*Conor McGrath set the way for Cratloe. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
A stern backlash from Cratloe ensured that their championship fate is back in their own hands following a commanding victory over Wolfe Tones.
Cratloe 1-19
Wolfe Tones 1-9
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
With both sides floored by sizeable opening defeats, it was a more determined Cratloe that bounded back off the ropes as they used the windy conditions to hit the ground running and carve out an eight point half-time lead that their neighbours would never really breach throughout the second period.
Conor McGrath inspired from midfield as a seven point unanswered rally, three from Rian Con-sidine opened up a 0-7 to 0-1 first quarter lead. Captain Cathal McInerney also answered Wolfe Tones’ brief reprieve with a late brace to secure an 0-11 to 0-3 interval lead.
The only way was up for Conor Dolan’s side but they disappointedly failed to even score from play until Daithi Lohan accepted a quick Cian O’Rourke free to race through and just clear the crossbar in the 43rd minute. By that stage however, Cratloe were almost out of sight having be-gan the new half with the first five points thanks in the main to braces from Considine and McGrath at 0-16 to 0-4.
A converted Cian O’Rourke penalty entering the final minutes did offer a glimmer of hope for the Tones especially when debutante goalkeeper Oisin O’Rourke managed to save a subsequent one from Rian Considine seven minutes later.
However, while Wolfe Tones did eventually lessen the damage to six by the hour mark, they would be rocked on their heels in additional time as Cratloe substitute Mikey Hawes grabbed a clinching goal with his first touch.
The result confirmed Newmarket-on-Fergus’ passage to the quarter-finals and Wolfe Tones’ place in the relegation play-offs while the final piece of the Group 3 jigsaw will be a winner-takes-all final round showdown between Cratloe and Clooney/Quin for a last eight spot in a fortnight’s time.
In truth, this was much more like the Cratloe side that reached last year’s semi-finals as their 2013 All-Ireland winning attacking triumvirate of Conor McGrath, Cathal McInerney and Podge Collins were back to their elusive best to lead the way.
The switch of Enda Boyce to corner-back also helped their solidity alongside Diarmuid Ryan as seven points without reply in the opening quarter through main protagonists Rian Considine (3), Cathal McInerney, Podge Collins, Diarmuid Ryan and Conor McGrath justified their wind ad-vantage at 0-7 to 0-1.
Wolfe Tones, who rejigged their own side substantially in an effort to spark a response, catapult-ed county senior Rory Hayes into the forward line but still failed to trouble the scoreboard out-side of three Cian O’Rourke frees, with the same player seeing a goal chance easily saved by Gearoid Ryan.
Instead, captain McInerney (2), Considine and Podge Collins closed out the opening period with a sizeable eight point cushion to go into the dressing rooms 0-11 to 0-3 in front.
Not content with that, John O’Gorman’s side defied the conditions to raid for the first five points of the new half to ease unassailably clear by 13 points by the 42nd minute.
Wolfe Tones did restore some pride with Daithi Lohan’s goal chance and O’Rourke’s penalty after Aron Shanagher was held by Diarmuid Ryan entering the final ten minutes.
There was more drama when Shane Neville earned a penalty of his own in the 58th minute, only for Oisin O’Rourke to keep his side’s hopes alive with an excellent save while up the other end Daithi Lohan again just aimed too high to trouble Gearoid Ryan as Wolfe Tones lessened the damage to six entering injury-time.
Cratloe did flesh out the final margin when Rian Considine teed up replacement Hawes for a goal while the former arrowed over his seventh point in the next passage of play to ensure a ten point win.
However, Cratloe’s rehabilitation project is still only half down as they now need to beat Clooney-Quin in their final group outing in order to take their place in the quarter-finals for a third season in succession.
Scorers for Cratloe: Rian Considine 0-7 (3f, 1’65), Cathal McInerney 0-3, Conor McGrath 0-3, Mikey Hawes 1-0, Podge Collins 0-2, Diarmuid Ryan 0-1, Enda Boyce 0-1, Luke Healy 0-1, Riain McNamara 0-1
Scorers for Wolfe Tones: Cian O’Rourke 1-3 (1-0 Pen, 3f), Daithi Lohan 0-2, Aron Shanagher 0-1, John Guilfoyle 0-1, Evan O’Gorman 0-1, Billy Connors 0-1
Cratloe
1: Gearoid Ryan
8: Enda Boyce
3: Liam Markham
4: David Collins
5: Shane Neville
6: Diarmuid Ryan
7: Sean Collins
15: Conor McGrath
20: Riain McNamara
10: Luke Healy
9: Daithi Collins
11: Cathal McInerney
13: Rian Considine
12: Sean Gallagher
14: Podge Collins
Subs
21: Jack McInerney for P. Collins (41, inj)
19: Sam Sheehy for McNamara (53)
18: Mikey Hawes for Healy (61)
Wolfe Tones
16: Oisin O’Rourke
2: Sam Meaney
5: Darragh Lohan
4: Liam Murphy
9: Stephen Donnellan
6: Daithi Lohan
12: John Guilfoyle
8: Dean Devanney
19: Kevin McCafferty
15: Billy Connors
3: Rory Hayes
14: Evan O’Gorman
13: Aaron Cunningham
11: Aron Shanagher
10: Cian O’Rourke
Subs
18: Colin Riordan for Donnellan (34, inj)
17: Shane Nihill for Devanney (42, inj)
23: Luke Kerrigan for Meaney (51, inj)
Referee: Gus Callaghan (Feakle)
