*Liam Casey was Kildysart’s leading scorer. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
WITHIN THE space of sixty minutes, Kildysart went from being at risk of relegation to the Garry Cup to qualifying for the semi-finals of the league.
Kildysart 2-20
Wolfe Tones 1-14
Venue: Kildysart
It was a triple success for Kildysart on Friday evening as they avoided relegation, advanced to the semi-finals of the willwego.com Garry Cup and kept their hopes of an immediate bounce back to the Cusack Cup alive.
Heading into the final round of the Garry Cup, every team except the already relegated Naomh Eoin had a chance of making the knockout stages of the league but by Friday evening the picture was much clearer. Clondegad take top spot and secure promotion back to the Cusack Cup, they will meet the winner of Doonbeg and Kildysart in the Garry Cup final with the victorious side also securing promotion.
Cooraclare join Naomh Eoin in dropping down to Division 3. Cratloe, Corofin and Wolfe Tones all had a chance of promotion until Kildysart’s nine point win and now conclude their league runs for 2026.
At an outside glance, the potential of relegation for Kildysart from the Garry Cup would have been damaging, not just because it would be successive league relegations in as many seasons but they would rightly class themselves as a side with potential to be making the knockout stages of the Clare SFC every season so lining out in Division 3 would not serve as healthy preparation for any championship campaign.
By consolidating their status in the Garry Cup, they have negated such worries but have now given themselves the chance to bounce back to the Cusack Cup and potentially line up two excellent pre-championship tests in the remainder of the league, after recording a third win on the bounce.
Before the game, a minute’s silence was held in memory of Michael ‘Mickey’ McGrath and Kildysart paid tribute to one of their great supporters by hitting the ground running to carve out an eight point lead by the thirteenth minute. Mickey’s son Luke landing the first two pointer of the game in this spell.
Wolfe Tones had to wait until the eighteenth minute to register a score, Dean Devanney getting rewarded as their standout player in the opening half to split the posts and they added a second within sixty five seconds via Niall Fitzgerald.
Though Wolfe Tones managed to win three Kildysart kickouts in a row, their emergence into proceedings took a major dent when Liam Casey raided for 1-1 in forty seconds, he pointed first before the resulting kickout was easily lost by the Tones, Diarmuid O’Donnell cleaned up the break, found Casey and he rounded Shane Russell before tapping to the net. The Tones finished the half with 0-4 in succession to leave nine between the sides at the break.
McGrath kicked a two pointer to extend Kildysart’s advantage on the restart, Diarmuid Murtagh added to this before the visitors replied with an unanswered five points.
Marking his introduction back to Kildysart on his introduction was Jamie Evans, the Offaly native gave a glimpse of what he will offer from a power and attacking perspective with his contribution of 1-1 in the second half. His major on forty eight minutes effectively ended the contest and came in immediate response to a well-taken Colin Riordan green flag at the other end.
However it was young Liam Casey that led the way in attack for Kildysart ably assisted by Luke McGrath with Cillian Kelly and Rory McMahon the solid anchors in defence. Comfortable nine point winners still with Emmet McMahon to return to the fold, the Eoin Ryan coached side still have a nice bit to do to be championship ready come the August Bank Holiday weekend but they are certainly moving in the right direction.
For what was a largely positive league campaign that only included two losses, Wolfe Tones will be disappointed to have finished on such a bum note. Focus for them will now switch to the Clare IFC and their chances of success would arguably be boosted by the presence of more dual players, including those on the county senior hurling panel. The return of Darragh Leahy to the squad is a plus and in his only involvement, he struck a smart delivery that led to the final score of the game. Dean Devanney was their most prolific player followed by Aaron Kelly.
Scorers Kildysart: L Casey (1-7 3f), L McGrath (0-5 2TPf 1f), J Evans (1-1), C Casey (0-2), J Sheehan (0-1), R McMahon (0-1), K O’Brien (0-1), D Murtagh (0-1), D O’Donnell (0-1).
Scorers Wolfe Tones: A Kelly (0-5 1TP), C Riordan (1-2 1f), K Hanley (0-2 1f), D Devanney (0-1), N Fitzgerald (0-1), E Casey (0-1), C Dunning (0-1), T Fitzgerald (0-1).
Kildysart:
1: Conor Cusack
2: James Casey
3: Fergal Guinnane
4: Cillian Kelly
7: Conor Moloney
6: Rory McMahon
5: Diarmuid Murtagh
8: Keith O’Connor
9: Kieran O’Brien
10: Seamus Casey
11: Luke McGrath
12: Jamie Sheehan
13: Conall Casey
14: Shane McNeilis
15: Liam Casey
Subs:
20: Diarmuid O’Donnell for S Casey (4) (inj)
23: Jamie Evans for J Sheehan (36)
19: Oisin Coyle for Murtagh (41)
18: Daniel Moloney for McNeilis (46)
Wolfe Tones:
1: Shane Russell;
2: Robert Cahill
3: Jason McAuley
24: Niall Fitzgerald
5: Cody Waller
6: Jayme O’Sullivan
7: Aaron Brennan
8: Liam Divilly
9: Eoghan Casey
10: Ben O’Neill
11: Aaron Kelly
12: Dean Devanney
13: Kevin Hanley
14: Colin Riordan
15: Eoghan Gough.
Subs:
17: Tadhg Fitzgerald for O’Neill (HT)
23: Chris Dunning for Gough (48)
21: Aaron Shinners for McAuley (48)
22: Shay Waller for C Waller (52)
26: Darragh Leahy for Riordan (56)
Referee: Niall Quinn (St Joseph’s Miltown)
