*Kilmaley’s Sean Kennedy delivers the ball into attack. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
KILMALEY advance to their first Clare Senior Hurling Championship semi-final in seven years but one wouldn’t have thought it from what seemed a grizzled veteran’s performance.
Kilmaley 1-21
Sixmilebridge 1-8
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SHC is with thanks to The Temple Gate Hotel.
Indeed, in truth, the 13 point final margin actually flattered the ‘Bridge who appeared a shadow of the side that reached last year’s county final as a rampant Kilmaley brushed aside their challenge and had the result beyond any doubt by half-time.
A 1-5 unanswered second quarter proved the defining period of the game as Kilmaley cantered into the break 1-11 to 0-04 clear with a strong wind to come for the second period.
At 0-7 to 0-4, the opening goal was the real defining score of the hour in the 22nd minute as Lorcan Fitzpatrick had an equalising goal chance blocked by Colin McGuane, only for Sixmilebridge to concede within seconds down the other end as a Derek Fahy pass to Mattie O’Halloran was intercepted by Tom O’Rourke to scramble the ball to the net.
That six point swing allied to twelve first half wides for a wind-assisted ‘Bridge would be utterly frustrating as nothing seemed to go right on the evening for Tommy Liddy and Stiofan Fitzpatrick’s side who again were without county senior Cathal Malone.
In terms of pace, balance and movement, a vastly experienced Sixmilebridge couldn’t have asked for worse opponent in Kilmaley who comfortably led from the outset and powered as much as 14 clear nearing the turn of the final quarter.
With no clear superstar, this was another hugely impressive collective victory as captain Mikey O’Malley, Conor Cleary, Tom O’Rourke, Mikey O’Neill, Brian McNamara and Sean O’Loughlin providing far too many fires for a clearly patched up ‘Bridge to even contemplate quenching.
The only solace for the 2020 champions was the leadership from their younger charges as David Kennedy, Mattie O’Halloran and Fiachra Ó Braoin gave of their all to try and stem the tide.
It was a tsunami in the waiting for a Kilmaley side that seemed to be finally fulfilling their promise, albeit guided by a Sixmilebridge man Brian Culbert who will have taken no pleasure in beating his native club but will have immense pride in how potent his side have been throughout this championship so far.
Sean O’Loughlin was unlucky to see a shot cleared off the line by Mattie O’Halloran in the second minute but Kilmaley did make amends with the first three points through Mikey O’Neill, Sean Kennedy and Tom O’Rourke.
David Kennedy pulled just wide at the other end but flanked by a flurry of ‘Bridge wides, even at that early stage one knew that they would prove costly against such a lethal opponent.
A mini revival of point from David Kennedy, Jamie Shanahan and Lorcan Fitzpatrick did lessen the damage to two by the turn of the second quarter at 0-6 to 0-4.
However, it would be almost twenty minutes until the ‘Bridge scored again, by which time the tie was effectively put beyond them thanks to a 1-7 blitz.
O’Rourke’s goal could have easily been accentuated by three more such was Kilmaley’s dominance at this early stage but a Sean O’Loughlin back post volley just flashed wide, Conor Cleary failed to trouble Fahy after he had just made a superb stop to deny Mikey O’Neill while in injury-time a Hurley-less Tommy Barry kicked straight at the goalkeeper.
Mikey O’Malley did arrow over three frees though while on the restart. excellent wing-forward duo Brian McNamara and Mikey O’Neill stretched the gap to twelve at 1-13 to 0-04.
Jamie Shanahan did finally stop the rot with a free but with O’Malley and even goalkeeper Bryan O’Loughlin unerring from frees, a 1-17 to 0-06 chasm greeted the final quarter.
The ‘Bridge finally got some reward for their endeavours with a well worked goal, with the ball worked through substitute Sean Macnamara, Mattie O’Halloran, Shane Golden and Alan Mulready to eventually get to Davy Kennedy at the edged of the square to blast past O’Loughlin.
He would get a another sighting entering the final ten minutes but this time it was a much more ambitious effort that Bryan O’Loughlin comfortably dealt with.
Without a score in eight minutes themselves, inevitably Conor Cleary got them back on track while Sean O’Loughlin and Mikey O’Malley (2) firing the last three points to cement a first semi-final appearance since being pipped to the post by Cratloe in 2018.
Scorers for Kilmaley: Mikey O’Malley 0-7 (6f, 1’65); Tom O’Rourke 1-1; Brian McNamara 0-3, Mikey O’Neill 0-3; Conor Cleary 0-2, Sean O’Loughlin 0-2; Sean Kennedy 0-1, Tommy Barry 0-1, Bryan O’Loughlin 0-1 (f)
Scorers for Sixmilebridge: David Kennedy 1-2; Jamie Shanahan 0-4 (4f); Alex Morey 0-1 (1f), Lorcan Fitzpatrick 0-1
Kilmaley
1: Bryan O’Loughlin
2: Martin O’Connor
3: Colin McGuane
4: Joe Casey
5: Aidan McGuane
6: Daire Keane
7: Eanna McMahon
8: Tommy Barry
9: Sean Kennedy
30: Brian McNamara
11: Mikey O’Malley
12: Mikey O’Neill
10: Sean O’Loughlin
14: Conor Cleary
13: Tom O’Rourke
Subs
29: Cathal Darcy for Kennedy (49)
15: Colm Killeen for O’Connor (49)
18: Eoin Enright for Keane (55)
17: Joe Carmody for O’Rourke (58)
19: Colin Carmody for C. McGuane (60)
Sixmilebridge
1: Derek Fahy
7: Matthew O’Halloran
3: Noel Purcell
4: Pa Mulready
8: Seadna Morey
6: Paidi Fitzpatrick
5: Fiachra Ó Braoin
9: Brian Carey
14: Shane Golden
23: Luke O’Halloran
11: Jamie Shanahan
10: Lorcan Fitzpatrick
15: Brian Corry
12: Alex Morey
13: David Kennedy
Sub
22: Jason Loughnane for Carey (HT)
19: Sean Macnamara for A. Morey (HT)
20: Alan Mulready for L. O’Halloran (HT)
18: Conor Deasy for L. Fitzpatrick (53)
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
