*Kilmaley’s Michael O’Malley. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CRUSHEEN, Clonlara and Kilmaley occupy top spots in Division 1A and 1B of the willwego.com Clare Cup.
This year’s Clare Cup has reached the halfway point with six games held across the weekend.
Sixmilebridge got round four underway on Tuesday evening when they accounted for Feakle and the round will be completed next Tuesday when Inagh/Kilnamona host Cratloe.
Clarecastle were pipped at the post on Friday night when Oisin O’Donnell extended Crusheen’s winning run with a last-minute winner.
O’Calllaghans Mills, after a couple of near misses, got their first points on the board on Saturday when they led from start to finish when overcoming Corofin.
Having lost their opening two games, Newmarket-on-Fergus followed up their round three win over O’Callaghans Mills with victory over Scariff who are still chasing a victory in this season’s competition.
Kilmaley continued their good run with a two point win over Clooney/Quin while Clonlara accounted for Wolfe Tones.
Having suffered their first loss in this campaign when going down to Clarecastle in round three, St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield bounced back to winning ways with victory over Broadford.
Last gasp winner for Crusheen
Crusheen 0-23
Clarecastle 2-16
Venue: Claecastle
Eight points down at the interval, Crusheen looked to be heading for their first defeat in this season’s Clare Cup but they put in a strong third quarter to turn things around.
A pointed free just before full time from Oisin O’Donnell sealed their fourth successive victory in this season’s title race.
Clarecastle had made the better start and, helped by a brace of goals from Oisin Casey, they led 2-11 to 0-9 at the interval.
On the resumption Crusheen showed the greater hunger and they outscored their opponents 0-10 to 0-1 in the third quarter to bounce right back into contention.
Conor and Oisin O’Donnell and Cian Dillon were the chief scorers for the winners with 0-17 between them. Oosin Casey with 2-1 and Oisin Whelan with 0-6 were the chief marksmen for the Magpies.
Crusheen: David Kearney; James O’Sullivan, Gavin O’Brien, Luke Hayes; Cillein Mullins, Eanna McMahon, Ian O’Brien (0-1); Oisin O’Donnell,(0-5), Jamie Fitzgibbom (0-2); Gerry O’Grady (0-1) Cian Dillon (0-4), Conor O’Donnell (0-8); Murrough McMahon (0-1), Luke Ketalaar, Mark Perrill;
Subs; Fergus Kennedy (0-1) for M. McMahon; John O’Sullivan for L Hayes; Glen O’Sullivan for C O’Donnell (inj)
Clarecastle; Cian Broderick; Conor Griffin, Filip Wiechinski, David Tuohy; Evan O’Connell, Darragh Healy, Evan Price (0-2); Colin Brigdale (0-1) Stephem O’Halloran (0-1); Conor Halpin (0-2), Oisin Whelan (0-6), Rory O’Connell (0-1); Eoghan Wallace, Oisin Casey (2-1), Paul O’Connell (0-1);
Subs; Josh Brack for S. O’Halloran; Niall Brigdle for O Casey; Patrick Kelly for O. Whelan; Conor Ralph (0-1) for C. Halpin; Lee Brack for R. O;Connell (inj.)
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
Kilmaley edge a tight affair
Kilmaley 0-13
Clooney/Quin 0-11
Venue Kilmaley
In a hard-fought tie at Kilmaley on Saturday evening the home side edged out visitors Clooney/Quin in a game in which both sides found scores hard to come by.
A difficult wind which helped Clooney/Quin in the opening half caused problems for both sides and the home side were in the better position at the interval as they led by the minimum having played against the breeze.
The visitors had the better of matters in the first quarter at which time they were two head, 0-6 to 0-4.
Killmaley hit back with four in a row on their way to a half time lead of 0-9 to 0-8.
The home side hit the first three points of the new half to open a four point advantage.
Clooney/Quin responded with points from Callum Hassett and substitute Eoin Guillfoyle but they struggled to break down a Kilmaley defence welll marshalled by centre back Daire Keane.
Others to impress for the winers were Martin O’Connor, Colin Carmody, Colin McGuane, Michael O’Neill and Michael O’Malley.
Clooney/Quin had strong performances from Shane McNamara, Mike Corry, Evan Maxted and Callum Hassett.
