*Keith Stritch. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Smith O’Briens, Corofin and Whitegate have edged closer to the play-offs in the intermediate hurling championship following round two victories over Tubber, Ruan and O’Callaghans Mills while Parteen/Meelick and Bodyke got their challenge for honours off to a winning start with victories over fancied Sixmilebridge and Tulla sides.
Elsewhere Inagh/Kilnamona and Newmarket got their first points of the campaign when they shared the spoils. With just a point each from their two outings, Tulla and Tubber are in dangers of going out of the title race and they will need to win their remaining two games if they are to be in the shake up for quarter final places
Two from two for Smith O’Briens
Smith O’Briens 0-17
Tubber 0-14
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla
Smith O’Briens made it two wins from two outings and, in the process, moved a step closer to the play offs in the intermediate hurling championship when they defeated a fancied Tubber side at Dr Daly Park in Tulla on Thursday evening.
Level at 0-7 each at half time, the Killaloe outfit had the better of matters in the second half which led to this victory which leaves them sitting comfortably at the top of the table in Group 1.
The absence of the experienced Clive Earley due to injury was a blow to Tubber who find themselves with just one point from two outings. Victories against Bodyke and Killanena in their remaining games will be required if they are to be in with a chance of making it into the quarter finals.
Seven players shared in the winner’s impressive tally with David Gough leading the way with 0-5.
Lorcan O’Grady was Tubber’s chief score-getter with his tally running into double figures in a tie in which they failed to reproduce the form they had shown in the opening round when they played a draw with one of the competition favourites, Tulla.
Cian Nolan, Cathal Stritch, Jason Monahan and the Goughs, David and Mike were prominent for the Killaloe side in this tie.
Smith O’Briens: Mark McInerney; Ben Murnane, Cian Nolan, Dwayne Sheedy; Marc O’Halloran, Cathal Stritch, Mike Gough; Eddie Bourke, Sean McMahon; David Gough, Eoin Heffron, Jason Monahan; Micheál Ryan, Keith Stritch, John Cusack;
Subs: Patrick Aherne for K. Stritch; Shane Geraghty for Ryan; Cian Moloney for Monahan;
Tubber; Ronan Taaffe; Emmet Quinn, Pappy Taaffe, Joey Droney; Mark Earley, Patrick O’Connor, Cathal Droney; James Howard, Liam Clancy; John Fawle, Blaine Earley, Lorcan O’Grady; Jonah Culligan, Ronan Monahan, Domhnaill McMahon;
Subs: Aidan Forde for Clancy; Fergal O’Grady for Fawle
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
Parteen/Meelick overcome a fancied Sixmilebridge
Parteen/Meelick 1-19
Sixmilebridge 2-13
Venue: Páirc Micheál Uí Heithir, Cratloe
Parteen/Meelick got their challenge for intermediate hurling championship honours off to a winning start at Cratloe on Friday evening when they accounted for a fancied Sixmilebridge outfit.
With a first round victory over Newmarket under their belts, the Bridge came up short against ParteenMeelick displayed no ill effects from having a first round bye as they overcame the favourites.
While Sixmileridge weren’t helped by the loss of Sean Lynch, scorer of both their goals, to injury, credit must go to the winners who overturned a one point half time deficit to emerge with three to spare.
Oisin Hickey was his side’s top scorer with 1-6, the goal coming from a free, in a tie in which centre back Nathan Fox played a key role at centre back while the midfield pairing of Darragh McDermott and Daniel Cooney held the upperhand while substitute Rory McDermott also impressed.
Sean Lynch goaled twice in the first half for Sixmilebridge who led, 2-6 to 1-8 at the interval in a tie in which Paul Corry, Dara Fitzgerald and Alan Mulready impressed.
