Brandon O’Connell clears his lines. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
BALLYEA recorded back to back wins in the Clare senior hurling championship to keep their chances of making the knockout stages alive.
Ballyea 3-21
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-16
Venue: Clarecastle
By Peter O’Connell
Although they were very competitive in the first half, ironically when playing against the wind, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield were largely outplayed in the second half of their Group 1, round 3 game in Clarecastle on Saturday afternoon.
The county champions led 2-10 to 1-9 at the interval with Tony Kelly burying their second goal and possibly getting a flick to a Morgan Garry delivery for their first.
Kelly lined out at full-forward with an ankle heavily strapped and his movement clearly impaired. At one stage in the first half, when Ballyea coach Kevin Sheehan asked Clare’s four time All Star to drop a bit deeper, Kelly said that he couldn’t, such was the nature of his injury.
Kelly’s second goal was disputed by St Joseph’s for an incident that occurred seconds earlier when Cian Barron hit the ground but play continued. Kelly goaled and following some discussion referee Chris Maguire subsequently yellow carded James Murphy following the incident with Barron. However the goal stood.
In that opening half St Joseph’s showed commendable spirit and willingness, led by Davy Conroy and Jack Hannan at midfield, while Cian Barron provided a decent focal point in the full forward line.
In fact it was Barron who put away their goal in the opening half, pulling down a long delivery before banging it beyond Cathal Doohan in the Ballyea goalmouth.
At half-time there was an expectation that St Joseph’s might make a real fight of it but that was soon dampened.
They shot five wides in the opening eight minutes of the second half and that definitely didn’t help.
At the same time Ballyea seemed to ramp up a gear or two and their physicality wore down their less seasoned opponents.
Ballyea have top quality hurlers too but you have to earn every ball against them and eventually that toll told on St Joseph’s.
Ballyea were almost completely dominant for the majority of the second half and led 3-20 to 1-14 at that stage, Martin O’Leary goaling their third 15 minutes into that half.
To St Joseph’s credit they kept at it in the closing minutes and Brian Guilfoyle goaled a minute from the end of normal time.
Ballyea lost Peter Casey to a nasty looking bang in the closing minutes and while St Joseph’s were not happy with the aforementioned possible foul on Cian Barron, Ballyea were extremely unhappy that their corner back had to be helped off the field.
Ballyea now face a very interesting looking tie against Scariff while St Joseph’s will take on a struggling Inagh/Kilnamona in an equally pivotal tie.
Scorers Ballyea: Niall Deasy (0-11, 7f, 1 65), Tony Kelly (2-2), Gearóid O’Connell, Mossy Gavin, Cian Kirby (0-2 each), Martin O’Leary, Cathal O’Connor (0-1 each).
Scorers St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Davy Conroy (0-10, 0-6f, 0-1 ‘65), Cian Barron (1-1), Brian Guilfoyle (1-0), Cathal Ruane, Kevin Dilleen, Jack Hannan, Darragh O’Shea, Eoin Lahiffe (0-1 each).
Ballyea:
16: Cathal Doohan
3: Paul Flanagan
2: Peter Casey
4: Brandon O’Connell
8: Gearóid O’Connell
6: Jack Browne
7: James Murphy
17: Stan Lineen
5: Morgan Garry
14: Mossy Gavin
11: Niall Deasy (captain)
10: Cathal O’Connor
21: Martin O’Leary
9: Tony Kelly
23: Cian Kirby
Subs:
Thomas Kelly for Stan Lineen (41)
Fergal Ginnane for Martin O’Leary (47)
Damian Burke for Tony Kelly (55)
Aongus Keane for Peter Casey (inj – 60)
Doora-Barefield:
1: Paul Madden
2: Brian Clancy
3: Darragh McMahon
4: Francis Meaney
5: Eoin McMahon
6: Darragh O’Shea
7: Adam Mungovan
8: Jack Hannan
9: Davy Conroy
10: Darragh Nagle
20: Alan O’Neill
29: Kevin Dilleen
12: Eoghan Thynne
13: Cian Barron
21: Cathal Ruane
Subs:
Jarlath Colleran for Darragh Nagle (half-time)
Eoin Lahiffe for Cathal Ruane (43)
Brian Guilfoyle for Frances Meaney (43)
Ger Lahiffe for Eoin McMahon (49)
Matthew Power for Alan O’Neill (54)
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
