Scariff handed championship lifeline to secure quarter-final spot

*Mark Rodgers catches the sliotar above Gavin O’Brien. Photograph: Ruthie Griffin

SCORING difference has sent Scariff through to the Clare SHC quarter-finals and Crusheen into a relegation battle.

Scariff 2-27
Crusheen 2-14
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla

A powerful final quarter helped greatly by the contribution of a number of substitutes steered Scariff to a thirteen point win over Crusheen, their first win of this year’s championship.

Having tasted defeat in their opening two games, Scariff went into Sunday’s tie knowing that they needed to win by nine points or more to have a chance of making the knockout stages.

Twenty minutes into the game they were ten clear but Crusheen finished the half strongly to cut the margin back to six by the break.

Scariff had the first three points of the second half to go nine clear again but back came Crusheen hitting 1-4 without reply to cut the deficit to two points, 1-18 to 2-13, at the three quarter stage.

The move of Paul Rodgers to midfield allied to contributions from Diarmaid Nash, Rory Ryan and Luke Madden from the bench, saw the East Clare side hit 1-9 without reply in a fifteen minute spell sealing their place in the quarter finals and sending Crusheen into the relegation play offs.

Scariff had the better of the early exchanges and raced 0-6 to 0-1 clear after twelve minutes. Five minutes later it was 0-9 to 0-3 when the winners struck for the game’s first goal, Mark Rodgers, back from injury, flicking a Shane Kavanagh delivery into the path of Paul Rodgers and he found the net.

Crusheen stormed back and Breffni Horner who postponed his return flight to Australia to play this game, found the net. Points from Conor (free) and Rian O’Donnell closed out the half and left the winners 1-13 to 1-7 ahead.

The winners started the second half with three unanswered points but, again, Crusheen battled back and hit 1-3 without reply, the goal coming from Luke Ketalaar.

It was 1-17 to 2-13 at the three quarter mark and things didn’t look good for Scariff. By now Luke Madden, Rory Ryan and Diarmuid Nash were on the field. Madded landed two points, Nash pointed with his first touch and then turned provider setting up two scores before Ryan struck for his side’s second goal which came with two minutes remaining.

Crusheen who certainly missed the presence of Clare senior panelist Ross Hayes who was out of the country at his brother’s wedding, battled to the end but Scariff’s overall better balance proved decisive.

Scorers Scariff; Paul Rodgers (1-8, 5f, 1 line ball); Patrick Crotty (0-6); Shane Kavanagh (0-4, 2f); Rory Ryan (1-0); Keelan Hartigan, Luke Madden, Rossa Keehan (0-2) each; Liam Crotty, Diarmuid Nash, Patrick Nugent (0-1) each;

Scorers Crusheen; Conor O’Donnell (0-7, 5f|); Breffni Horner, Luke Ketalaar (1-0) each; Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-2); Oisin O’Donnell, Cillein Mullins, James O’Sullivan, Gavin O’Brien (free), Rian O’Donnell, (0-1) each

All photographs by Ruthie Griffin.