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*Conor McGrath was the hero for Cratloe. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
The final weekend of group action finished in memorable fashion when Conor McGrath’s last gasp point from the left touchline inch Cratloe into the last Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final berth.
Cratloe 1-20
Kilmaley 1-17
Venue: Fr Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus
Requiring a three point victory to edge out their opponents on score difference in a three-way deadlock with Feakle, Cratloe looked to have let their opportunity slip as a five point final quarter advantage was whittled down to just the minimum on the hour mark when Conor Cleary kicked a goal for Kilmaley.
1-18 to 1-17 in arrears actually suited Kilmaley who still joined Feakle in the last eight draw but after a Rian Considine free from 40 metres doubled Cratloe’s advantage, it wasn’t until the final puck of the contest that former All-Star McGrath stepped up with his instinctive strike after intercepting a Kilmaley lineball on the 45 metre line.
With the ball just having enough legs to shave the top of the crossbar, it was an unprecedented way of qualifying for the knock-out stages but equally a gut-wrenching end to Kilmaley’s campaign that had put them in pole position after back-to-back victories over Corofin and Feakle.
Unfortunately for Brian Culbert’s side, they only have themselves to blame after frustratingly hitting ten wides in the second period including some very scoreable frees, any one of which would have seen them progress to the business end of the Canon Hamilton race.
Credit has to be given to Cratloe too after keeping the scoreboard ticking over throughout an anxious second period, with Cathal McInerney and Rian Considine to the fore in that regard.
Every score was crucial though as the sides were level six times in the opening period before Podge Collins’ ingenuity mustered up a 22nd minute goal. It was essentially a six point swing as only three minutes earlier, goalkeeper Eoin Deegan had come to Cratloe’s rescue when producing an outstanding full length save to deny James McGuire.
Rian Considine centred for Podge Collins to fire to the net on the turn at 1-6 to 0-7 and with Conor McGrath and Diarmuid Ryan excelling on the scoreboard too, John O’Gorman’s side soared 1-11 to 0-09 clear by the 29th minute.
Kilmaley did grab the last two points of the half through Sean Kennedy and Mikey O’Malley to lower the arrears to just a goal by the break but despite the wind to come, their mounting wide tally only accentuated the pressure in the third quarter.
A more composed Cratloe restored a five point gap with early points from Rian Considine and Cathal McInerney, a margin that they would cling to entering the final quarter at 1-16 to 0-14.
David Collins made a superb diving block to again deny James McGuire but just as it seemed as if Kilmaley’s profligacy would prove their undoing, an Aidan McGuane delivery broke for the hurleyless Cleary to kick to an empty net for a major lifeline.
It wasn’t to be however as a never-say-die Cratloe used all their experience to play their way back into contention and who better than Conor McGrath to fire his side back into the quarter-finals for the first time in two years.
Scorers for Cratloe: Rian Considine 0-6 (5f), Diarmuid Ryan 0-4 (1f), Conor McGrath 0-4, Cathal McInerney 0-3, Podge Collins 1-1, Daithi Collins 0-1, Jack McInerney 0-1
Scorers for Kilmaley: Mikey O’Malley 0-6 (3f), Conor Cleary 1-1 (0-1sl), Sean Kennedy 0-3, Aidan McGuane 0-3, Daire Keane 0-2, Tom O’Rourke 0-1, Joe Carmody 0-1
Cratloe
1: Eoin Deegan
4: Sean Collins
3: David Collins
2: Riain McNamara
5: Jamie Moylan
6: Diarmuid Ryan
9: Conor Ryan
7: Enda Boyce
8: Daithi Collins
10: Sean Gallagher
13: Conor McGrath
12: Kevin Danaher
11: Podge Collins
14: Cathal McInerney
15: Rian Considine
Subs
30: Jack McInerney for Danaher (43)
20: Eoin Carey for Daithi Collins (47)
21: Shane Neville for Gallagher (51)
Kilmaley
1: Bryan O’Loughlin
19: Brian Cahill
3: Aaron Moloney
4: Joe Casey
5: Aidan McGuane
6: Daire Keane
7: Tommy Barry
8: Colin McGuane
9: Sean Kennedy
24: Colm Killeen
11: Mikey O’Malley
12: Tom O’Rourke
15: Conor Cleary
14: James McGuire
10: Brian McNamara
Subs
13: Mikey O’Neill for Killeen (37)
17: Joe Carmody for McGuire (53)
20: Eoin Enright for O’Rourke (56)
18: Cian Neylon for McNamara (61)
Referee: Aaron Hogg (Clonlara)
