*Darragh McNamara scores Clooney/Quin’s winning goal. Photograph: Joe Buckley
A goal on the hour mark for substitute Darragh McNamara reduced a rousing opening victory for Clooney-Quin who floored Broadford to shade the crucial points in Group 2 in the opening round of the TUS Clare SHC.
Clooney/Quin 1-18
Broadford 2-12
Venue: Shannon
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SHC is with thanks to The Temple Gate Hotel.
Having set the pace for the majority ignited by first quarter goals for Oisin Kavanagh and Diarmuid Moloney, Broadford appeared to be set for an opening upset but would be overtaken at the death when McNamara’s batted goal put Clooney/Quin into the ascendency for the first time in over 30 minutes.
Unfortunately Broadford looked to try and defend their cushion carved out mainly by a superb display from Niall O’Farrell who along with seven frees also managed to convert two excellent late points from play to open up a two point advantage entering the final ten minutes.
However, a previous subdued Clooney-Quin would crucially remain patient and thanks to Peter Duggan’s freetaking ability, they would be buoyed by that goal as Duggan scored an injury-time free kick before teeing up the clincher for his brother Martin to relievedly cement the first points.
Fergal Lynch’s side had been on the backfoot from the outset as Broadford set the tone from the throw-in when debutante Mikey Vaughan combined with Niall O’Farrell to tee up Oisin Kavanagh for a goal at the edge of the square after only 25 seconds.
Clooney-Quin looked to an instant response but found Broadford goalkeeper Cian O’Brien in stubborn mood as he superbly kept out a brace of Dannan Fox attempts within three minutes of each other.
Peter Duggan did settle his side with three placed balls and they had only regained full parity by the end of the opening quarter when Broadford struck for a second timely goal. This time a defensive lapse allowed Diarmuid O’Brien to pull the ball into the returning Diarmuid Moloney’s path to race through and finish to the right corner at 2-1 to 0-4.
Buoyed by that major, a determined O’Farrell matched Duggan’s frees while Diarmuid O’Brien and Shane Taylor added points to double Broadford’s advantage to four by the 23rd minute at 2-5 to 0-7.
It would be nine minutes until they scored again though, by which time Clooney-Quin had inched in front for the very first time after rattling off five successive points through Duggan (2), Jerry O’Connor, Dannan Fox and John Conneally entering injury-time.
The damage could have been greater only for Fox to also hit the post while the rebound was kept out by the outstanding O’Brien.
Broadford did manage to salvage a half-time stalemate when Niall O’Farrell earned and converted a 50 metre free at 0-12 to 2-06.
It wouldn’t take long for Broadford to snatch back the whip hand either as an O’Farrell pair of frees sandwiched another goal sighting for Fox that agonisingly just flashed wide of the right post.
Ryan Taylor and Jerry O’Connor did level matters for only the fourth time by the turn of the final quarter, a deadlock that would remain into the final ten minutes after O’Farrell and O’Connor swapped scores at 2-09 to 0-15.
Peter Duggan, now at the edge of the square, excellently fielded a Jack O’Neill delivery to improvise with a one-handed shot that would be repelled by the defiant Cian O’Brien.
Inspired by that save, Broadford nudged themselves back in front through Diarmuid O’Brien and Niall O’Farrell but in an effort to protect their two point cushion, Paddy Meehan’s side subconsciously retreated and invited Clooney-Quin onto them for the remainder.
A Peter Duggan free halved the arrears to just one by the hour mark but a never-say-die Clooney-Quin would get the decisive break when substitute Darragh McNamara marked his debut with an unforgettable finish that could well be the defining score of Clooney-Quin’s entire season.
All photographs by Joe Buckley
Scorers for Clooney-Quin: Peter Duggan 0-9 (7f, 2’65); Jerry O’Connor 0-3; Darragh McNamara 1-0; John Conneally 0-2; Jack O’Neill 0-1, Dannan Fox 0-1, Ryan Taylor 0-1, Martin Duggan 0-1
Scorers for Broadford: Niall O’Farrell 0-9 (7f); Oisin Kavanagh 1-0; Diarmuid Moloney 1-0; Diarmuid O’Brien 0-2, Shane Taylor 0-1
Clooney-Quin
16: Cillian Duggan
7: John Cahill
3: Conor Grogan
2: Sean McNamara
4: Evan Maxted
6: Darragh Keogh
19: John Conneally
9: Jimmy Corry
21: Jerry O’Connor
11: Peter Duggan
8: Ryan Taylor
12: Jack O’Neill
10: Sam Scanlan
14: Callum Hassett
13: Dannan Fox
Subs
15: Ulick O’Sullivan for Scanlan (41)
23: Martin Duggan for Hassett (46)
27: Darragh McNamara for Fox (52)
Broadford
1: Cian O’Brien
4: Damien Kiniry
3: Eoin Donnellan
15: Eoghan Gunning
7: Davy Boland
2: Paddy Donnellan
5: Paurig Taylor
8: Cian Mulqueen
10: Mikey Vaughan
12: Darren Chaplin
6: Shane Taylor
9: Diarmuid O’Brien
22: Oisin Kavanagh
11: Niall O’Farrell
14: Diarmuid Moloney
Subs
18: Darragh Whelan for Gunning (7-8, BS)
19: Cian Cremins for Kavanagh (HT)
23: Cathal Chaplin for Boland (54)
17: Craig Chaplin for Cremins (58)
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
