*Ronan Monahan. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
CLARECASTLE will spend another year at intermediate hurling level after their dream of a quick return to the top tier was dashed by Tubber on Saturday evening.
Tubber 1-15
Clarecastle 1-12
Venue: Páirc Finne, Corofin
Although wearing the favourites tag, they failed to match Tubber’s determination on the evening and bowed out of the 2024 intermediate championship race at the quarter final stage.
This outcome didn’t seem likely in the opening quarter when Clarecastle opened a four point lead.
Full forward Oisin Casey scored four times in that first quarter, three coming from frees and their lead could have been greater at this stage.
The game had just entered the second quarter when Clive Earley opened the scoring for the Pat Taaffe managed Tubber side which finished the half strongly, scoring four unanswered points, Earley getting the final three from frees to steer his side to a 0-7 to 0-5 interval lead.
Clarecastle, it must be said, had wasted a couple of good scoring opportunities while they had also been dealt a blow with the loss of Darragh Healy to injury inside the opening quarter.
The sides exchanged points twice in the early minutes of the second half before a brace from Blaine Earley frees saw the North Clare side open a four point lead ten minutes into the second half.
An Aaron Hayes point kept the Magpies in the hunt but within a minute Tubber struck a major blow and Ronan Monahan pounced when Clarecastle failed to clear their lines and he raced through for the game’s opening goal, a score which put his side six clear.
To their credit Clarecastle hit back and within two minutes substitute Paul O’Connell had the ball in the Tubber net as a Tubber defensive mistake was punished.
Killian McDermott followed with a point and the margin was now down to two. With five minutes of normal time remaining the margin was back to the minimum and Clarecastle followers were confident that their side would get through.
Tubber had other ideas and a brace from Ronan Monahan and an outstanding score from the impressive Domhnall McMahon put the winners four clear with the game in ‘added time’.
Clarecastle battled to the end but Tubber held firm for a merited win and a place in the semi-final on a day when Pat O’Connor, Domhnall McMahon, Ronan Monahan and the Earley brothers, Clive and Blaine were prominent.
Cian Galvin, Killian McDermott, Filip Wiechiski and Aaron Hayes worked hard for Clarecastle
Scorers Tubber: Ronan Monahan (1-3); Clive and Blaine Earley (0-4, all frees) each Ronan Taaffe (0-2, frees; Darragh O’Connor, Domhnaill McMahon (0-1) each;
Scorers Clarecastle: Oisin Casey (0-4, 3f); Paul O’Connell (1-0) Killian McDermott (0-2); Aaron Hayes, Cian Galvin, Stephen O’Halloran, Conor Halpin, James Doherty, Oisin Whelan (0-1) each
Tubber:
1: Ronan Taaffe
4: Joey Droney
9: Pappy Taaffe
3: Fergal O’Grady
7: James Howard
6: Pat O’Connor
5: Domhnall McMahon
8: Cathal Droney
19: Darragh O’Connor
12: Osgar Dunford
6: Ronan Monahan
13: Blaine Earley
14: Senan Dunford
18: Mark Earley
17: Clive Earley;
Subs:
10: Lorcan O’Grady for M. Earley (49)
15: Joe Clancy for O. Dunford (50)
Clarecastle:
1: Cian Broderick;
2: Ronan Donnelly
3: Eoghan Wallace
4: Filip Wiechinski
8: David Tuohy
6: Cian Galvin
7: Stephen O’Halloran
11: Rory O’Connell
9: Killian McDermott
10: Conor Halpin
13: Darragh Healy
5: Aaron Hayes
22: Josh Brack
14: Oisin Casey
15: Jack Hayes
Subs:
21: James Doherty for D. Healy (inj. 14)
23: Oisin Whelan for J. Hayes (37)
24: Paul O’Connell for J. Brack (40)
35: Colin Brigdale for O. Casey (44)
30: Lee Brack for J. Doherty
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
