*Patrick Finnernan leads the celebrations for Clooney/Quin. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
CLOONEY/QUIN captured their second Clare Minor A title in three years when they proved too strong for neighbours St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.
Clooney/Quin 0-24
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-11
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Having had the upper hand for much of the tie, Clooney/Quin were deserving winners.
Indeed the final scoereline was a little flattering to St Joseph’s who struck for two late goals but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from suffering defeat at this stage of the championship for a third consecutive season.
From early in this tie Clooney/Quin looked the sharper side and their pace was proving a problem for Doora/Barefield in a number of sectors.
Team captain Shane Mescall gave Doora/Barefield the lead in the first minute but county minors Jerry O’Connor and Matthew Corbett from a free had Clooney/Quin in front by the sixth minute.
Four in a row including three from lively forward Donnacha Mahon had Clooney/Quin 0-6 to 0-2 in front by the end of the first quarter. Doora/Barefield puled two back but another four in a row saw Clooney/Quin extend their lead and when the half time whistle sounded the margin was seven with Clooney-Quin 0-12 to 0-5 ahead.
They landed the opening two points in the second half and quickly followed with another two to open a lead of ten points. By the three quarter stage they were eleven ahead and tshey stretched this to thirteen two minutes later.
To their credit Doora/Barefield continued to battle and they hit 1-2 without reply to cut the margin back to eight as the game drifted into two minutes of added time.
A goal from a 20m free from Leon Talty a minute into added time cut the margin further but the winners had the final say when Darragh McNamara pointed to seal a merited win.
There were a number of particularly outstanding performances by the winners and none more so than those delivered by Matthew Corbett at centre back and Donnacha Mahon in attack, each scoring 0-7, all of Mahon’s coming from play.
After the game Bord na nOg chairman Stephen McNamara along with Danny Chaplin, son of the late Willie Chaplin whose memory the cup honours presented the trophy to the winning captain, Patrick Finneran.
Scorers Clooney/Quin: Matthew Corbett (5 frees, 2 ‘65’s), D0nnacha Mahon (0-7) each; Patrick Finneran, Jerry O’Connor (0-3) each; Isaac Hassett (0-2); Cathal Leamy, Darragh McNamara (0-1) each
Scorers St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Leon Talty (1-0 free), Liam Clune (1-1 each) Thomas O’Connor (0-4, frees) Darragh Ball (0–2, 1 f) Shane Mescall, Joseph Kelly, Ben Talty (0-1) each
Clooney/Quin
1: Oisin Considine
2 :Sean Cassidy
3: Sean McNamara
4: Donnacha O’Donovan
5: Michael Hassestt
6: Matthew Corbett
7: David Cahill
8: Donnacha Cantwell
9: Isaac Hassett
10: Conor Clancy
11: Patrick Finneran
12: Darragh McNamara;
13: Donnacha Mahon
14: Jerry O’Connor
17: Cathal Leamy;
Subs:
22: Marcus Fitzpatrick for J. O’Connor (50)
19: Mark McGrath for C. Leamy (59)
21: Kevin McCarthy for D. Cantwell (59)
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield:
1: Michael O’Coilean
2: Liam McAllisrer
3: Cian Breslin
4: Dara Bohannon
5: Joe Mannion
6: Patrick Duggan
7: Liam Clune;
8: Graham Ball
9: Darragh Monaghan
10: Darragh Ball
11: Thomas O’Connor
12: Shane Mescall
13: Jack McAllister
14: Leon Talty
15: Joseph Kelly
Subs:
23: Ben Talty for J. McAllister (half time)
18: Sean Mc|Mahon for P. Du/ggan (half time)
17: Conor Byrne for D. Bohannon (38)\
19: Cathal Lenihan for L. McAllister (60)
Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
