*Shane Golden scored the first goal for Sixmilebridge. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
SIXMILEBRIDGE SEALED their place in the quarter-finals of the Clare SHC with a resounding fifteen point win on Sunday afternoon.
Sixmilebridge 3-26
Whitegate 0-20
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla
Top spot in the ‘Group of Death’ has been achieved by Sixmilebridge but more impressively that that was their ability to produce a commanding display for the third game in succession.
Having already recorded a seven point win over neighbours Newmarket-on-Fergus and a twenty one point victory over Feakle, The Bridge once again underlined their championship credentials and firmly earmarked themselves as the favourites to lift the Canon Hamilton this year.
Setting a blistering pace from the throw-in, Sixmilebridge dictated matters the second Jim Hickey let go of the sliotar. Within the first two minutes, they led 0-03 0-00 as Whitegate struggled to catch their breath never mind a breaking ball.
Very unselfish play from David Kennedy teed up Shane Golden for their first goal on six minutes with the Clare senior sticking a pile driver past Andrew Fahey. They turned up the dial when firing two more goals past Fahey in a 84 second window. Seadna Morey cleverly batted the ball to the net while Kennedy reacted superbly to a mishit attempt by Lorcan Fitzpatrick to pull on the break.
Kennedy’s goal on twenty two minutes put seventeen points between the sides and effectively ended the game. By the half-time whistle, the scoreboard read 3-16 0-08 in their favour with ten different players registering efforts for them at this juncture.
Sean Stack’s side had the job done and tacked on ten second half points. To their credit, Whitegate kept plugging away and the scoreboard ticking, that they outscored The Bridge 0-12 0-10 is of zero consolation.
A relegation battle awaits Terence Fahy’s charges who meet Feakle in the final round. They struggled to win primary possession from their own puckouts compared to the electric quick restarts from Derek Fahy which offered a solid platform for Sixmilebridge to create scorers and catch their opponents off guard.
That they are brushing aside every challenge with ease is emphasising the power at which Sixmilebrdge are tearing through the championship with. On this occasion, they also blooded new players with David Kennedy and Leon Kelly handed their first championship starts at senior level.
For the winners, Shane Golden, Barry Fitzpatrick, Seadna Morey and David Kennedy excelled while Danny Hynes, Conor McDermott, Tomás Quirke and Reuben Noyes kept the flag flying for the East Clare outfit.
Scorers Sixmilebridge: Shane Golden (1-04 2f), David Kennedy (1-04), Jamie Shanahan (0-05 4f), Seadna Morey (1-01), Brian Corry (0-04), Cathal Malone (0-02), Brian Carey (0-02), Lorcan Fitzpatrick (0-01), Evan McInerney (0-01), Leon Kelly (0-01), Conor Deasy (0-01)
Scorers Whitegate: Danny Hynes (0-7 3f 2’65), Conor Whelan (0-3 1f 1SC), Conor McDermott (0-03), Paddy Burke (0-02), Ciaran Keenan (0-01), Colm Madden (0-01), Ronan Hayes (0-01), Tomás Quirke (0-01).
Sixmilebridge:
1: Derek Fahy
21: Leon Kelly
3: Barry Fitzpatrick
4: Pa Mulready
5: Conor Deasy
6: Caimin Morey
7: Páidí Fitzpatrick
9: Seadna Morey
8: Brian Carey
19: Evan McInerney
11: Jamie Shanahan
10: Cathal Malone
12: Shane Golden
14: Lorcan Fitzpatrick
25: David Kennedy
Subs:
13: Brian Corry for Malone (25)
15: Cathal Lynch for Shanahan (43)
2: Noel Purcell for C Morey (48)
18: Christy Carey for B Carey (54)
24: Luke O’Halloran for L Fitzpatrick (58)
Whitegate:
1: Andrew Fahey
4: Dylan White
3: Eoin Quirke
2: Reuben Noyes
7: Ian Fahy
6: Colm Madden
5: Brendan Bugler
18: Tomás Quirke
9: Conor Whelan
10: Danny Hynes
12: Ciaran Keenan
11: Conor McDermott
14: Paul Burke
15: Ronan Hayes
13: Paddy Burke
Subs:
17: Ciaran Quinn for White (HT)
19: Eoin Patterson for Madden (37)
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
