Barefield

*Inagh/Kilnamona’s Gearoid Barry under pressure from Evan Price of Clarecastle. Photograph: Ciarán Kelly.

CLOONEY/QUIN, Inagh/Kilnamona and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield have advanced to the semi-finals of the U21A hurling championship.

Quarter-final victories on Saturday saw the three sides claim the first spots in the penultimate stage of the competition when defeating Cratloe, Clarecastle and Clonlara.

On Tuesday evening, Éire Óg and Sixmilebridge will face off in the last of the quarter-finals.

In the U21B championship, the semi-final stages await Feakle/Killanena, Broadford, Scariff/Ogonnelloe and Newmarket-on-Fergus.

As the race for the U21 championship commenced, the standard of play clearly showed that there will be a great competition before the champions for 2026 are crowned.

With many of Clare’s All-Ireland winning under 20 team in action it was clear that many were putting their hands up in search of promotion to the county senior panel.

Inagh/Kilnamona and Clarecastle produced a cracking contest which required extra time before the Inagh/Kilnamona side, without senior team members Conor Rynne, James and Fred Hegarty, emerged with a one point victory.

Elsewhere Clooney/Quin, fancied by many to go all the way, proved too strong for Cratloe while St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield were also deserving winners over Clonlara.

Clooney/Quin in control to beat Cratloe

Clooney/Quin 2-20
Cratloe 1-12
Venue: Shannon

An all-round better balanced Clooney/Quin side deservingly overcame Cratloe on Saturday afternoon.

In a tie in which they trailed just once, after five minutes, they dominated the exchanges on a day when both teams were guilty of missed opportunities.

Any chance that Cratloe might have entertained of winning this tie disappeared in the fiftieth minute. Clooney/Quin goalkeeper Oisin Considine saved a Marc O’Brien penalty and the winners went straight down the field and Dannan Fox found the net to push his side eight points clear.

They quickly added a second goal from substitute Mark McGrath to kill off any hopes Cratloe might have entertained of victory.

Clooney/Quin opened with points from Jerry O’Connor (free) and Jack O’Neill in the opening two minutes before Marc O’Brien opened Cratloe’s account.

O’Connor added one from play before Cratloe won a penalty which O’Brien drilled to the net to give them the lead for the only time in the tie.

The winners replied with points from Jack O’Neill, Sam Scanlon and O’Connor and from here on they were always in front and led by six, 0-15 to 1-6, at half time.

That lead could have been greater but Patrick Finnernan had two very good goal chances saved by Cratloe netminder Seán O’Gorman.

Marc O’Brien had the opening point of the second half before the winners replied with three in a row. Cratloe then did likewise, their points coming Jamie Moylan (2) and Tadhg Lohan but Clooney/Quin continued to hold the upperhand and they ran out deserving winners.

John Cahill, Matthew Corbett, PJ McCarthy, Jerry O’Connor, and team captain Jack O’Neill led the way for Clooney/Quin while Jamie Moylan, Tadhg Lohan and Marc O’Brien were Cratloe’s best.

Gallery of photographs by Clash of the Ash Magazine.

Scorers Clooney/Quin: Jerry O’Connor (0-7, 4f); Dannan Fox (1-2), Mark McGrath (1-1); Jack O’Neill, Darragh McNamara (0-3) each P.J. McCarthy, Isaac Hassett, Sam Scanlon, Donnacha Mahon, (0-1) each

Scorers Cratloe: Marc O’Brien (1-5, 1-0 pen. 3f) Tadhg Lohan, Jamie Moylan (1 f) Ian O’Brien (0-2) each; Michael Flanagan (0-1)

Clooney/Quin
1: Oisin Considine,

2: Donnacha O’Donovan,
3: John Cahill,
4: Sean MacNamara,

5: David Considine,
6: Matthew Corbett,
7: P.J. McCarthy,

8: Sam Scanlon,
9: Jerry O’Connor;

10: Isaac Hassett,
11: Jack O’Neill,
12: Darragh McNamara,

13: Donnacha Mahon,
14: Pa Finnernan,
15: Dannan Fox,

Subs:
18: Mark McGrath for D. McNamara (inj. 40)
19: Darragh White for D. Mahon (43)
17: Fionn O’Gara for D. O’Donovan (50)
20: Dylan Browne for S. Scanlon (50);

