*Sean O’Loughlin. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

Kilmaleyโ€™s win, in Group 1 of the Clare Senior Hurling championship sets up a winner-takes-all clash with Clonlara. Inagh-Kilnamona are already through to the last eight and the mouth-watering tie in a fortnightโ€™s time will decide who will join them from that group.

Kilmaley 0-20
Oโ€™Callaghans Mills 1-15
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

By Gerry Quinn

The sides were level on eight occasions in Cusack Park on Saturday over the hour, in what was a tight and tense encounter. Kilmaley, who were a point behind (1-13 to 0-15), at the last water-break, outscored their opponents by five points to two, to claim the honours.

The Mills had lost their opening three games but looked sharp in the first quarter. Jacob Loughnane landed a fifty metre free early on to open the scoring. Youngster Colm Cleary doubled his sideโ€™s lead moments later with a fine point, out on the left, from an acute angle. Sean Oโ€™Loughlin kick-started Kilmaleyโ€™s endeavours with a point from play before they raced into a four points to two advantage by the eighth minute, with scores by Eanna McMahon, Oโ€™Loughlin again and wing back Aidan McGuane. Colm Cleary for The Mills, grabbed the gameโ€™s only goal, fielding a low drilled ball before turning to his left and rattling Bryan Oโ€™Loughlinโ€™s net. At half-time the sides were level at 1-08 to 0-11. Oโ€™Callaghanโ€™s Mills relied mainly on free-taker Jacob Loughnane for scores whereas Kilmaley had a wider range of scorers in that opening half.

Last yearโ€™s beaten finalists began the second half like the first and hit two points through a Loughnane free and a Conor Henry effort from play. A brace by Kilmaleyโ€™s Michael Oโ€™Malley and a superb score from team-captain Michael Oโ€™Neill ensured that stalemate ensued once again. Loughnane struck the Mills in front with a big free from about seventy meters and two Aidan Fawl points before the last water-break coupled with one each for Kilmaley by Oโ€™Neill and Oโ€™Malley, saw the Mills lead by a single score (1-13 to 0-15) as the players headed to the sideline.

In the last period of play Kilmaley dug deep. Daire Keane, who was quiet, up to then came into his own. The big full-forward found his range on three occasions, tormenting the Mills defence in a short sustained period. A further point by substitute Tom Oโ€™Rourke put three between them in a frantic finish. Mills sub Sean Cotter pulled one back before Loughnanโ€™s sixty-five meter free hit the cross-bar came out and was batter wide. Sub Gearoid Oโ€™Grady sealed The Mills fate in injury-time with the last score of the game, a point from open play.

Kilmaley Scorers: M Oโ€™Malley (0-7) 4 fโ€™s, S Oโ€™Loughlin (0-4), D Keane (0-3), M Oโ€™Neill (0-2), A McGuane, A Griffey, T Oโ€™Rourke, G Oโ€™Grady, E McMahon (0-1) each.

Oโ€™Callaghanโ€™s Mills Scorers: J Loughnane (0-9) 8 fโ€™s, C Cleary (1-1), A Fawl (0-2), C Henry, C Crehan, S Cotter (0-1) each.

Teams
Kilmaley
1: Bryan Oโ€™Loughlin

2: Tommy Barry
3: Colin McGuane
4: Bradley Higgins

22: James McGuane
6: Conor Cleary
7: Aidan McGuane

8: ร‰anna McMahon
9: Brian Cahill

10: Michael Oโ€™Malley
11: Michael Oโ€™Neill Captain
12: Cian Moloney

13: Sean Oโ€™Loughlin
14: Daire Keane
15: Aidan Griffey
Subs:
29: Eoin Enright for Eanna McMahon (HT),
21: Gearoid Oโ€™Grady for Cian Moloney (37),
17: Tom Oโ€™Rourke for Aidan Griffey (41)
5: Sean Kennedy for James McGuire (42).

Oโ€™Callaghanโ€™s Mills
1: Killian Nugent

2: Michael Cotter
3: Conor Cooney
17: Gerry Cooney

5: Patrick Donnellan
6: Aidan Oโ€™Gorman
4: Sean Oโ€™Gorman

22: Conor Henry
18: Michael McGrath

10: Jacob Loughnane
13: Conor Cooney
12: Aidan Fawl

20: Colm Cleary
21: Adrian Flaherty
15: Colin Crehan

Subs:
9: Sean Cotter for Adrian Flaherty (46),
7: Ciarรกn Cooney for Conor Henry (50)
14: Cormac Murphy for Michael McGrath (59).

Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)

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