Parteen/Meelick; Alan Murnane; Damian Moloney, Phil Lavin, Donal Kenny; Gavin Rackard, Nathan Fox, Tom Collins; Darragh McDermott, Daniel Cooney; Shane Fox, Joe O’Connor, Grag Daly; Oisin Hickey, Gearoid Reddy, Dara Nolan;
Subs: David O’Sullivan for D. Moloney (inj); Jack Kirwan for S. Fox (inj); Rory McDermott for G. Daly; Martin Moroney for G. Reddy; Adam Sherlock for D. Nolan;
Sixmilebridge; Cian Hogan; Dylan Downes, Oisin Breen, Cillian Custy; Adam Breen, Kevin Lynch, Dara Fitzgerald; Colm Flynn, Fiachra O’Broin; Evan McInerney, Luke Keogh, Adam Murray; Sean Lynch, Alan Mulready, Paul Corry
Subs: Colin Kelly for L Keogh; Jack Corry for S. Lynch (inj); Christy Carey for E.McInerney
Referee: Robert Harte (St. Senan’s Kilkee)
Another big win for Whitegate
Whitegate 4-31
O’Callaghans Mills 0-16
Venue: The Evicted Field, Bodyke
Whitegate dominated from start to finish against an understrength O’Callaghans Mills side in a tie played at Bodyke on Friday evening.
Fresh from a twenty eight point win over St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in the opening round, the winners had twenty seven points to spare at the end of this contest.
They were well on their way to a second successive victory in this season’s championship when they held a thirteen point advantage, 2-15 to 0-8, at the interval helped by first half goals from Conor Whelan and Paddy Burke. Burke and Ronan Hayes found the net in the second half for the East Clare outfit managed by Terence Fahy, the Clare under 20 hurling manager.
Winners of the junior title last year, the Mills lost a number of their panel to their club’s senior side in round 1 two weeks ago and they struggled to match a Whitegate outfit which was relegated from the senior grade last season.
Whitegate were again without their experienced goalkeeper Andrew Fahy who was ruled out with a leg injury but they welcomed Colm Madden back for this outing.
Whitegate; George Waterstone; Dylan Whyte, Finn Madden, Ciaran Quinn; Brendan Bugler, Conor McDermott, Ian Fahy; Eoin Patterson, Conor Whelan; Colm Madden, Thomas Holland, Ciaran Keenan; Danny Hynes, Ronan Hayes, Paddy Burke.
Sub: Luke Sugrue for C Madden;
O’Callaghans Mills: James McNamara; Liam Boyce, Niall Donovan, Niall McNamara; Eoin McInerney, Rory McNamara, Billy Scanlan; Kevin O’Callaghan, Henry McGrath; Ian Donnellan, Adrian Flaherty, Conor Cooney (Ermhill); John Cooney Jamie Keane, Alan O’Dea;
Sub: Sean Murphy for J. Cooney
Referee: Gus Callaghan (Feakle)
Bragging rights for Corofin but Malone injury a worry
Corofn 2-13
Ruan 0-15
Venue: Clarecastle
Corofin won this local derby contest with Ruan at Clarecastle on Saturday evening, a win which moves them closer to the knock out stage of the intermediate championship.
The winners led by a goal at half time when the score was 1-6 to 0-6 the goal coming from a long range free from Damian Ryan which went all the way to the net.
The winners were dealt a big blow twenty minutes into the game when they lost Jamie Malone with a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Fergus Killeen.
Ruan have reason to rue a couple of missed gilt edged chances in the third quarter before a Shane O’Brien goal gave Corofin some breathing space and they held on for a merited win, their second of the campaign.