Cratloe
1: Sean O’Gorman

2: Éanna Collins,
3: Cathal Lohan,
4: Maurice Ryan;

5: Denis Mundy,
6: Jamie Moylan,
7: Cian O’Gorman;

8: Rian McNamara,
9: Tadhg Lohan;

10: Keelan O’Donoghue,
11: Marc O’Brien,
12: Daire Neville;

13: Ian O’Brien,
14: Michael Flanagan,
15: Sam Mulholland;

Subs:
17: Ollie Sherlock for Mundy (36)
20: John Moloney for O’Donoghue (54)

Referee: Gus Callaghan (Feakle)

O’Donovan points the way for St. Josephs

St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-25
Clonlara 1-11
Venue: Hamilton Park, Kilkishen

A contribution of 0-15 from Padraic O’Donovan helped St. Josephs to a merited win over Clonlara in this under 21 A quarter final at Kilkishen on Saturday.

The win means that they are in the running for an under 21 double as their footballers secured their place in the semi-finals when accounting for Eire Og a week earlier and seven of the players who featured in that win saw action with the hurlers this week.

Clonlara’s cause wasn’t helped by the absence of inter county senior player Diarmuid Stritch due to a hand injury sustained in the Ireland/ Scotland shinty game a week earlier.

The South Clare side started well but St. Josephs soon got a grip on proceedings and by half time they were well on their way to the semi-final as they led 1-13 to 0-5 at that stage.

Pádraic O’Donovan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

Ben Talty was the winner’s goalscorer on a day when nine players shared in their final tally. Just three players got n the scoresheet for Clonlara and the South Clare side’s concession of frees provided the winners with many scoring opportunities and O’Donovan punished them when converting thirteen frees.

Clare’s All-Ireland winning under 20 player Michael Collins was the main scoring threat for Clonlara and he finished the game with 1-8 to his name.

Scorers St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Padraic O’Donovan (0-15, 13 frees); Ben Talty (1-0); Graham Ball, Ogie Fanning, Eoin Lahiffe (0-2) each; Conor Daly, Eoin McMahon, Thomas O’Connor, Ian Williams (0-1) each.

Scorers Clonlara; Michael Collins (1-8, 1-0 pen, 0-5 frees) Padraig Reddan (0-2); Sam Frost (0-1)

St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield:
1: Leon Talty;

2: Francie Meaney
3: Paddy Nagle,
4: Marc O’Connor;

5: Conor Daly,
6: Darragh Ball,
7: Eoin McMahon;

8: Ian Williams
9: Graham Ball;

10: Ogie Fannine
11: Cathal McMahon,
12: Eoin Lahiffe;

13: Padraic O’Donovan,
14: Thomas O’Connor,
15: Ben Talty;

Subs:
Colm Daly for D. Ball;
Joe Mannion for C. McMahon
Tom Curran for B. Talty
Odhran O’Connell for G. Ball;

Clonlara:
1: Luke Collins;

2: Killian Plaarjen,
3: Conor Cahill,
4: Jamie McMahon;

5: Ethan Dineen,
6: Eoin Begley,
7: Mark Hogan;

8: Padraig Reddan,
9: Dara Dillon,

10: Brian Power;
11: Michael Collins,
12: James Carmody;

13: Gearoid O’Brien,
14: Kieran Howard,
15: Killian McGrath;

Subs:
Sam Frost for K. Howard;
Jack Hickey for K. McGrath

Referee: Niall Donovan (O’Callaghans Mills)

Inagh/Kilnamona pip Clarecastle in extra time

Inagh/Kilnamona 5-18
Clarecastle 2-26
(after extra time)
Venue: Páirc na nGael, Ruan

An outstanding performance from centre forward Gearoid Barry who contributed 3-9 of his side’s tally, helped Inagh/Kilnamona to this one point win over Clarecastle.

This was a cracking contest in which the lead changed hands on a number of occasions.

Inagh-Kilnamona opted to line out without James Hegarty, Conor Rynne and Fred Hegarty, key players in their senior side which will take n Thurles Sarsfields in the Munster senior club semi-final next Sunday.

