*Scariff forward Ben Sweeney powers past Ciaran O’Doherty of Crusheen. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
KILMALEY, Newmarket-on-Fergus, O’Callaghans Mills and Scariff have qualified for the semi-finals of the Clare Cup.
Quarter-finals were held across the weekend with all four semi-finalists now confirmed in the willwego.com Clare Cup.
Kilmaley were first to qualify when they had a one point win over their neighbours Inagh-Kilnamona on Friday evening.
Twenty four hours later they were joined by Newmarket-on-Fergus who finished strongly to account for Feakle.
At noon on Sunday, O’Callaghans Mills extended their unbeaten run this season when they defeated Clooney-Quin. That left one position to be filled and that went to Scariff who overcame Crusheen on Sunday evening.
Merited victory for Kilmaley
Kilmaley 0-16
Inagh/Kilnamona 1-12
Venue: Kilmaley
In very difficult weather conditions on Friday evening, Kilmaley emerged with a one point victory over neighbours and arch rivals Inagh/Kilnamona.
It was clear from the outset that this was a tie both sides wanted to win and while Kilmaley were the happier at the final whistle, both management teams will admit that there are positions still up for grabs ahead of the championship.
Conor Cleary, Brian McNamara and Joe Casey are amongst those who will be expected to feature for Kilmaley while Inagh/Kilnamona are sure to have Eamonn Foudy, David Fitzgerald, and Sean Rynne challenging for starting places in their side along with James Hegarty who played the final quarter on Friday evening.
The rain started to fall half an hour before Friday’s game and it never let up. This and a tricky wind made things difficult for the players. The visitors had the aid of the wind in the opening half and they were first on the scoreboard with Aidan McCarthy pointing in the first minute.
Kilmaley responded with like scores from Michael O’Malley, Joe Carmody and a Tom O’Rourke free before Conner Hegarty and McCarthy from a free levelled the tie at 0-3 each.
The game’s only goal came at the midpoint of the half when Darren Cullinan applied the finish to a good move to put the visitors ahead.
Kilmaley hit back and following points from Dylan Keane Hayes, Michael O’Neill, Colm Killeen and two from Tom O’Rourke they went a point clear with five minutes remaining in the half.
Four in a row from Inagh/Kilnamona followed and they went to the break two ahead with the score at 1-8 to 0-9. During this spell, they also lost defender Keith White to a suspected hamstring injury.
An Aidan McCarthy free stretched Inagh/Kilnamona’s lead to three at the start of the new half but Kilmaley hit back and a Michael O’Neill effort followed by three from freetaker Tom O’Rourke had them one ahead at the three quarter stage.
With the tie moving into the closing minutes Kilmaley had opened a three point lead but helped by the introduction of James Hegarty, Inagh/Kilnamona finished strongly. However, despite piling on the pressure, they could only manage a brace of points from Aidan McCarthy.
Kilmaley held on for a merited win on an evening when Colin McGuane, Daire Keane, Tom O’Rourke, Michael O’Neill and substitute Cian Moloney made valuable contributions. Brian Culbert will be pleased with the level of depth at his disposal with Seán O’Loughlin returning from injury to get some minutes in the final quarter.
Shane Woods, Kevin Hehir, Conner Hegarty and Keelan Guyler worked hard for the visitors.
Kilmaley: Bryan O’Loughlin; Conor Cahill, Colin McGuane, Colin Carmody; Aidan McGuane, Michael O’Malley (0-1), Daire Keane; Tommy Barry, Joe Carmody (0-1); James Fitzpatrick, Tom O’Rourke (0-10, 9f), Dylan Keane Hayes (0-1), Jason Keane Hayes, Michael O’Neill (0-3) Colm Killeen (0-1).
Subs: Cian Moloney for J Carmody; Cian Neylon for D Keane Hayes, Padraig Healy for J. Fitzpatrick, Sean O’Loughlin for M O’Neill, Sean Ronan for J. Keane Hayes
Inagh/Kilnamona: Frank Roughan, Cathal Ryan, Kevin Hehir, Keith White, Shane Woods, Jason McCarthy, David Mescall, Conner Hegarty (0-2), Ronan Mescall, Fred Hegarty (0-1), Keelan Guyler (0-4), Darren Cullinan (1-0), Gearoid Barry, Aidan McCarthy (0-5, 4f), Josh Guyler
Subs: Conor Rynne for K White (inj), James Hegarty for R Mescall, Jack Cullinan for G Barry
Referee: Niall Donovan (O’Callaghans Mills)
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Newmarket-on-Fergus take control in final quarter
Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-21
Feakle 1-17
Venue: Fr. Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus
Newmarket-on-Fergus booked their place in the last four when they accounted for Feakle on Saturday evening.
