Wolfe Tones on song with semi-final win over Ruan

*Dean Devanney excelled for Wolfe Tones. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

WOLFE TONES are on course to return to the Clare senior hurling championship at the first attempt after seeing off Ruan to set up a final clash with Tubber.

Wolfe Tones 3-20
Ruan 1-13
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla

Two points separated the sides at half time but the margin was fleshed out to thirteen by the sounding of the full-time whistle when Wolfe Tones ran out as deserving winners in the second of the TUS Clare IHC semi-finals.

Installed as favourites from the beginning of the championship, Wolfe Tones have lived up to that billing, their quarter-final scare against Parteen/Meelick had them primed for the penultimate stage and they are now sixty minutes away from completing an immediate return to the senior ranks.

They had the perfect start when Darragh Lohan dispatched a penalty to the net when the game was a mere ninety seconds old. Referee Niall Malone pointed to the penalty spot after Stephen Donnellan was met with a shoulder.

Frankie Lyons opened Ruan’s account on five minutes and they were within a point after Aidan Lynch and Robin Mounsey responded to Dean Devanney’s white flag.

Devanney was lively in the middle of the field and he had his second point on eight minutes, timing his run off the shoulder to perfection saw him cause problems.

With fourteen minutes played, Wolfe Tones struck for a second goal. Robin Mounsey won possession in front of the stand and popped to Aidan Lynch who hit the ball straight to Mounsey’s man Rory Hayes allowing him to pick Aron Shanagher with a pass and he sent a cross-field delivery to Cunningham who controlled the ball, produced a dummy shot and then the actual shot which went to the roof of the net.

Shanagher, Cunningham, Hayes and O’Rourke on the double had the next five scores to leave Wolfe Tones nine clear with twenty six minutes on the clock. They had a second penalty but this time Darragh Lohan was denied by Keelan Mounsey.

After conceding 1-5 without reply, Ruan stepped up and put together 1-4 on the bounce to give themselves some momentum. Frankie Lyons had the goal on twenty seven minutes to lift their spirits with Mounsey providing the assist and it was the Clare senior panellist who hit the last three scores of the half, one a sideline cut and two fine efforts from play to make it 2-8 1-9.

Four points in succession on the restart saw Wolfe Tones regain their dominant position in the driving seat, Aidan Lynch had Ruan’s first score of the half on thirty six minutes but the Shannon side replied with a Darragh Lohan free and a Cian O’Rourke point, the corner forward beginning to stretch a bigger influence on the tie.

Goal chances were coughed up by Ruan but not necessarily the Tones, Stephen Donnellan played the ball across field to Devanney to hit home their third goal on fifty three minutes. There was no life left in Ruan after this, Barry Keane’s Wolfe Tones hitting the final five points of the contest to march on to the county final.

For Ruan, it’s a third semi-final defeat in four years. They shipped five goals in their 2021 fourteen point loss to Doora/Barefield and were six points adrift of neighbours Corofin last year, this time they got right back into the contest but drifted away in the second half. Leon Quirke’s side did meet fine opponents in the guise of Wolfe Tones and were hindered when their key threats were nullified while the loss of Killian Ryan was a huge blow to their cause and defensively they struggled in a lot of areas. Robin Mounsey had moments of brilliance with Piaras Ó Sé and Aidan Lynch getting through plenty of work.

Sharper and livelier over the hour, Wolfe Tones’ place in the county final is fully merited. They sent out a clear message when each of their defenders met the Ruan attack with a shoulder before the sliotar was thrown in, the gauntlet particularly laid down by Darragh Lohan on Ryan Power, it showed they weren’t going to give an inch and they didn’t. They attempted to link play well throughout the game and seemed more composed in possession. The Shannon side appeared to get the rub of the green regarding fifty fifty calls from referee Niall Malone in the opening half but it didn’t affect the outcome. Their best included Dean Devanney, Evan O’Gorman, Rory Hayes, Aaron Cunningham, Cian O’Rourke and Darragh Lohan.

Scorers Wolfe Tones: C O’Rourke (0-9 5f), D Devanney (1-2), Darragh Lohan (1-2 1’Pen 2f), A Cunningham (1-1), R Hayes (0-2), E O’Gorman (0-2), A Shanagher (0-1), S Meaney (0-1), S Costelloe (0-1).

Scorers Ruan: A Lynch (0-6 5f), F Lyons (1-1), R Mounsey (0-4 1SC), P O’Halloran (0-1), R Power (0-1).

Wolfe Tones:
1: Oisin O’Rourke

4: Liam Murphy
3: Daithí Lohan
5: Rory Hayes

7: Sam Meaney
8: Darragh Lohan
17: Dylan Frawley

13: Dean Devanney
6: John Guilfoyle

11: Evan O’Gorman
15: Aron Shanagher
12: Colin Riordan

10: Stephen Donnellan
14: Aaron Cunningham
9: Cian O’Rourke

Subs:
20: Sean Costelloe for Riordan (49)
19: Conor Ferns for Cunningham (55) (inj)
2: Mikey Hayes for Meaney (59)

Ruan:
1: Keelan Mounsey

2: Patrick O’Gorman
3: Tom O’Halloran
4: Jason Power

17: Darragh McInerney
6: Shane Punch
7: Conor Wynne

9: Ashley Brohan
8: Colm Rice