*Sean Rouine landed the equaliser for Ennistymon. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
With just two rounds of games to go in the various county football leagues the race to be in the knock out stage as well as the battle to avoid relegation is hotting up.
Clondegad continue to lead the way as they chase a first ever title in the FutureTicketing Cusack Cup. They entered round five on Saturday with full points and they remain unbeaten having been held to a draw by Ennistymon.
Kildysart and St. Breckans are level on points in second place. They drew when they clashed in round 1 and currently Kildysart are second on score difference. St. Breckans and Kildysart clashed in the final last year with the Lisdoonvarna side claiming the title.
Ennistymon and Kilmurry Ibrickane are next, both on five points but Kilmurry Ibrickane won when they clashed so they currently fill fourth spot. Lissycasey and Corofin currently fill the relegtion positions but Doonbeg aren’t out of danger yet as they have just one point more. Lissycasey and Doonbeg clash in round six.
In the Garry Cup (Division 2), Miltown lead the way with full points, a point ahead of Kilmihil and these two meet this Tuesday evening.
St. Josephs Doora/Barefield are currently in third place and very much in contention for a place in the play offs. Cratloe and Wolfe Tones currently occupy the relegation spots.
Kilmurry Ibrickane ease relegation worries
Kilmurry Ibrickane 3-8
Doonbeg 1-9
Venue: Shanahan McNamara Park, Doonbeg
Slicker movement amongst the forwards helped Kilmurry Ibrickane to their second win in this season’s Cusack Cup when they accounted for neighbours Doonbeg on Friday evening.
Ahead from the outset they responded each time Doonbeg threatened to take a grip on proceedings on an evening when teenager Cathal Talty scored for the side with 1-4 to his credit.
Talty landed the opening two points, both from frees and the game was twelve minutes old before Doonbeg opened their account through their top scorer, David Tubridy. From here to half time points were exchanged four times and the winners went to the break with a two point advantage, 0-6 to 0-4.
They could have been further ahead but Doonbeg goalkeeper Eamonn Tubridy made a couple of good stops at key times.
Two converted frees in the early minutes of the second half by David Tubridy levelled the tie but there was a strong response from the winners and after they turned over possession, a sweeping move ended with Jason Cussen finding the net.
Cathal Talty followed with a point to put four points between the teams as the mid point of the second half approached.
Kilmurry Ibrickane were then dealt a big blow when Andrew Shannon was sent off after picking up a second yellow card and within a minute Doonbeg were right back in contention when midfielder Kevin Pender soloed through and blasted the ball to the roof of the net to leave the minimum between the sides again.
This was the position with nine minutes remaining. Kilmurry Ibrickane piled on the pressure but good defending by Doonbeg and the woodwork denied them before a foul on Joe Campbell resulted in a penalty which Campbell converted with a minute of normal time remaining.
Points from Sean Conway and David Tubridy left two points between the sides with the game in injury time. Kilmurry successfully defended a number of Doonbeg attacks before a quick counter attack ended with Cathal Talty finding the net in the final play of the game.
Cathal Talty, Jason Cussen, Shane Hickey, Diarmuid Comber and goalkeeper Tomas Sexton were prominent for the winners while Eamonn Tubridy, Tadhg Lillis, Kevin Pender and David Tubridy were prominent for the home side.
Kilmurry Ibrickane: Tomas Sexton; Shay Gleeson, Mark Killeen, Michael Comber; Andrew Shannon, Ciaran Morrissey, Diarmuid Comber (0-1); Darren Hickey (0-1), Diarmuid King; Oisin Sexton, Jason Cussen (1-1), Shane Hickey (0-1); Cathal Talty (1-4, 0-3 frees), Joe Campbell (1-0, pen.), Niall Hickey;
Subs: Thomas Lernihan for Morrissey (inj.); Paudie Murrihy for N. Hickey; Colin Considine for Cussen;
Doonbeg: Eamonn Tubridy; Cillian Blake, Tadhg Lillis. Jason Linnane; Cian O’Mahoney, Joe Blake,, Sean Conway (0-1); Kevin Peder (1-0), Kevin McInerney (0-1); Cathal Killeen, Eoin Conway, Mikie Tubridy; Gavin O’Shea, David Tubridy (0-7, 6 frees), Rory Walshe;
Subs: James Killeen for J. Blake; Cian Clancy for Walsh;
Referee: John O’Connell (Cooraclare)
Murphy’s goals steer Kildysart to victory
Kildysart 2-9
Lissycasey 1-10
Venue: Clareabbey
Keith Murphy scored both goals as Kildysart continued their impressive run when defeating neighbours Lissycasey at Clareabbey on Saturday in a game which doubled up for their meeting in the O’Gorman Cup.
