*Crusheen centre back Ross Hayes. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Clare Cup champions O’Callaghans Mills are in danger of being involved in the senior hurling championship relegation battle after a second successive defeat in the 2023 race for the Canon Hamilton cup.
Crusheen 3-17
O’Callaghans Mills 0-16
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla
At Dr. Daly Park in Tulla this Saturday afternoon they failed the match a well organised Crusheen outfit who have given their hopes of making the play offs a big lift with this victory.
A Luke Ketalaar goal inside the opening minute made their intentions clear and they deservingly came out on top and put their opening round loss to Sixmilebridge behind them.
The Mills fought back from the early set back and they had drawn level by the end of the first quarter when the score was 1-3 to 0-6 but in a two minute spell the winners hit for 1-2, the goal coming from Jamie Fitzgibbon and they led from here to the finish.
Defensive errors contributed to these early goals on a day when they league champions’ defence was opened up on a number of occasions.
Five points separated the teams at half time when the score was 2-8 to 0-9 and this was still the position five minutes into the new half after both sides had swapped points twice.
Three points from the Mills closed the gap to two as the third quarter drew to a close but try as they did they failed to get any closer.
Crusheen introduced a number of substitutes all of whom contributed handsomely with Ian O’Brien marking his introduction when firing home the team’s third goal seven minutes from the end.
This score killed off the league champions’ challenge and Crusheen finished strongly with four unanswered points to seal a comfortable victory.
This was a strong team display from the winners in which Breffni Horner made a massive conribution, shooting 0-9, six from open play.
Cilléin Mullins, Ross Hayes and veterans Gerry O’Grady and Cian Dillon were others to excel on the day.
Gerry Cooney, Darragh Moroney, Mark Pewter and Colm Cleary were to the fore for O’Callaghans Mills.
Scorers Crusheen; Breffni Horner (0-9, 3f) Luke Ketalaar (1-1); Jamie Fitzgibbon, Ian O’Brien (1-0) each; Oisin O’Donnell, Cillein Mullins (0-2) each; Ross Hayes (f), Fergus Kennedy, Conor O’Donnell (0-1) each;
Scorers O’Calllaghans Mills; Colm Cleary (0-10, 8f); Conor Henry, Darragh Moroney (0-2) each; Gary Cooney, Mikey McMahon (0-1);
Crusheen
1: Donal Tuohy
17: Tadhg Dean
3: Cian Dillon
4: Luke Hayes
5: Gavin O’Brien
6: Ross Hayes
7: Eanna McMahon
8: Cillein Mullins
9: Oisin O’Donnell
10: Luke Ketsalaar
11: Jamie Fitxgibbon
12: Breffni Horner
13: Conor O’Donnell
14: Gerry O’Grady
15: Fergus Kennedy
Subs:
18: Eoghan McMahon for Kennedy (40)
21: Diarmuid Mullins for Ketalaar (50)
20: Ian O’Brien for C. O’Donnell (50)
2: Mark Perrill for D. Mullins (inj. 59)
Cathal Dillon for O. O’Donnell (60);
O’Callaghans Mills
1: Killian Nugent
19: Gerry Cooney
3: Paddy Donnellan
4: Keith Donnellan
5: Cormac Murphy
6: Aidan O’Gorman
7: Aidan Fawl
8: Darragh Moroney
9: Conor Cooney
10: Gary Cooney
11: Sean O’Gorman
12: Stephen Donnellan
13: Colm Cleary
14: Mark Pewter
15: Conor Henry
Subs
17: Mikey McMahon for S. Donnellan (37)
21: Bryan Donnellan for S. O’Gorman (45)
20: Sean Cotter for C. Murphy (55)
Michael Cotter for G. Cooney
Mike McGrath for B. Donnellan (inj.).
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
