*Lorcan Fitzpatrick of Sixmilebridge. Photograph: Gerard O’Neil
SIXMILEBRIDGE are preparing for a “massive battle” against rivals Newmarket-on-Fergus in the final round in Group 4 of the Clare SHC.
Successive wins have The Bridge on the brink of a place in the quarter-finals but they and their opponents this Friday evening in Cusack Park both need a win.
Tommy Liddy, Sixmilebridge joint manager said, “We have a massive battle with Newmarket coming down the line. No more that the battle with Crusheen, there has never been more than a point or two in it. We have to get working again. We have two wins to date but lose the last game and you could be out. We learned the hard way last year so we are focussing on getting six points in the group”.
A two point win over Crusheen has Sixmilebridge sitting at top of the table in Group 4. “If you go through the years there has never been more than a puck of the ball between the ‘Bridge and Crusheen and today was no different. We are delighted to have come out at the right side of the result. We came out at the wrong side in a few battles last year,” Liddy stated following their second round.
He continued, “We have a lot of work done over the last eight and a half months and that came out in the second half. that’s the main thing when you are putting all of these hours in and it’s great when it comes out on the field. Our subs made a huge difference again, four massive contributions and that’s what it’s all about. You need to have that strength in depth in the panel”
“Crusheen fought to the end. We got a couple of points in a row but credit to Crusheen, they brought it back, a brilliant goal at the finish but we were able to go down and get a point with the last puck. That’s championship hurling with Crusheen, they fought to the bitter end and we are just thrilled to have come out on the right side,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Crusheen face St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in Ruan on Friday evening for what will be their second championship fixture this year at the venue. Speaking following their round two loss to The Bridge, selector Alan Tuohy commented, “Credit to Sixmilebridge, they are a seasoned team. They showed their experience as the game wore on. We are disappointed that we couldn’t get key players onto the ball in the second half. We will move on, we have another game to go in the group and we will take the learnings from today”.
While the scoreboard displayed the wrong score in Clarecastle before a Ross Hayes goal from a free brought them to within a point, the scoreboard suggesting they were level as a result, the management had the correct score, Tuohy pointed out. “There was no confusion at our end as we knew there were four points in it before the free was taken. We are disappointed that we weren’t able to influence it more in the second half. They got a grip on things and we weren’t able to take it back. We will have to watch it back and take the learnings”.
Tuohy added, “We knew from the start that there would be three games in the group and that we would have to win two so the focus now turns to the match with St. Josephs. That will be a knockout game now. We are disappointed we didn’t make more of an influence on the scoreboard in the second half today. We are still in the championship”.
