Broadford come out best against Clarecastle

*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

A sharper Broadford who displayed a greater hunger for victory seered the East Clare club to a merited first round senior championship victory where they proved too strong for Clarecastle

Broadford 1-19
Clarecastle 2-09
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

Points being exchanged three times in the opening quarter suggessted that we would have a close contest but then Broadford who were against the wind in the first half, landed eight unanswered scores on their way to a comfortable seven point lead at the break.

On the run of play it was a lead they deserved but Clarecastle will be disappointed with their shooting as they hit eight wides in that opening half while th concession of a goal in injury time will also have disappointed them as Cian Broderick led a delivery from midfield from Darren Chaplin slip through his hand and into the net.

To their credit the Magpies responded to this in impressive fashion and within a minute James Doherty, their most impressive forard on the evening, had the ball in the net at the other end leaving the score at 1-11 to 1-4 in Broadford’s favour at the interval.

Arguably the biggest talking point in the opening half came five minute before the break when referee Joe Mullins, after consulting with his linesman Chris Maguire, issued straight red cards to Clarecastle’s Stephen O’Halloran and Broadford’s Niall O’Farrell, the latter having scored 0-5 up to his dismissal.

A big response was expected from Clarecastle on the resumption but the opening three points of the new half came from Broadford and by the three quarter stage they had extended their lead to nine points.

Good work by James Doherty led to an Oisin Whelan goal inside the final ten minutes but Broadford continued to hold the upperhand on their way to victory.

The Donnellans, Eoin and Paddy were prominent throughout for the winners as were the Chaplin brothers, Cathal, Darren and Craig while Diarmuid O’Brien and Oisin Kavanagh also made valuable contributions.

Eoghan Wallace, Colin Brigdale and James Doherty did well for the Magpies but they didn’t match the hunger or experience of their opponents on the evening.

Scorers; Broadford; Niall O’Farrell (0-5, f) Oisin Kavanagh (0-5 f); Darren Chaplin (1-1); Stiofan McMahon, Diarmuid O’Brien Craig Chaplin (0-2) each, Paddy Donnellan and Diarmuid Moloney (0-1) each

Scorers Clarecastle; Oisin Whelan (1-3, 2f), Oisin Casey (0-5, f); James Doherty (1-1);

Broadford;
1: Cian O’Brien

2: David Boland
3: Eoin Donnellan
4: Damian Keniry

5: Cian Mulqueen
6: Paddy Donnellan
7: Cathal Chaplin

8: Darren Chaplin
9: Padraic Taylor

10: Stiofan Mc\Mahon
11: Oisin Kavanagh
12: Diarmuid O’Brien

13: Mark Moloney
14: Niall O’Farrell
15: Craig Chaplin

Subs;
23: Sean Phelan for Keniry (40)
17: Cian Cremins for Craig Chaplin (40)
29: Diarmuid Moloney for Mark Moloney (53)

Clarecastle
1: Cian Broderick

4: Gearoid Ryan
3: Stephen O’Halloran
11: Aaron Hayes

7: Colin Brigdale
9: Eoghan Wallace
5: David Tuohy

8: Conor Halpin
10: Rory O’Connell