Fred Hegarty is a major doubt for that game as he is battling to recover from a leg injury which he suffered in last week’s win over Cork champions, Glen Rovers.

Clarecastle took a three point lead into the half time break when the score was 1-12 to 1-9. That Inagh/Kilnamona weren’t going to go down easily was clear in the early minutes of the second half when they struck for 1-3 without reply to turn a three point half time deficit into a three point lead.

From here on it was tit for tat and as the full time whistle approached magpie followers must have felt that they were on the way to victory as they led by two points.

However that all changed when Inagh/Kilnamona were awarded a penalty which Barry converted and now, with the game in injury time, Clarecastle were battling to remain in the championship.

Paul O’Connell pointed a free to force the game to extra time after the game finished at 2-23 to 4-17.

The sides continued to exchange scores in the first period of extra time leaving many in the attendance predicting that a penalty shootout would be required to determine a winner. The magpies held a one point lead at half time in the extra period.

A Clarecastle victory still looked to be on the cards when they held a two point advantage in the last minute of extra time but Inagh/Kilnamona refused to give in and they rounded off a good move with a goal from Fionn Daffy, his second of the tie.

While play continued for almost a minute after this, Inagh-Kilnamona held firm to record a one point win on a day when Gearid Barry was the man of the match while Jack Mescall, Fionn Daffy and Cathal Ryan also made valuable contributions.

All photographs by Ciarán Kelly.

Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona: Gearid Barry (3-9, 1-9 f); Fionn Daffy (2-1); Neil Hegarty (0-3), Jamie Wynne (0-2), Luke McGuane, , Jack Mescall, Jack Cullinsan (0-1) each

Scorers Clarecastle: Paul O’Connell (0-12 7f); Conor Ralph (2-1); Harry Doherty (0-3); Oisin Whelan, Rory Ralph, Can O’Dell (0-2) each; Tom Slattery, Darragh McDonnell, Evan Price, Luke Aherne,(0-1) each

Inagh/Kilnamona:
1: Frank Roughan;

2: Alex Leyden,
3: Darragh Murrihy,
4: Liam White;

5: Neil Hegarty,
6: Cathal Ryan,
7: Luke McGuane;

8: Jamie Wynne,
9: Jack Mescall;

10: Tom Hegarty,
11: Gearoid Barry,
12: Tadhg Hassett;

13: Gavin Fitzgerald,
14: Jack Cullinan
15: Fionn Daffy

Subs:
Dara Seery for T. Hassett
Eoin Hegarty for G. Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald for N Hegarty;
Hassett for J. Wynne;
Donnacha Kelly for T.Hegarty

Clarecastle:
1: Fionn Morgan;

2: Cian O’Dell,
3: Mark Griffin,
4: Evan Price;

5: Johnny Casey,
6: Rory Ralph,
7: Liam Aherne;

8: Tom Slattery,
9: Darragh McDonnell;

10: Oisin Whelan,
11: Paul O’Connell,
12: Conor Ralph;

13: Conor Griffin,
14: Harry Doherty,
15: Nathan Casey;

Subs:
Harry O’Donoghue for J. Casey;
Killian Casey for M. Griffin;
Jack Ellingstad for L. Aherne;
Hugh McDonnell for R. Ralph
Rian Sheridan for D. Mcdnnell

Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)

Feakle/Killanena, Scariff/Ogonnelloe, Broadford & Blues advance in U21B:

The race for the under 21 B title also produced some keen contests, not least the meeting of Feakle/Killanena and Smith O’Briens which required a penalty shootout to produce a winner.

The Killaloe side led by three points deep in injury time but a Feakle- Killanena goal forced the extra time and they eventually won on a 4-3 penalty shootout score.

Elsewhere Scariff/Ogonnelloe were 3-17 to 0-19 winners over Ballyea while Broadford defeated Wolfe Tones on a 0-21 to 0-9 scoreline.

Newmarket-on-Fergus produced a strong second half to defeat Kilmaley 4-13 3-13. Evan Cahill led the way for Kilmaley in the opening half as they held a four point lead.

However the Blues who were lining out in a white kit took control in the second half with Seán Arthur’s move to centre forward central to turning the tie in their favour. Both he and Michael Power accounted for 4-10 of their final tally with Luke Hayes and Cathal Cullinan also to the fore for the victors.