Kilmaley; Bryan O’Loughlin; Martin O’Connor, Colin Carmody, Sean Crowley; Colin McGuane, Daire Keane, Luke Reid; Joe Carmody (0-1), Eanna McMahon; Michael O’Neill (0-1), Michael O’Malley (0-6), Tommy Barry (0-1); Thomas McGuire, Tom O’Rourke (0-2), Colm Killeen (0-1)
Subs; Jamie Fitzpatrick for E. McMahon; James Murphy (0-1) for J. Carmody; Stephen Murphy for L. Reed; Kevin McNamara for M. O’Connor
Clooney/Quin; Cillian Duggan; Cillian O’Gara, Evan Maxted, Shane McNamara; Dara Keogh, Sean McNamara, David Cahill; Donagh O’Sullivan, David Considine (0-2); Sam Scanlan (0-1), Mike Corry (0-1), P.J McCarthy; Callum Hassett (0-5), Dylan Cunningham (0-1), Patrick Finneran
Subs: Conor Grogan for D. O’Sullivan; Fionn O’Gara for D. Keogh; Michael McNamara for P.J. McCarthy; Eoin Guilfoyle (0-1) for D. Cunningham (inj)
Referee: Jarlath Donnellan (Wolfe Tones)
First points for the Mills
O’Callaghans Mills 3-21
Corofin 1-15
Venue: Hamilton Park, Kilkishen
O’Callaghans Mills got their first win in this season’s Clare Cup when they accounted for Corofin.
The winners led from start to finish and their winning margin could have been greater as they missed a number of good chances including a penalty when Killian Nugent’s effort was saved.
Seven players shared in their impressive final tally on an evening when they held a five point advantage at the interval when the score was 2-10 to 1-8.
O’Callaghans Mills: Killian Nugent; Mike Cotter, Keith Donnellan, Gerry Cooney; Aidan Fawl (0-2), Aidan O’Gorman, Sean O’Gorman; Fionn Hickey (0-1), Mike McGrath; Stephen Donnellan, Darragh Moroney (0-2), Jacob Loughnane (0-8); Cormac Murphy (0-4), Sean Cotter (2-4), Sean Murphy (1-0);
Subs: Cathal McNamara for S. O’Gorman; Kevin O’Callaghan for M. McGrath; Billy Scanlan for S. Murphy;
Corofin; Jack Crowe; Liam Fitzpatrick, Damian O’Loughlin, Colin Fitzgerald; Killian O’Connor, Damian Ryan (0-4), Cormac Walsh; Micheal Duffy, Gearoid Hanrahan, Gearoid Cahill (0-1), Diarmuid Cahill, (1-6) Cathal Flanagan (0-1); Seanán Kirby (0-1), Kevin Keane (0-1), Cian Doolin (0-1);
Subs; Liam Corbett for J. Crowe; Luke O’Loughlin for M. Duffy; Evan Doolin for G. Hanrahan; Eoin Carroll for S. Kirby; Gearoid Hanrahan for D. Ryan;
Referee: Gus Callaghan (Feakle)
Strong first half sees Newmarket-on-Fergus hold off Scariff
Newmarket-on-Fergus 3-16
Scariff 0-21
Venue: Scariff
First half goals from Jack O’Connor and goalkeeper Padraic Guilfoyle whose long delivery deceived the Scariff defence, steered Newmarket-on-Fergus to this merited win over Scariff at the East Clare club’s venue.
The Blues were nine points up at the halfway point when the score was 2-12 to 0-9.
Scariff fought back strongly in the second half but they had left themselves with a bit too much to do. Centre forward Patrick Crotty won a lot of frees for the hosts in this period with Ben Sweeney accurate from the placed balls.
Sweeney top scored for the home side, landing 0-11 on the evening when he converted seven frees, one sideline and one ‘65 while adding two from play.
Peter Power was the leading marksman for the winners on the evening with 1-6 while Jack O’Connor in the other corner forward position contributed 1-2.
