*Aidan Davidson. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
Two rounds into the 2021 Cusack Cup (senior football league), four teams share top spot with a win and a draw each.
First round winners, St. Josephs Miltown and Ennistymon played a draw at Hennessy Park this Friday evening where a low scoring tie finished at 1-5 each. Darragh McDonagh’s goal gave the home side a two point lead in the closing quarter but the visitors hit back with a goal from Liam Devitt before Cormac Murray shot the equalising point for Michael Neylon’s men.
St Josephs Miltown: Sean O’Brien; Euan Reidy, Seanie Malone, Aidan McGuane; Jamesie O’Connor, Gearoid Curtin, Cian Flanagan; Micheal Murray, Oisin Looney Ger Malone, Cormac Murray, Liam Hehir; Sean Malone, Darragh Mcdonagh, Brian Curtin;
Subs: Joe Carmody for G. Malone; Damian Devereaux for B. Curtin; Micheal Malone for Hehir; Martin Rynne for McDonagh; Conal Meade for M. Murray
Ennistymon: Noel Sexton; Cathal Reilly, Adam Ralph, Sean Rouine; Liam Devitt Lawrence Healy, David McNamara; Mattie Kinch, Willie Murphy; Michael Leigh, Danny Rouine, Michael McDonagh; Niall Canavan, Joe Dowling, Tiernan Hogan;
Subs: Sean McConigley for Canavan; Oisin Vaughan for Reilly; Cathal Nagle for S. Rouine; Cathal McConigley for Leigh; Gerry Coote for MccDonagh
Clondegad who had drawn their opening round tie with St. Breckans claimed bragging rights with a two point win, 2-6 to 1-7 over neighbours Kildysart. Clondegad scored two early goal through Daniel Kelly and Eoin Gavin. Kildysart’s goal came from Keith O’Connor while Keith Murphy had a goal disallowed midway through the second half. In the end Clondegad’s experience proved decisive.
Clondegad: Darren Cleary; Brian Murphy, Joe Neylon, Brian Casey; Evan Wall, James Murphy, Niall Lynch; Mark Crowe, Brandon O’Connell; Colin McNeilis, Eoin Donnellan, Ian Carigg; Daniel Kelly, Eoin Gavin, Eoghan Glynn;
Subs: Michael Meaney for Donnellan; Conor Gavin for Carigg; Shane Brennan for Glynn;
Kildysart: Robert Eyers; Ian Flanagan, Brian Eyers, Stevie Sheehan; Conor Moloney, Rory McMahon, Michael Eustace; Kieran O’Brien, Keith O’Connor; John Guinnane, Seamus Casey, Mikey Donnellan; Diarmuid O’Donnell, Luke McGrath, Keith Murphy;
Subs: Shane McNeilis for Donnellan; Damian Murtagh for K. Murphy; Neil O’Connor for Eustace.
St. Breckans had a comfortable 2-11 to 1-5 win over Doonbeg at Lisdoonvarna. The winners laid the foundation for this win in the first half and led 2-8 to 0-2 at the interval, the goals coming from Aidan Davidson and Cathal Guerin.
St. Breckans: Tristan O’Callaghan; Doireann McNamara, Cian Flanagan, Cian Burke; Aaron O’Brien, Maccon Byrne, Conor Shannon; Liam Tierney, Padraic Kelly; Denis O’Callaghan, Eoin Guerin, Mark O’Donnell; Ryan Burke, Cathal Guerin, Aidan Davidson;
Subs: R. O’Connor for O’Callaghan; C. McNamara for R. Burke; S. Hurley for C. Guerin; K. Blood for O’Donnell.
Doonbeg: Eamonn O’Dea; James Killeen, Joe Blake, Cian Clancy; Padraic Aherne, Paul Dillon, Killian Blake; Kevin Pender, Ronan Good; Mikey Tubridy, Shane Ryan, Jason Linnane; Eoin Tubridy, Eamonn Tubridy, Luke Conway;
Subs: Brian Egan for Clancy; Conor Blake for Good; Kevin McInerney for Ryan;
Éire Óg got their first win of the campaign when they accounted for Kilmurry Ibrickane with a 1-8 to 0-2 win. Niall McMahon was the winner’s goalscorer while goalkeeper Nathan Murray landed three points one from a 45 and two from long range frees. The win was marred by a serious leg injury to defender Cathal Darcy who is likely to be out of action for some time
Kilmurry-Ibrickane went into the game having been dealt another huge blow during the week when experienced campaigner Shane Hickey suffered an achilles injury which rules him out of action for the year. Adding to their woes, Colin Bridgale suffered an injury during the game which will keep him out of action for a few weeks.
Éire Óg; Nathan Murray; Cathal Darcy, Ronan Lanigan, Gearoid Collins; Dean D’Auria, Sean Corry, Conor O’Halloran; David McNamara, Niall McMahon; Barry Lynch, Einne O’Connor, Paul Martyn; Paddy O’Malley, Cormac Murphy, Philip Talty;
Subs; Eoin Guilfoyle for Darcy; Mark Collins for McMahon; Michael Foley for Talty; Jack Joyce for O’Malley; Alan O’Neill for Murphy
Kilmurry-Ibrickane; Darragh Pender; Niall McCannon, Mark Killeen, Kieran O’Neill; Martin McMahon, Diarmuid King, Darragh Sexton; Colin Bridgale, Andrew Shannon; Michael Comber, Joe Campbell, John O’Donoghue; Steven Moloney, Enda Coughlan, Kevin Tubridy
Subs; Niall Shannon for Brigdale; Maurice Donnellan for Coughlan; Damian Lynch for Tubridy.
West Clare neighbours Kilmurry Ibrickane and Doonbeg are pointless after the opening two rounds.
In Division 2 (Garry cup,) Lissycasey made it two wins from two when they accounted for neighbours Kilmihil, 2-15 to 0-8. Matt O’Shea and Niall McCarthy were the goalscorers in this one.
Cooraclare put in a strong finish to snatch a one point win over St. Josephs, 0-12 to 1-8 at Cooraclare while Corofin and Shannon Gaels played a 0-13 each draw at Corofin. Kilrush bounced back from their opening round loss to Lissycasey when they recorded a 2-8 to 0-10 win over O’Currys at Doonaha with their goals coming from Matthew Moloney and Jamie Griffin.
In Division 3 there were wins for Wolfe Tones over Kilfenora (1-17 to 0-7) and Ennistymon over Cratloe (2-8 to 1-10). Ennistymon’s goals came from Cathal McDonagh and Darren McNamara while David Collins got the Cratloe goal. Coolmeen collected their first points when they scored a 2-13 to 1-12 win over St. Senans, Kilkee in a game played at the community field in Kilrush.
The remaining game in this group took place at Cross on Sunday where the home side recorded a 1-9 to 1-6 win over Killimer.