The winners had the assistance of the wind in the opening half and they held a one goal lead, 2-11 to 1-11 at the interval after a well contested first period when scores were exchanged regularly.
Newmarket’s goalscorers were Mikey McInerney and Conor McCarthy while Shane McGrath landed Feakle’s major.
The respective freetakers, Peter Power for the winners and Shane McGrath, once again led the scoring honours.
Power contributed a dozen points to his side’s victory while McGrath topped that tally with 1-11.
On the day the home side were deserving winners, putting in a strong final quarter which they dominated on their way to victory. Following a trimming at the hands of Clooney/Quin a week previous, Newmarket-on-Fergus delivered a more improved showing to return to the semi-finals.
That said, Feakle missed the services of the injured Conn Smyth, Oisin Donnellan, Enda Noonan, and Steven Conway while they lost defender Enda Madden to injury inside the opening quarter. They were also shy of county players Adam Hogan and Eibhear Quilligan.
They finished the game with fourteen as Killian Bane picked up a second yellow card in the closing minutes and this ended his involvement in the tie.
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Padraic Guilfoyle; Mark Delaney (0-1), Jack Enright, Paudie McMahon; Shane Lynch (0-1), Éanna Crimmins, Liam O’Connor (0-1); John Feehily Seán Arthur; Colin Guilfoyle (0-3, 1f) Mikey McInerney (1-1), Dara McInerney; Conor McCarthy (1-0), Peter Power (0-12, 5f, 1 ‘65), Eoin Guilfoyle (0-2)
Subs: James McInerney for S Lynch, James Liddy for C Guilfoyle, James Power for M McInerney;
Feakle: Liam O’Connor; Conor McGann, Killian Bane, Enda Madden; Oisin Clune, Eoin Tuohy, Eoghan Daly; Conor Tuohy (0-1), Gary Guilfoyle (0-2); Martin Daly, Shane McGrath (1-11, 0-9 f), Oisin O’Connor; Raymond Bane, Patrick Daly (0-1), Owen McGann (0-2);
Subs; Justin Nelson for Madden (inj.); Sean Walsh for M. Daly; Tommy Walsh for C. McGann; Tom Moloney for R. Bane; Austin McMahon for E.Tuohy;
Referee: Brendan Hannon (O’Callaghans Mills)
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Mills maintain unbeaten run
O’Callaghans Mills 3-14
Clooney/Quin 2-11
Venue: Dr Hamilton Park, Kilkishen
A strong final quarter which yielded five points without reply helped O’Callaghans Mills qualify for the Clare Cup semi-final.
On top of reaching the last four, the Mills are the only unbeaten side left standing in the competition.
While they will be pleased with the result they are sure to recognise that they need to improve on their finishing, especially from placed balls, if silverware is to be captured this season. They were guilty of shooting a total of fourteen wides in this tie and some of these came from placed balls which were in front of goal.
Clooney/Quin also missed some scoring opportunities, particularly in the first half. No doubt both sides will be hoping that there won’t be a repeat in this aspect of their play when they will meet in round three in the round robin stage of the championship later this summer.
After exchanging points twice in the early stage Jimmy Corry put the visitors ahead when he struck for the game’s opening goal in the tenth minute.
It was a short lived lead as Seán Boyce had the winner’s first goal two minutes later putting his side back in front.
The Mills were two points clear when Dannan Fox got in for Clooney/Quin’s second gal which put them back into the lead. Again it was a shortlived lead as, within a minute Fionn Hickey goaled for winners.
Clooney/Quin responded with three points in a row before Bryan Donnellan struck for the winner’s third goal which put them 3-6 to 2-6 in front at the break.
There was little between the sides throughout the third quarter at the end of which the minimum separated the tams with the home side 3-9 to 2-11 ahead.
The Mills dominated the remaining time to emerge with a merited win but the margin of victory is a little flattering in their favour.
