*Sean Crowley in action with Lissycasey’s Michael Kelly. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
LISSYCASEY join Ennistymon at the top of Group 2 in the Clare SFC after as expected they brushed off the challenge of Kilmihil.
Lissycasey 0-21
Kilmihil 0-6
Venue: Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
The Clare Echo’s coverage of the Clare SFC is brought to you with thanks to The Shannon Springs Hotel.
Quarter-finalists for the past six seasons, Lissycasey took one step towards returning to the knockout stages when accounting for Kilmihil on Saturday evening.
It was a win in the relegation final against Corofin last September which helped Kilmihil retain their senior status. All indicators are that they will be battling for their status in the top tier once again.
For the second year running, fifteen points have separated the sides in the opening round of the TUS Clare SFC, Lissycasey’s abundance of talent and greater depth ensuring such a gap remains between them.
In truth, the game was over at half time when Lissycasey held a margin of twelve points.
By the end of the first quarter, Lissycasey had nine points on the board and Kilmihl had failed to register a score. Part of the winner’s tally during this spell included two pointers from Daire Culligan, Connor Meaney and Aaron Griffin.
Martin O’Leary’s quick thinking helped Kilmihil got off the mark. He was fouled and made a quick run in possession then before splitting the posts on sixteen minutes.
That was their only contribution to the scoreboard in the opening half, Lissycasey adding further efforts from Meaney on the double with one each from Darragh Killeen and Conor Finnucane to hold a 0-13 0-1 interval advantage.
They extended their lead on the restart with efforts from Culligan and Finnucane. Dan Keating pulled one back from Kilmihil on thirty seven minutes.
A foul on Connor Meaney resulted in a rise in tensions on forty minutes, a slight tussle that ensued saw the notebook of referee Jim Hickey go flying in one direction but that’s as exciting as this particular exchange got, the Cratloe official was not even forced to write names into his notebook once he retrieved. The resulting free was missed by Finnucane but he made amends when converting his next scoreable opportunity, fleshing their lead to fourteen points entering the final quarter.
An excellent two pointer free from Ciaran Downes on forty eight minutes gave a slight glimpse of the talent Kilmihil have despite how poor the fare was on this occasion. Lissycasey replied with the next three scores before Downes again landed a two pointer but Finnucane and goalkeeper Thomas Collins had the final acts on the scoreboard to seal a fully merited victory for the 2024 Cusack Cup champions.
Every game from here on is going to be tougher for Aiden Moloney’s Lissycasey who didn’t have to exert beyond third gear for this first round tie. The three-time Clare SFC winning manager will be the first to admit they have a lot to work on, their return of ten wides, six of which were in the second half is among the aspects that will be punished against superior opposition.
It is on those more difficult occasions that a truer glimpse of this Lissycasey will be clear but they still remain a team to watch out for in the race for the Jack Daly. They lost two players to injury inside the first twenty minutes and it in no way impacted on their focus. Darragh Killeen, Conor Finnucane, Connor Meaney and Daire Culligan did well for the victors.
Suffering a fifteen point loss is never easy and Kilmihil will have to regroup quickly as they prepare for Ennistymon in round two in a fortnight. That they made only one substitute underlines they haven’t the depth or the options which is hindering their cause. Against the conditions in the opening half, they left danger men Ciaran Downes in the full forward line without a supply of ball which certainly hurt their cause.
Compared with their fifteen point loss to the same opponents at the same stage last year, Mickey Doran’s men fate is not exactly sealed. It wasn’t then either but wins against Éire Óg and Kilmurry Ibrickane were next to impossible for them whereas they will not fear coming up against rivals Doonbeg and Ennistymon in the remainder of their group ties.
Scorers Lissycasey: C Finnucane (0-6), D Culligan (0-4 1TP 2f), C Meaney (0-4 1TP), A Griffin (0-2 1TP), S Griffin (0-1), D Killeen (0-1), N Kelly (0-1), D McMahon (0-1), T Collins (0-1 1’45).
Scorers Kilmihil: C Downes (0-4 2TPF), M O’Leary (0-1), D Keating (0-1)
Lissycasey:
1: Thomas Collins
4: Aaron Killeen
3: Ryan Griffin
2: Michael Kelly
10: Luke Griffin
6: Connor Meaney
5: Daire Hill
8: Matt O’Shea
12: Shane Griffin
21: Conor Hill
15: Aaron Griffin
7: Darragh Killeen
11: Daire Culligan
14: Diarmuid McMahon
13: Conor Finnucane
Subs:
18: Niall Kelly for C Hill (7) (inj)
22: Michael Meaney for A Killeen (17) (inj)
17: Cian Meaney for R Griffin (44)
25: Aidan Meaney for M Kelly (47)
19: Francie Hayes for A Griffin (54)
Kilmihil:
1: Damien Lineen
2: David Coughlan
3: John Finucane
4: Padraig O’Grady
11: Sean Crowley
7: Michael Cotter
6: Mikey Keating
5: Shane Downes
8: Dan Keating
9: Jack Keating
17: Padraig Lynch
14: Cathal Murray
15: Stan Lineen
13: Martin O’Leary
10: Ciaran Downes
Subs:
19: Dylan Downes Rigney for Lynch (54)
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
