*Conor McGrath was Cratloe’s top scorer with 0-7. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CRATLOE are through to a fourth Clare SHC semi-final in seven years after edging out Scariff by the smallest of margins.
Cratloe 2-15
Scariff 2-14
Venue: Cusack Park
It was certainly a game of two halves, Cratloe controlling matters in the second with Scariff dictating the first.
Experience from Cratloe and their unwavering self-belief helped them to slowly bring themselves back in contention, Conor McGrath’s equaliser on forty eight minutes was only the second occasion in the tie that the sides were level and once the two-time champions nudged in front, the task of stopping them become much more difficult.
For the final twenty minutes of the game including additional time, Scariff registered just three scores, points from Mark Rodgers, Patrick Crotty and Patrick Ryan. Given how much they troubled the opposing defence in the first minute, the manner in which Scariff slipped in the second half both in their attacking threat and their discipline will make the result sting a little bit more.
Injuries were of course a hindrance to Scariff, a broken foot for Mark Rodgers which came to light in recent weeks led to big question marks on whether he would play a part while Keelan Hartigan struggled with a groin injury which forced his substitution early in the first half but he was reintroduced late on but to no avail.
Fortunately for Scariff, Rodgers started and he had an involvement in their first score, Daniel Treacy delivered the ball to the Young Hurler of the Year who once again demonstrated the benefits of his years as a handballer when putting through Éanna O’Brien to finish to the net with the game less than a minute old.
Their next attack presented another goal chance, this time Rodgers fed Liam Crotty but he failed to make it count, his effort stopped and the subsequent 65 from Rodgers tailed wide.
Cratloe then roared into the tie with 1-1 in succession, Cathal McInerney had the point before Podge Collins fed a high ball to Rian Considine, he held off Scott Cairnes, took him on and struck the sliotar beyond William Kavanagh.
Two Conor McGrath points in a row had Cratloe 1-3 1-0 in front by the sixth minute. Leadership was needed to reignite Scariff’s challenge and it duly arrived from Patrick Crotty who went on to have a sensational first half. He hit two points on the trot to narrow the deficit to a single point.
They regained the lead when Patrick Ryan raided home for goal on twelve minutes. Mark Rodgers teed up Conor Downes who executed a fine pass at a tricky angle to find Ryan who slotted to the net.
County teammates Diarmuid Ryan and Patrick Crotty traded scores before Scariff fired off four points without reply to open up a six point advantage on twenty one minutes, the biggest cushion held by either side in the duration of the game.
Their lead was cut in half when Cathal McInerney dispatched a penalty to the net on twenty five minutes. Rian Considine was the man to win the penalty, Enda Boyce’s dropping ball was caught by the corner forward who was fouled by Cairns.
Rodgers and the man marking him David Collins had the next scores at either end with Rian Considine closing out the first half scoring to make it 2-8 2-6 in Scariff’s favour, they let another goal chance slip at the death, Liam Crotty hitting wide.
On the restart it was Scariff that started sharper, they had the first two points through Patrick Ryan and Mark Rodgers. Rodgers converted a 65m free after Diarmuid Ryan saved from Patrick Crotty, goalkeeper Eoin Deegan managing to delay his shot with a well-timed tackle to allow Ryan get back on the line to cover for the netminder.
At the other end, William Kavanagh did well to stop Rian Considine bagging a goal as Considine and Crotty both added scores.
Two Conor McGrath points were interrupted by Mark Rodgers putting Scariff three in front on forty four minutes.
Then the Cratloe takeover took hold as they tapped on six scores in succession to take the lead. Substitute Daire Neville had two of these scores with McGrath and Cathal McInerney setting the example as per usual.
Crotty and Patrick Ryan had the two final scores of the game but it was enough for Scariff as it only reduced the gap to a single point by the game’s conclusion.
Before referee Jarlath Donnellan blew the whistle, he dismissed Shane Kavanagh on a second bookable offence with sixty three minutes played, this later was changed to a straight red after Kavanagh passed remarks to the official. After the game, a straight red card was issued to Tomás McNamara who had been substituted at half time, the midfielder making his views known to the referee. Both acts of frustration will be costly when it comes to the first round of the senior championship next season.
This was an example of the indiscipline which crept into Scariff’s approach. There was only one free awarded in the entire fifteen minutes of the game by within the second half, they conceded twelve frees throughout the second half, granted not many of these were in scoring distance but it saw them cough up possession and lose ground easily. The big regret for them will be how they fizzled out of the game with two different spells lasting eight minutes in the second half where they failed to score.
Patrick Crotty caused considerable problems in the opening half as did Mark Rodgers but their roles appeared to be swapped on the resumption which hurt their cause. They along with Patrick Ryan and Michael Scanlan did well but overall it was too disjoined a display and thus Mark McKenna’s side just missed out on back to back semi-final appearances.
Six of the Cratloe starting team are the holders of All-Ireland SHC medals yet they somehow have managed to almost creep into the semi-finals under the radar to an extent. Their last two games have underlined that they will put their shoulders to the wheel at the most important times, the result being a place in the last four.
While they struggled when ran at in the opening half, they didn’t panic and the Cratloe composure was key. Conor McGrath pulled the strings once again and has been very difficult to mark, particularly in his last two outings. Rian Considine continues to be one of the most dangerous forwards in the county with Enda Boyce and David Collins effective while Eoin Deegan made vital saves including his twenty first minute stop from Rodgers when a goal would have made it 3-6 1-4.
Scorers Cratloe: C McGrath (0-7), R Considine (1-2 2f), C McInerney (1-1), D Neville (0-2), David Collins (0-1), D Ryan (0-1 1’f), S Neville (0-1).
Scorers Scariff: P Crotty (0-7), P Ryan (1-2), É O’Brien (1-1), M Rodgers (0-4 2f 1’65)
Cratloe:
1: Eoin Deegan
2: Riain McNamara
3: David Collins
4: Sean Collins
9: Conor Ryan
6: Diarmuid Ryan
5: Jamie Moylan
8: Daithí Collins
7: Enda Boyce
11: Podge Collins
13: Conor McGrath
10: Sean Gallagher
14: Cathal McInerney
21: Shane Neville
15: Rian Considine
Subs:
18: Daire Neville for Gallagher (45)
20: Eoin Carey for S Neville (56)
19: Cathal Lohan for Daithí Collins (61)
Scariff:
1: William Kavanagh
17: Jack Ryan
3: Michael Scanlan
4: Scott Cairns
5: Daniel Treacy
6: Diarmaid Nash
7: Shane Kavanagh
23: Keelan Hartigan
9: Conor Downes
10: Liam Crotty
11: Patrick Crotty
12: Michael Barrett
13: Patrick Ryan
14: Mark Rodgers
15: Éanna O’Brien
Subs:
21: Tomás McNamara for Hartigan (20) (inj)
20: Ben Sweeney for McNamara (HT) (inj)
19: Conor Moloney for Downes (49)
Keelan Hartigan for Sweeney (53)
Referee: Jarlath Donnellan (Wolfe Tones)
