*Jarlath Collins holds onto possession under pressure for Éire Óg. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Despite going down by four points to Éire Óg, Clooney/Quin are still through to the last eight alongside the Townies from Group 3, sending Kilmaley to the Senior B contest and Scariff to a relegation play off.
Éire Óg 0-22
Clooney Quin 1-15
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis.
By Gerry Quinn
After a tense and entertaining battle, Éire Óg emerged victorious over a driven Clooney/Quin outfit in a final Group 3 game of the Clare Senior hurling championship.
For the seventh year in a row, the Ennis club have advanced to the last eight. They bowed out at the penultimate stages of the 2021 campaign.
Having lost to Kilmaley in their debut game and overcoming Scariff on their second outing, the men in red and white knew that anything less than a victory could probably send the crashing out of the championship. Clooney Quin had a better record coming into the game having seen off the challenges of both Scariff and Kilmaley in earlier rounds.
Within fifteen seconds of the throw-in Shane O’Donnell was bearing on the Clooney Quin goal. But a superb save by keeper Keith Hogan denied a sensational beginning to the clash. Cian O’Dea for the Townies had the opening score, a point from play after three minutes and that was followed by one from O’Donnell and a Danny Russell placed ball.
Clooney/Quin wing forward Callum Hassett forward opened their account in the eighth. By the mid point of the half, the sides were level at five points apiece. Then Clooney raced into a three point lead with scores by centre-back John Conneelly who stormed through the middle to take his point, and a pair from Peter Duggan, one from play and another from a free. Hogan came to his side’s aid in injury time when he denied Danny Russell and when the whistle sounded, Clooney Quin lead by the slenderest of margins, 0-10 to 0-09.
Éire Óg overturned the lead within two minutes of the re-start with points by Russell and David McNamara. Then in the thirty-forth minute, Clooney Quin struck for the game’s only goal. The Éire Óg full-back line failed to clear their lines and after a goal mouth scramble, Peter Duggan struck to the back of the net from close range, to put three between them, 1-11 to 0-11. The Ennis club replied quickly with three points to cancel the effect of the goal in an intense period of the game.
When Ryan Taylor notched a point for Tommy Corbett’s side on forty five minutes, to put them 1-13 to 0-14 ahead, little did anyone think that it would be their last score until injury time at the death.
In the meantime, Matt Shannon’s Éire Óg fired over seven points to swing matters in their favour. Duggan converted two frees in time added on but they fell short in their quest for victory.
Nevertheless, a last eighth placement is a due reward for a young and eager side, who have impressed in their three outings thus-far. Peter Duggan was influential as ever, faultless from placed balls and a goal and two from play despite the tight attention given to him by designated marker Ciarán Russell. Other to impress were, the midfield pair of Donagh O’Sullivan and Ryan Taylor, half-forward Callum Hassett, nephew of team boss Tommy Corbett. The youngster notched three good points from play before being replaced late in the game
Shane O’Donnell was once, the heart and soul of the Éire Óg endeavour. He scored five but contributed to the setting up of many more. David Reidy put in an enormous effort in the second half and also floated over two vital frees from distance after his colleagues hit three wides in a row. Aaron Fitzgerald was solid in a sweeper role and the two man full-back line of Jarlath Collins and Liam Corry held their own.
Scorers Éire Óg: Danny Russell (0-9) 0-7 frees, 1 ’65. Shane O’Donnell (0-5), Darren O’Brien (0-2),Gavin Cooney (0-2), David Reidy (0-2) f’s, David McNamara (0-1), Oran Cahill (0-1).
Scorers Clooney/Quin: Peter Duggan (19) 0-7 f’s, Callum Hassett (0-3), Ryan Taylor (0-1), John Coneelley (0-1), Eoghan O’Brien (0-1).
Éire Óg
1: Philly Walsh
2: Jarlath Collins
7: Liam Corry
6: Aaron Fitzgerald
5: Niall McMahon
3: Ciarán Russell
12: Óran Cahill
8: David Reidy
9: Cian O’Dea
19: David McNamara
13: Gavin Cooney
22: Mikie Maloney
15: Darren O’Brien
11: Shane O’Donnell
14: Danny Russell
Subs:
4: Aidan McGrath for Niall McMahon (41)
20: Eoin Guilfoyle for David McNamara (72)
Clooney/Quin:
1: Keith Hogan
2: Evan Maxted
3: Shane McNamara
4: Eoin Guilfoyle
5: Mike McNamara
6: John Conneely
7: Conor Grogan
8: Ryan Taylor
9: Donagh O’Sullivan
10: Darragh Keogh
11: Peter Duggan
12: Callum Hassett
14: Eoghan O’Brien
17: Ulick O’Sullivan
15: Shane Harrison
Subs
18: Luke Harrison for Shane Harrison (36)
13: Ronan O’Donnell for Callum Hassett (55)
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
