*Patrick Crotty scores a point in the opening half. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
FALLING short by a single point in their bid to make the Clare SHC semi-finals for the second year running will add to the pain of Scariff’s quarter-final loss.
A dominant first half display saw Scariff build up a six point advantage by the twenty first minute, the concession of a Cathal McInerney penalty aided Cratloe to cut the lead to two by half time while a run of six points without reply in the final quarter ultimately decided the result.
Patrick Crotty was central to their powerful first half when he hit 0-5, similarly Mark Rodgers had a big involvement when they were on top but their influence waned when Cratloe began to reign supreme.
Scariff manager, Mark McKenna acknowledged that they failed to sustain their strong start as the contest wore on. “There were a couple of goal chances too which on another day may have sneaked in, it didn’t work out that day, I thought we caused huge problems when we went direct and sent the ball inside, another day you would get real fruits off that but some days it goes like it did today and we’re out”.
McKenna told The Clare Echo, “The first overriding emotion is awful disappointment for the lads, we have to go back and look at that which will be a hard watch because the finish of it wasn’t good at all, we had chances and some of the frees I don’t know about them. We had a tendency of making mistakes in the last couple of matches, I thought we made a few today but I thought we contributed enormously to a hugely entertaining game of hurling, Cusack Park was in fabulous condition with two teams going at it hammer and tongs, what else would you ask for in the quarter-final of the championship but we are very disappointed”.
Rodgers was recovering from a broken bone in his foot while Keelan Hartigan had a groin injury which forced him to be taken off, even though he was later sprung back onto the field in the closing stages. “We brought on Tomás for Keelan who was struggling with an injury, Tomás came on and got a bang on the shoulder so we had to take him off at half time, Ben (Sweeney) came on and it didn’t work out for Ben so he had to come ashore but everyone of them tried and they tried very hard, that is all we ask for every day we go out”.
He continued, “Mark was recovering and coming back, Keelan’s groin was at him, it was an issue and it showed, we gave him every chance and he wanted to give it a go, whether it was the right or wrong decision that is what we went with and it’s where we are now so best of luck to Cratloe”.
Returning to the semi-finals for the second season in a row had been the target for the East Clare side. “We wanted to get back to a semi-final, the fact we were beaten only by a point will make it harder, if it went to extra time we could have went at it again but I thought a draw would have been a fair result and we could have got something out of it but we didn’t”.