Lissycasey opened the scoring but Kildysart quickly drew level before Murphy scored the game’s opening goal. Lissycasey hit back with a like score from Francis Hayes and the teams were level at 1-2 each. They were level again at half time when the score was 1-4 each.
The teams exchanged points at the start of the second half before the winners opened a two point lead. Murphy struck for his side’s second goal but Lissycasey hit back with three in a row and the minimum separated the sides entering the final quarter.
Kildysart; Damien Hill; Michael Eustace, Brian Eyers, Stevie Sheehan; Rory McMahon, Kieran Leahy, Fergal Guinnane; Conor Moloney, Kieran O’Brien; Luke McGrath, Seamus Casey, Mikey Donnellan; Oisin Coyle, Keith Murphy, Conor Hassett;
Sub: Colm Finnucane for Guinnane
Lissycasey: Thomas Collins; Colin O’Shea, Niall McCarthy Kevin Shivers; Michael Meaney, Daire Killeen, Daire Hill; Matt O’Shea, Luke Griffin; Fionn Cotter, Conor Meaney, Cyril Sheehan; Niall Kelly, Francis Hayes, Conor Finnucane;
Subs: Shane Culligan for C. O’Shea; Tom Collins for Sheehan
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
Rouine lands the leveller for Ennistymon
Ennistymon 0-11
Clondegad 0-11
Venue: Ennistymon
Ennistymon became the first team to take a point from leaders Clondegad this year when the sides clashed in the Cusack cup on Saturday at Ennistymon.
A draw was a fair result on a day when Sean Rouine kicked the leveller into the wind in the closing stages.
The home side played with the aid of a fresh wind in the opening half and they led by five points at half time when the score was 0-8 to 0-3.
Clondegad battled back after the break and they had taken a one point lead when Sean Rouine levelled matters on a day when a share of the spoils was a fair outcome.
Brothers Gary and Shane Brennan did the majority of the scoring for Clondegad, contributing half a dozen points between them
Ennnistymon welcomed Diarmuid Fahy back having missed much of the past year due to injury and he was introduced during the course of the game.
Ennistymon: Noel Sexton; Joey Rouine, Lawrence Healy, James Cullinan; Liam Cotter, Oisin Vaughan, Ciaran McMahon; Eoin Rouine, Josh Vaughan; Ryan Barry, Sean Rouine, Eanna Rouine; Padraig Considine, Liam Devitt, John Murphy.
Subs: Joe Dowling for Cotter; Dara Rouine for Eanna Rouine; Diarmuid Fahy for Considine.
Clondegad: Patrick Coffey; Brian Casey, Peter Casey, Niall Lynch; Conor Gavin, Tadhg O hUallachain, Ryan Jennings; Evan Flynn, Shane Brennan; Gary Brennan, Barry Toner, Colm Meaney; Podge McMahon, Daniel Kelly, Mossy Gavin
Subs: Sean O’Leary for Kelly; Eoghan Gavin for C. Gavin; Fiachra Kirby for Flynn
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
Blistering start gives St. Breckans the upperhand
St. Breckans 3-12
Corofin 0-15
Venue: Pairc Finne, Corofin
The importance of goals was highlighted once again when St. Breckan’s and Corofin clashed in this Cusack Cup tie at Corofin on Saturday.
The winners managed to find the net three times and while Corofin put in a strong finish, they were unable to get back on terms.
The winners got a grip on proceedings from the start and when the half time whistle sounded they were two goals clear.
Corofin battled back in the second half when they kicked some good points but the winners managed to maintain the two goal cushion they had built in the first half.
Joe McGann (2) and Jack Sheedy were the goalscorers for St. Breckans who are now in a strong position to reach the play offs.
A blistering start saw the winners lead 2-3 to 0-1 after just eight minutes and this forced the home side into changes which included the switching of Gearoid Cahill to centre back.
St. Breckans: Oisin O’Loughlin, Conor Burke, Paddy Doherty, Padraic O’Dwyer; Colm O’Brien, Cian Burke, Jack Sheedy; Padraic Kelly, Denis O’Callaghan; Maccon Byrne, Eoin Guerin, Shane Fitzpatrick; Conor Shannon, Marc O’Donnell, Joe McGann;
Subs; Eoin Fitzpatrick for O’Dwyer; Cian ‘Jimmy’ Burke for Byrne;
Corofin” Keelan Mounsey; Colm Fitzpatrick, Cillein Mullins, Cillian McGroary; Michael Cahill, Fergus Killeen, Shay Malone; Sean O’Brien, Damian Ryan; Gearoid Kelly, Gearoid Cahill, Cian Doolin; Shane O’Brien, Eoin Davoran, Cillian Clancy;
Subs: Ian Reidy for C. Clancy; Sean O’Loughlin for Davoran; Gearoid Hanrahan for M. Cahill
Referee: Niall Quinn (St Joseph’s Miltown)
Morrissey hits the winner for Cooraclare
Cooraclare 1-9
O’Currys 2-5
Venue: Doonaha
In a well contested Garry cup tie at Doonaha, visitors Cooraclare claimed the spoils with Jack Morrissey scoring the winning point in the closing stages.