Corofin: Liam Corbett; Damian O’Loughlin, Fionn Clancy, Shay Malone; Sean O’Brien, Marc O’Loughlin, Damian Ryan; Cillian McGroary, Conor Leen; Gearoid Cahill, Jamie Malone, Gearoid Kelly; Micheal Kelly, Micheal Duffy, Shane O’Brien;
Subs: Fergus Killeen for J. Malone (inj); Kevin Keane for Duffy; Eoin Davoran for F. Killeen;
Ruan: Keelan Mounsey; Alan Woodford, Colm Rice, Jason Power; Michael Lyons, Killian Ryan, Patrick O’Halloran; Ashley Brohan, Thomas O’Halloran; Piaras Ó Sé, Robin Mounsey, Patrick O’Gorman; Jack McDonagh, Aidan Lynch, Ryan Power;
Subs; Shane Punch for T. O’Halloran; Frankie Lyons for O’Gorman; Darragh McInerney for J. McDonagh
Referee: Johnnie Healy (Smith O’Briens)
Late goals earn Newmarket-on-Fergus a point
Inagh/Kilnamona 2-18
Newmarket-on-Fergus 3-15
Venue: Gurteen
Two goals from Ronan Good in the closing minutes earned Newmarket a share of the spoils with Inagh-Kilnamona in this TUS intermediate championship round 2 game at Gurteen.
Helped by a goal from Seadhna Liddy the Blues held a one point lead, 1-8 to 0-10 at the interval.
Goals from Dean McInerney and Dean Lynch saw Inagh/Kilnamona take the lead in the second half and they looked set for victory when they went six points clear with time almost up.
Newmarket refused to accept defeat and they battled back and the experienced Ronan Good found the net twice in quick succession.
Inagh-Kilnamona had a chance to win the game in the final minute but Patrick Kelly’s free failed to find the target.
Inagh/Kilnamona: Patrick Kelly; Niall Glynn, Brian Foudy, James Cullinan; Ricky Wynne, Liam Hehir, Jamie Wynne; Dean Lynch, Mark Barry; John Keane, Paul O’Looney Keith Barry; Darragh Power James McConigley, Cathal Ryan;
Subs: Colm Kearney for B. Foudy (inj.); Dean McInerney for R. Wynne (inj)
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Adam Enright; Eoghan McInerney, Darragh Burke, Jamie Power; Liam Harkin, David Frost, Conor McCarthy; Alan McInerney, Cathal Finucane; Sol Frost, Cian Foley, Ronan Good; Seadhna Liddy, James Power, Feidhlin Barry;
Subs; Darragh Jones for Finucane; Niall Woods for Frost; James Liddy for F. Barry; Kieran McMahon for McInerney
Referee: Ger Hoey (Killanena)
A winning start for Bodyke
Bodyke 1-11
Tulla 2-7
Venue: Glenomra Park, Broadford
Bodyke opened their challenge for intermediate hurling championship honours with a one point win over their neighbours Tulla at Glenomra Park in Broadford on Saturday evening.
The winners had the better of the first half exchanges and they went to the break with a five point advantage, 0-8 to 0-5.
They stretched their lead early in the second half helped by a goal from substitute Tiernan Slattery and they were eight points in front at one stage.
Tulla made some changes to their line up and helped by goals from Dan Withycombe, whose switch from corner back to midfield helped his side greatly, and Colm Colm McInerney they closed the gap.
However time wasn’t on their side and Bodyke held on for a narrow win which they deserved on the evening.
This was a good team performance from Bodyke in front of a big attendance at the well appointed Broadford venue.
Tulla struggled in a number of areas on an evening when Fergal Kearney and Darragh Corry did best for them.
Bodyke: Daryl O’Donnell; Kevin Drost, Eanna Doyle, Cormac Treacy; Ian Murray, Sean Wiley, Cian Minogue; Cathal Doyle, Jamie O’Donnell; Tomas Wiley, Seanie Doyle, Paddy Fitzgerald; Michael O’Brien, Tomas Minogue, William Fitzgerald;
Subs: Jamie Howard for O’Brien; Tiernan Slattery for Minogue
Tulla; Daniel Vaughan; Kevin Conlon, Fergal Kearney, Dan Withycombe; Fionn Ryan, Tony Leyden, Padraig Mulconroy; David Meehan, Ronan Molloy; Willie Halpin, David McInerney, Jimmy Gorman; Sean Withycombe, Darragh Corry, Colm McInerney
Subs: Michael Ryan for Gorman; Niall Bolton for C. McInerney
Referee: Robert Harte (St. Senan’s Kilkee)
