*Jamie Stack gets away from Shane Nihill. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
ST BRECKANS ran out eight point winners over Wolfe Tones in Group 3’s opening round in the TUS Clare SFC.
St. Breckans 0-13
Wolfe Tones 0-5
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Cíosóg
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In one of the poorest games this weekend, St. Breckans justified favouritism when accounting for Wolfe Tones.
Eleven of the total of eighteen points came from frees while just two players from each side managed to get on the scoreboard in a tie dominated by St. Breckans.
The North Clare outfit will be pleased with the result but they will recognise that a big improvement will be needed if they are to be challenging for honours later in the campaign.
The winners had the majority of possession but failed to turn this into scores.
The game was five minutes old before the opening score was registered, Jamie Stack pointing from play. The North Clare side’s full forward was the top scorer in this tie, contributing 0-10, six coming from frees.
Colin Riordan, scorer of all but one of his side’s scores, opened the Shannon side’s scoring in the seventh minute.
Two from Jamie Stack and a two pointer free from Padraig Kelly saw the winners go 0-5 to 0-1 ahead by the end of the first quarter.
With the winners leading by the odd point in three, St. Breckans had a great goal chance but Fionn McInerney in the Wolfe Tones goal saved from Rowan Danaher.
There were just three more scores from here to the half time whistle when St Breckans went to the changing room, 0-7 to 0-2 in front.
Both sides made changes for the second half and Darragh Leahy signalled his arrival when creating the opportunity for Colin Riordan to point from play two minutes after play resumed.
Three Stack points, two from frees, followed to leave the score at 0-10 to 0-3 with ten minutes remaining.
Wolfe Tones to their credit battled hard and landed two points through Riordan from play and a free from substitute Eoghan Gough but the winners replied with scores from Stack and Padraig Kelly to seal this comfortable victory.
Conor Burke, Alan Sweeney and Jack Sheedy gave most support to Jamie Stack for the winners while Aaron Kelly, Eoghan Casey, Dean Devanney and Colin Riordan did best for last year’s intermediate champions.
Scorers St. Breckans: Jamie Stack (0-10, 6f); Padraig Kelly (0-3, 1TP)
Scorers Wolfe Tones: Colin Riordan (0-4, 2f); Eoghan Gough (0-1, f)
St. Breckans;
16: Tristan O’Callaghan
7: Padraig O’Dwyer
3: Conor Burke
2: Patrick Doherty
10: Jack Sheedy
14: Alan Sweeney
20: Colm O’Brien;
6: Maccon Byrne
9: Padraig Kelly;
5: Rowan Danaher
15: Eoin Guerin
21: Denis O’Callaghan
13: Conor Shannon
11: Jamie Stack
18: Robert O’Connelll
Subs:
19: Shane Fitzpatrick for R. O’Connell (HT)
4: Ronan Fitzpatrick for C. Shannon (HT)
30: Eoin Byrne for D. O’Callaghan (39)
8: Micheal Flanagan for M. Byrne (56)
Wolfe Tones;
1: Fionn McInerney;
2: Shane Nihill,
3: Aaron Kelly,
4: Tan Greene
9: Cody Waller
6: Conor Carigg,
20: Eoghan Casey;
8: Liam Divilley
11: Jayme O’Sullivan
10: Brian Murphy
13: Dean Devanney
21: Tadhg Fitzgerald;
24: Daithi Lohan,
14: Colin Riordan
18: Jack Ryan
Subs:
29: Darragh Leahy for J. Ryan (HT)
17: Aaron Brennan for C. Carigg (41)
15: Darragh Lohan for T. Fitzgerald (44)
23: Chris Dunning for Walller (51)
25: Eoghan Gough for Divilley (51)
Referee: Barry Keating (Lissycasey)