Newmarket; Padraic Guilfoyle (1-0); Darragh Jones, Niall O’Connor, Cian Foley; Damian Lyne (0-1), Liam O’Connor, Sean O’Connor (0-1); Shane Lynch, James Power (0-4); Paudie McMahon, Noel Frawley, James Freeman; Jack O’Connor (1-3), Eoin Guilfoyle (0-1), Peter Power (1-6);
Subs; Cathal Cullinan for D. Jones; John Feehily for C. Foley; Eanna Crimmins for N. O’Connor; Seadhna Liddy for J Freeman
Scariff; Willian Kavanagh; Eoghan Keehan, Scott Cairns, Tadhgh Minogue; Sean Collins, Shane Kavanagh, (0-2) Jack Ryan; Conor Downes (0-1), Aaron Collins (0-2); Keelan Hartigan (0-3), Patrick Crotty, Rossa Keehan; Sean Minogue (0-1), Patrick Ryan (0-1), Ben Sweeney (0-11);
Subs; Colin O’Grady for R. Keehan; Rory Ryan for P Ryan; Diarmuid Nash for S. Collins; Sean Hartigan for Sean Minogue
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
Goals crucial for Clonlara
Clonlara 2-20
Wolfe Tones 0-19
Venue: Shannon
Clonlara justified favouritism when overcoming Wolfe Tones at Shannon but they were made battle all the way by the home side.
The winners got off to a great start, opening a 1-3 to 0-0 advantage, helped by a goal from Brian McLeish.
Wolfe Tones didn’t panic and when the half time whistle sounded they were just two points in arrears.
The sides continued to be evenly matched in the second half until a Kieran Galvin goal shortly before the end gave Clonlara some breathing space.
Clonlara: Seimi Gully; Paul McNamara, Oisin O’Brien, Logan Ryan; David Fitzgerald, Aidan Moriarty (0-1), Paraic O’Loughlin; Dylan McMahon (0-4), Michael Clancy; Kieran Howard, (0-1) Kieran Galvin (1-3), Eoin Begley (0-1); Cathal O’Connell (0-6), Brian McLeish (1-3) Darragh Dillon;
Subs: Tim Power (0-1) for E Begley; Colm Galvin for Kieran Howard; Conor Cahill for D. Dillon.;
Wolfe Tones; Oisin O’Rourke; Mikey Hayes, Liam Murphy, Brian Murphy; Gary Cusack (0-2), Evan O’Gorman (0-1), Sam Meaney; John Guilfoyle (0-1), Aaron Kelly; Stephen Donnellan (0-3), Peter McEvoy Sean Murphy (0-2); Niall Fitzgerald, (0-1), Dylan Frawley, Gavin Carigg (0-7);
Subs: Tadhg Fitzgerald for A Kelly; Aaron Cunningham for P. McEvoy; Colin Riordan for N. Fitzgerald; Jack Cunningham (0-2) for D. Frawley
Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
Lahiffe’s goal proves a vital score
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-15
Broadford 0-16
Venue; Gurteen
Eoin Lahiffe’s goal just inside the final quarter proved to be the vital score in this well contested tie at Gurteen on Saturday afternoon.
While Broadford responded to go back in front by the minimum margin, the game’s only major was key to the Doora/Barefield side returning to winning ways having suffered defeat in their last outing.
Broadford led by the minimum margin at the break when the score was 0-8 to 0-7.
Seven players shared in the winners tally, two more that their opponents for whom Craig Chaplin led the way with 0-11.
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Aaron Landy; Paddy Nagle, Ja Colleran, Ciarán O’Driscoll; Adam Mungovan, Darragh O Shea, Conor Daly; Darragh McMahon (0-2), Darragh Ball (0-1); Michael Nash (0-1), Eoin Burke, Matthew Power (0-2); Shane Mescall, Eoin Lahiffe (1-4), Thomas O’Connor;
Subs: Cian Barron for Mescall; Padraic O’Donovan (0-3) for O’Connor; Eoghan Thynne for Power; Senan Crosbie (0-2) for Nash; Darragh Nagle for Colleran;
Broadford: Roy Duffy; Dara Whelan, Eoin Donnellan, Davy Boland; Cathal Chaplin, Darren Chaplin (0-1), Conor O’Donnell; Cian Mulqueen, Michael Vaughan (0-1); Craig Chaplin (0-11), Mark Moloney,Sam Cooper; Donie Whelan, (0-2) Oisin Kavanagh (0-1), Aodan O’Driscoll
Subs: Damian Keniry for Sam Cooper; John Moran for Al O’Driscoll
Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate)