O’Callaghans Mills: Killian Nugent; Cathal McNamara, Conor Cooney, Keith Donnellan; Sean Cotter, Aidan O’Gorman (0-1), Niall Melody; Cormac Murphy (0-2), Fionn Hickey (1-0); Stephen Donnellan, Darragh Moroney (0-2), Jacob Loughnane (0-2), Colin Crehan (0-1, f), Bryan Donnellan (1-2), Seanie Boyce (1-2, 0-1f);
Subs; Conor Henry (0-1) for S. Donnellan; Mark Pewter (0-1) for Crehan
Clooney/Quin; Cillian Duggan; Donnacha O’Donovan, Evan Maxted, David Considine; Fionn O’Gara, Conor Grogan, Darragh Keogh (0-5, all frees); Sam Scanlan, Callum Hassett (0-2); Trevor Lee, Jimmy Corry (1-1), Michael McNamara (0-1); Ulick O’Sullivan, Eoghan O’Brien (0-1), Dannan Fox (1-1);
Sub: Dylan Cunningham for McNamara;
Referee: Aaron Hogg (Clonlara)
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scariff seal place in last four
Scariff 1-24
Crusheen 0-22
Venue: Scariff
By Eoin Brennan
At first glance, it looked like a Limerick/Cork Munster Final rematch but once the wipers were employed, it was a far less intense and dramatic knock-out showdown in Scariff on Sunday evening.
With the home side totally dominant in the opening period, Scariff soared ten points clear in the first two quarters and even stretched that chasm to eleven nearing the two-thirds mark at 1-17 to 0-09. It was seemingly all but over as a contest but Donal Moloney’s side must have presumed that as well as they surprisingly took their foot off the gas and allowed a previously lacklustre Crusheen to gather momentum at the perfect time.
A remarkable 0-10 to 0-01 blitz over the next twelve minutes saw the visitors slash the arrears to just two entering the final ten minutes. However, Scariff had first Rossa Keehan and then debutante Paul Rodgers to thank for sparing their blushes and cementing their place in the last four of the Clare Cup.
Nothing but a Scariff victory appeared on the cards when they defied the incessant rain to hit the ground sprinting with now only the first seven points but more impressively through seven different scorers as well include a first ever adult score for recent All-Ireland Under 20 winner Rodgers.
Patrick Crotty’s eleventh minute surge was relievedly tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Donal Tuohy before Crusheen finally opened their account through a Conor O’Donnell free in the next passage of play.
Scariff’s superiority and greater slickness and movement continued albeit that their radar did go on the blink a little as seven first half wides almost matched their opponents total.
However, the home side did get a timely jolt in the 18th minute when Matthew Crotty’s delivery over the top was collected by Ben Sweeney too round goalkeeper Tuohy and fire an angled shot to an empty net at 1-9 to 0-2.
That ten point margin would still be in situ by the half hour mark despite Gavin O’Brien implementing an important block on a Paul Rodgers shot, with Crusheen capitalising in injury-time with the last two points through Eanna McMahon and goalkeeper Tuohy to lessen the damage to eight at 1-13 to 0-08.
A trio of Keelan Hartigan frees extended that cushion to eleven on the resumption but credit Crusheen for not lowering their heads as they incrementally grew in belief with every passing score on their way to hitting seven unanswered points through Conor O’Donnell (3), Jamie Fitzgibbon (2), Cian Dillon and newcomer Riain O’Donnell to decimate the gap to just two at 1-18 to 0-19 by the 51st minute.
A shellshocked Scariff lacked leadership in this period but did finally regain their composure just in time to ease the pressure value somewhat.
Three points in front by the hour mark. Up stepped Paul Rodgers to mark his first ever competitive game in the green of Scariff a memorable one with two clinching injury-time points.
Scariff: Sean Treacy; Sean Hartigan, Michael Scanlan, Eoghan Keehan; Liam Crotty (0-1), Matthew Crotty, Shane Kavanagh (0-1f); Conor Downes, Patrick Crotty (0-1); Rossa Keehan (0-3), Keelan Hartigan (0-8, 6f), Michael Barrett; Paul Rodgers (0-6, 2f), Patrick Ryan (0-2), Ben Sweeney (1-2)
Subs: Seamus McCaul for S. Hartigan (48, inj), Michael Vaughan for Barrett (50), Sean Collins for Downes (57)
Crusheen: Donal Tuohy (0-1f); Ciaran O’Doherty, Gavin O’Brien, Tadhg Dean; James O’Sullivan, Diarmuid Mullins (0-1), Cian Dillon (0-1); Eanna McMahon (0-1), Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-3); Luke Ketelaar (0-1), Oisin O’Donnell (0-1), Glenn O’Sullivan; Riain O’Donnell (0-2), Fergus Kennedy, Conor O’Donnell (0-10, 8f)
Sub: John O’Sullivan (0-1) for Kennedy (HT)
Referee: Gus Callaghan (Feakle)
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