Goals from Seamus Keane and Shane Browne helped the home side to lead by two points at half time when the score was 2-2 to 0-6.
The loss of the experienced Sean Haugh to injury proved a big blow to O’Currys who were forced into a number of chances after the departure of the former Clare panellist.
Cooraclare: Mark Lillis; Gary Donnellan, Padraic O’Donoghue, Ronan Donnellan; Ciaran Chambers, Thomas Downes, Gearoid Lillis; Jake Garry, Ciaran O’Donoghue; Sean Browne, Jack Carey, Finn O’Driscoll; Ciaran Ryan, Colin McNamara, Jack Morrissey;
Subs: Gary Cunningham for O’Driscoll; Tadhg Lillis for McNamara; Killian Burke for Cunningham
O’Currys; Derek Troy; Jonathan Clancy, Dara Keane, Stephen Kelly; Eoin Brew, Sean Haugh, Seamus Keane; Thomas Clancy, Cathal Downes; Eoin Kelly, Eoin Troy, Jim Marrinan; Danny Downes, Michael Foran, Shane Browne;
Subs: Ian Roche for Haugh (inj); Martin Daly for E. Kelly; Kieth McMahon for T. Clancy.
Referee: Michael Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
A first league point for Wolfe Tones
Wolfe Tones 0-10
Éire Óg 0-10
Venue: Shannon
Wolfe Tones won their first Garry cup league point of this season when they shared the spoils with Éire Óg on Saturday.
Éire Óg started well and they created a couple of goal chances in the opening quarter but failed to capitalize.
Philip Talty top scored for the Ennis outfit with 0-7, five of which came from frees.
Craig Riordan was the Shannon side’s top scorer with 0-6 while substitute Billy Connors landed two points.
Wolfe Tones; Fionn McInerney; Shane Nihill, Jayme O’Sullivan, Aaron Brennan; Jason McAuley, Eoghan Casey, Brian Murphy; Joe McAuley, Dean Devanney; Stephen Donnellan, Craig Riordan, Sean Costello; Darragh O’Neill, Eoghan Gough, Jack Ryan;
Subs; Aaron Kelly for Costello; Chris Dunning for Jason McAuley; Billy Connors for Gough; Liam Murphy for Devanney; Cody Waller for O’Neill
Éire Óg; Peadar O’Keeffe; Gavin D’Auria, Eoin Guilfoyle, Gearoid Collins; Dean D’Auria, Dean Ryan, Éinne O’Connor; Gavin Murray, David McNamara; Darren O’Brien. Luke Moore, Luke Pyne; Niall O’Donoghue, Dara Walsh, Philip Talty.
Subs; Jack Joyce for Ryan (inj) Andrew McElwee for Moore;;
Referee: Fergal Gray (Feakle)
Points shared between Doora/Barefield & Cratloe
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 0-14
Cratloe 2-8
Venue: Gurteen
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Cratloe shared the spoils in this Garry Cup fixture at Gurteen on Saturday. The home side started well and raced 0-6 to 0-1 ahead before the visitors fought back to within a point. St Joseph’s finished the half strongly and led at half time on a score of 0-8 to 0-5.
Doora/Barefield did well in the early stages of the second half before Cratloe struck for a Cathal McInerney goal and a short time later Rian Considine found the net for the visitors second goal.
From here to the finish it was point for point. St. Josephs will be a little disappointed to have let their first half led slip but a share of the spoils was probably a fair outcome after Cratloe’s fight back.
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Tom O’Brien; Peter Collins, Dara O’Callaghan, Conal Dorgan; Jack Hannan, Dara O’Shea, Dara Whelan; James Curran, Dara Nagle; Conal Kelleher, Cian Moloney, Kieran Thynne; Tom Curran, Joe Rafferty Paddy Bugler;
Subs: Conor O’Brien for O’Callaghan; Eoghan Thynne for Kelleher; Odran O’Connell for Bugler
Cratloe: Luke Healy; Morgan Collins, David Collins, Caimin Deegan; Rian McNamara, Sean Collins, Cathal Lohan; Tommy Rooney, Conal O’Hanlon; Conor Maxwell, Cathal McInerney, Sean Ryan; Jack McInerney, Sean Gallagher, Rian Considine.
Sub; Conor Cooney for Maxwell
Referee; Joe Kelly (Cooraclare)
