*Liam Markham and Cathal Darcy during the 2018 county semi-final. Photograph: Clare GAA
Clare Cup champions Kilmaley will face last year’s championship finalists Cratloe in the third round of the Clare SHC.
Just two club delegates attended Monday evening’s draw in Clareabbey which saw pairings confirmed for the third round in the senior and intermediate championships, the relegation play-offs for both along with the quarter-finals in the Junior A and Junior B campaigns.
It is the meeting of Cratloe and Kilmaley that has already set tongues wagging two weeks before the tie takes place. The sides met in the county semi-final last year with Cratloe prevailing 1-14 0-16 with Kilmaley very vocal in their critique of the match officials following the tie. In this year’s Clare Cup, they got some revenge winning 3-25 1-18.
Defending champions Ballyea will meet a determined Wolfe Tones where they will need a significant improvement following their disappointing display against favourites Sixmilebridge at the weekend. The sides last met in the first round of the 2017 championship where Tony Kelly goaled during their 1-16 0-12 win, at half-time in that tie just a single point separated the sides.
Clooney/Quin have been drawn against Feakle where both sides will definitely fancy their chances. Their 2017 round two meeting is not forgotten in Feakle, the 2-22 2-14 extra time defeat was a blow they would not recover from in a year which they were relegated from intermediate. Sixteen points from Peter Duggan proved vital in their Clare Cup clash this year with 0-21 0-16 the final score.
Éire Óg’s bid of reaching a fifth quarter-final in as many years hinges on their ability to overcome Newmarket-on-Fergus. One has to go back to 2006 for their last senior championship clash, The Blues won out 1-12 2-08 on that occasion bringing their campaign to life in a year that they would go on to reach the county final, Danny Russell goaled for the Townies in that outing while Colin Ryan fired a late brace of points, both sharpshooters will be crossing paths in two weeks time.
O’Callaghans Mills and Whitegate face off in the East Clare derby where senior status will be on the line with the other relegation play-off pitting 2005 winners Clarecastle against the 2007 champions Tulla.
Third round plus relegation games in the Clare SHC and IHC will take place on the weekend of Aug 31st/Sept1st.
#ClareSHC Round Three;@CratloeGAAClub v @KilmaleyGAA @ballyea_club v @wtnsgaa @feaklegaa v @ClooneyQuinGAA @EireOgInisGAA v @NOFGAA
— Paudie McMahon (@thepmanofficial) August 19, 2019
#ClareSHC Relegation play-off;@ClarecastleGAA v @TullaGAAClub @whitegategaa v @ocmillsgaa
— Paudie McMahon (@thepmanofficial) August 19, 2019
#ClareIHC Rnd 3:@GAAParteen v @killanenagaa @DooraBarefield v @BodykeGaa @CorofinGaaClub v @SMBGAA @inagh_kilnamona v @CratloeGAAClub #GAA
— Paudie McMahon (@thepmanofficial) August 19, 2019
#ClareIHC Relegation semi-finals –@RuanGaa v @EireOgInisGAA @NOFGAA v @ClarecastleGAA
— Paudie McMahon (@thepmanofficial) August 19, 2019
Junior A Hurling QF: @ClooneyQuinGAA v Ogonnelloe@ocmillsgaa v @inagh_kilnamona @clonlaragaaclub v @BroadfordGaa @CrusheenGaa v @KilmaleyGAA
— Paudie McMahon (@thepmanofficial) August 19, 2019
Junior B Hurling Quarter-Finals;@whitegategaa v @NOFGAA @BannerGAAEnnis v @SMBGAA @Scariff v @DooraBarefield @SOBGAA v @wtnsgaa #GAA
— Paudie McMahon (@thepmanofficial) August 19, 2019
