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*Aidan McCarthy. Photograph: Sport Action Photography
Despite registering seventeen wides, Inagh-Kilnamona managed a comfortable win over Clooney-Quin in this Clare senior hurling championship first round game at Cusack Park on Friday evening.
Inagh-Kilnamona 2-17
Clooney-Quin 0-14
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Clooney Quin did show an improvement in the second half and managed to outscore their opponents by a point in that period but the damage was done in the opening period which the winners dominated.
Goals from Evan McNamara after twenty two minutes and from Aidan McCarthy on the stroke of half time helped the winners to lead by ten points at the break when the score was 2-10 to 0-6.
They should have been further ahead at this stage but a combination of poor finishing, they shot eleven wides in that opening half and some good work by an overworked Clooney-Quin defence helped the 2017 finalists keep in touch.
With Peter Duggan absent this year as he is currently in Australia, Clooney-Quin were further weakened with the loss of Martin Duggan and Mike Corry to injury and this resulted in some late changes to their line up. Adding to their woes, they lost Fergal Lynch with a hand injury during the third quarter and he must now be a doubtful starter for their crucial must win round two tie in two weeks time.
The teams exchanged points twice in the opening minutes before Inagh-Kilnamona hit five unanswered scores before the end of the opening quarter.
A further 1-3 without reply, the goal from Evan McNamara after good play from Conner Hegarty and David Fitzgerald, saw their lead stretched to ten points with five minutes to go to the break.
Clooney-Quin responded with three in a row but these were cancelled out when Aidan McCarthy, top scorer on the evening with 1-10, struck for his side’s second goal.
It was point for point throughout the third quarter with each side adding five to their half time tallies. The winners, however, always managed to hold that ten point margin and Fergal Hegarty and his management team were able to introduce five substitutes in the final quarter as they marched on to a comfortable win.
Eamonn Foudy who got the goalkeeper’s position ahead of Patrick Kelly, Keith White, Kevin Hehir, Keelan Guyler, Conner Hegarty and David Fitzgerald gave most support to Aidan McCarthy.
Conor Harrisson, Cillian Duggan, Ryan Taylor, Jimmy Corry and Bryan McInerney worked hard for Clooney-Quin.
Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona: Aidan McCarthy (1-10 7f), Keelan Guyler (0-03), Evan McNamara (1-00), David Fitzgerald (0-02), Keith White (0-01), Conner Hegarty (0-01).
Scorers Clooney/Quin: Cillian Duggan (0-05 3f 2’65), Eoghan O’Brien (0-04 1f), Jimmy Corry (0-01), Seamus Conroy (0-01), Ronan O’Donnell (0-01), Ryan Taylor (0-01), Luke Harrison (0-01),
Inagh-Kilnamona;
1: Eamonn Foudy
8: Shane McInerney
3: Sean Mahoney
4: Keith White
5: Cian McInerney
6: Kevin Hehir
7: Jason McCarthy
21: Ger Arthur
9: Darren Cullinan
10: Aidan McCarthy
11: David Fitzgerald
12: Seamus Foudy
13: Keelan Guyler
14: Evan McNamara
17: Conner Hegarty
Subs:
19: David Mescall for Cullinan(46)
22: Eoin Fitzgerald for Arthur(49)
18: Conor Tierney for Guyler (55)
20: Tomás Kelly for Hegarty (56)
28: Gerry Coote for McNamara (60);
Clooney-Quin:
1: Keith Hogan
2: Bryan McInerney
3: Shane McNamara
4: Ruaidhrí McNamara
5: Conor Harrisson
6: Cillian Duggan
7: Mike McNamara
8: Ryan Taylor
19: Luke Harrisson
30: Seamus Conroy
20: Eoghan O’Brien
9: Jimmy Corry
22: Ronan O’Donnell
14: Fergal Lynch
36: Ulick O’Sullivan;
Subs;
12: Tadhg Shanahan for Lynch (inj, 40)
17: Donnacha Murphy for O’Sullivan (52)
Referee: Wayne King (St Josephs Doora/Barefield)
