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*Evan Cahill of Kilmaley strikes under pressure from Patrick Crotty. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
KILMALEY have qualified for the Clare SHC final for the first time in twenty two years, seeing off Scariff by eleven points.
Kilmaley 0-25
Scariff 1-11
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
In the first of the semi-finals it was Kilmaley who emerged on top, the battle scars that Scariff have borne this year took its toll but Brian Culbert’s side with incredible tenacity and desire were worthy winners.
Fighting for every ball and willing to go the extra inch, Kilmaley showed the signs of a side spurred on from their exit at the semi-final stage last season. The missed chances which cost them against Éire Óg were still visible as they returned to the penultimate juncture of the championship but this time round it didn’t serve as a fatal blow.
Putting Scariff under enormous pressure on their own puckout, it led to three scoring chances in the first quarter alone, none of which were taken but nonetheless demonstrated the focus placed on work ethic within their camp. They also had the legs and found another level in the closing stages, firing off six points on the trot to carve out the eleven point win.
A repeat pairing of the 2004 semi-final, Scariff were frustrated with the performance of referee Kevin Walsh back then and they were left annoyed with some of the calls by match official Joe Mullins.
Getting the rub of the green on the decision was something that didn’t fall the way of the way of the side in green. They rarely got frees in scoring positions whereas Tom O’Rourke finished with nine points from frees.
They had right to be aggrieved when Mark Rodgers was pulled for steps after Joe Casey had lost his footing and ended up knocking down the Clare attacker when he was bearing down on goal. They went from coming close to getting a major to conceding a free.
Photographs by Ruthie Griffin.
Point number eighteen for Kilmaley also saw some inconsistency from the referee when Colm Killeen was let away with a chop in front of the stand, allowing the winners claim possession back and finish off with a Daire Keane point. Moments later Scott Cairns was penalised for a chop allowing O’Rourke to add to his tally.
Mullins did not define who won and lost though, Scariff’s missed chances in a flurry during the third quarter hindered their chances of making inroads but so too did the injuries they encountered along the way with Patrick Ryan and Keelan Hartigan limited in their involvement while Daniel Treacy was ruled out of the tie.
Mikey O’Neill was a big loss for Kilmaley but the depth of their panel is stronger than Scariff and he will be moving heaven and earth to be available for their county final.
Aidan McGuane excelled in defence for Kilmaley as did Joe Casey who was once again tasked with trying to curb one of the county’s top forwards. Tommy Barry Cian Moloney and Brian McNamara impressed further up the field while Seán O’Loughlin may have only scored one point from corner forward but set the standard in terms of workrate with his tracking, tackling and hunger to win back the ball.
MORE TO FOLLOW.
Scorers Kilmaley: T O’Rourke (0-11 9f 1’65), B McNamara (0-3), C Moloney (0-2), D Keane (0-2), S Kennedy (0-1), S O’Loughlin (0-1), C Cleary (0-1), É McMahon (0-1), C Killeen (0-1), E Enright (0-1)
Scorers Scariff: S Kavanagh (0-4 2f 1’65), P Crotty (0-3), R Ryan (1-0), M Rodgers (0-2 1f), P Rodgers (0-1), L Crotty (0-1).
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Kilmaley:
1: Bryan O’Loughlin
4: Colin Carmody
2: Joe Casey
3: Colin McGuane
5: Aidan McGuane
6: Mikey O’Malley
7: Daire Keane
9: Seán Kennedy
8: Tommy Barry
12: Brian McNamara
10: Cian Moloney
26: Evan Cahill
15: Seán O’Loughlin
14: Conor Cleary
13: Tom O’Rourke
Subs:
23: Eoin Enright for Kennedy (44)
18: Colm Killeen for Cahill (46)
19: Éanna McMahon for Moloney (56)
22: Oisin Looney for S O’Loughlin(56)
20: Joe Carmody for Barry (58)
Scariff:
1: William Kavanagh
2: Seamus McCaul
12: Michael Scanlan
4: Scott Cairns
5: Conor Downes
6: Matthew Crotty
7: Shane Kavanagh
8: Liam Crotty
9: Paul Rodgers
19: Luke Madden
11: Patrick Crotty
10: Rossa Keehan
13: Rory Ryan
14: Mark Rodgers
15: Patrick Nugent
Subs:
30: Patrick Ryan for Nugent (HT)
17: Diarmaid Nash for Madden (HT)
22: Seán Collins for Keehan (39)
21: Éanna O’Brien for P Rodgers (51)
18: Keelan Hartigan for R Ryan (55)
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
