Padraig Kelly of St Breckan’s. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography.
ST BRECKAN’s have won promotion back to the Cusack cup (division 1 football league) and a place in the Garry cup final thanks to a merited semi-final win over Clondegad at Lisdoonvarna on Wednesday evening.
St Breckan’s 0-24
Clondegad 2-10
Venue: Lisdoondvarna
Both teams were short a number of players they will expect to have in their championship lineups.
The winners took an early lead with Padraic Kelly converting two frees inside the first five minutes.
A two pointer from Eoin Glynn levelled he game for he visitors who had the assistance of the wind in the opening half and they took the lead for the only time in the game after ten minutes when they struck for a goal.
The winners will be disappointed with the concession of this score as two defenders failed to deal with Eoin Glynn’s effort and Diarmuid O’Neill got in to get the final touch
The home side responded with points from Rowan Danaher, Conor Shannon and Rob O’Connell and a two pointer from Padraic Kelly on their way to a four point interval lead at 0-11 to 1-4.
Poits were exchanged twice in the early minutes of the new half before St. Breckans struck for 0-6 which included two two pointers from Conor Shannon and Kelly.
These scores stretched their lead out to ten points before an Eoin Guerin point put them eleven clear at the three quarter stage.
The visitors kept their hopes of wining promotion alive with a Fiachra Kirby goal and points from substitute Mark Crowe and an Eoin Glynn free
Another two pointer from midfielder Padraic Kelly broke the visitor’s momentum and the home side finished our the game with points from Colm O’Brien and Maccon Byrne to seal a merited win and a place in the Garry cup final against Kilrush shamrocks whose manager Dermot Coughlan was an interested spectator at the game.
Rowan Danaher, Padraig Kelly, Colm O’Brien, Rob O’Connell and Conor Shannon were prominent for the winners who now face Kilrush Shamrocks in the willwego.com Garry Cup final.
Clondegad’s best on the evening were Tadhg Ó hÚallachain, Brian Casey, Eoin Glynn, Diarmuid O’Neill and the Kirbys.
St. Breckans; Conor O’Neill; Patrick Doherty, Conor Burke, Ronan Fitzpatrick; Padraig O’Dwyer, Maccon Byrne (0-1), Rowan Danaher (0-2); Padraig Kelly (0-9, 3 tp), Micheal Flanagan (0-1); Colm O’Brien (0-1) Eoin Guerin (0-2), Mark O’Donnell; Conor Shannon (0-4, 1tp), MacDara Garrihy, Rob O’Connell (0-4);
Subs: Seamus Hurley for M. O’Donnell; Shane Fitzpatrick for M Garrihy;
Clondegad; Daniel Kelly; Niall Carigg, Brian Casey, Niall Lynch; Colin McNeilis, Tadhg Ó hÚallachain, Cillian Gavin; Joe Neylon, Diarmuid O’Neill (1-0); Eoin Glynn (0-6, 1tp), Cian Kirby (0-2), Colm Meaney; Sean O’Leary, Fiachra Kirby (1-1), Kieran McDonnell;
Subs: Mark Crowe (0-1) for J. Neylon; Kieran Connolly for S. O’Leary, Paddy Sweeney for C. Gavin; Eoin Donnellan for E. Glynn
Referee: Eoin Keane (Corofin)
