman. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Sixmilebridge maintained their perfect record when keeping neighbours Wolfe Tones at arm’s length throughout their quarter-final contest in Cusack Park, Ennis on Saturday evening.
Sixmilebridge 3-22
Wolfe Tones 0-18
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
The only side to be still unbeaten entering the last eight stage, Sean Stack’s side continued their impressive scoring feats as Jamie Shanahan’s guiding 13 point total was accentuated by timely goals for newcomer David Kennedy, the outstanding Shane Golden and a Seadna Morey bullet to ensure their place in a fourth semi-final in six seasons.
Wolfe Tones appeared to start with great intent as Dylan Frawley opened the scoring after only 15 seconds. However, it would be met by a nine point unanswered backlash for the remainder of the opening quarter as Shanahan (4) and Golden (3) in particular exploited the fact that the Tones were missing Darragh Lohan through injury at 0-9 to 0-1.
Wolfe Tones did manage to settle though as the half developed with a three point burst through Billy Connors, Aron Shanagher and Ben O’Gorman cutting the deficit to five by the 29th minute.
Crucially however, any sniff of Tones momentum was quashed, this time by a David Kennedy goal after good set-up play from Lorcan Fitzpatrick on the ‘Bridge’s way to a 1-13 to 0-7 interval lead.
That pattern would be replicated on the restart as early Tones points through Connors and Shanagher were wiped out by another goal albeit in fortuitous circumstances as a long range point scoring chance rebounded off the crossbar perfectly for Shane Golden to finish to the net at 2-13 to 0-9.
To their credit, the Shannon side refused to drop their heads and thanks in the main to Aron Shanagher (4) and Aaron Cunningham (2) did lower the arrears to seven entering the final ten minutes at 2-17 to 0-16.
The ‘Bridge weren’t finished yet though, saving the best for last as Seadna Morey raced through the centre before unleashing an unstoppable shot to the net to flesh out the final margin and soar into the final four alongside other neighbours Cratloe.
Scorers for Sixmilebridge: Jamie Shanahan (0-13, 8f); Shane Golden (1-3); David Kennedy, Seadna Morey (1-1 each); Caimin Morey (0-2, 1f); Brian Corry, Evan McInerney (0-1 each)
Scorers for Wolfe Tones: Aron Shanagher (0-7, 4f); Billy Connors, Aaron Cunningham (0-4 each); Dylan Frawley, Ben O’Gorman, Cian O’Rourke (0-1 each)
Sixmilebridge
1: Derek Fahy
7: Paidi Fitzpatrick
3: Barry Fitzpatrick
4: Pa Mulready
5: Conor Deasy
6: Caimin Morey
2: Noel Purcell
8: Brian Carey
9: Seadna Morey
14: Lorcan Fitzpatrick
15: Cathal Lynch
11: Jamie Shanahan
24: David Kennedy
12: Shane Golden
13: Brian Corry
Substitutes:
19: Evan McInerney for Lynch (49)
18. Christy Carey for Mulready (61)
Wolfe Tones
1: Pa Freeman
2: Liam Murphy
17: Jamie Roughan
4: Daithi Lohan
7: Stephen Donnellan
6: Rory Hayes
5: John Guilfoyle
8: Ben O’Gorman
9: Cian O’Rourke
15: Dean Devanney
11: Dylan Frawley
10: Kevin McCafferty
14: Billy Connors
13: Aron Shanagher
12: Aaron Cunningham
Subs:
21: Daithi O’Connel for Roughan (HT)
20: Sean Costelloe for McCafferty (57)
18: David Ryan for O’Rourke (59)
19: Luke Merrigan for Donnellan (62)
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
