Feakle finish top of Group 2 to progress to last eight

*Photograph: Ruth Griffin

FEAKLE had eight points to spare over Corofin to ensure they are back in the Clare SHC quarter-finals for the second year running.

Feakle 2-16
Corofin 0-14
Venue: Clarecastle

Corofin may have given their best display in the group stage of this season’s championship at Clarecastle on Sunday afternoon but, at the end of the day, they must now face into a relegation play off.

They raced into a four point lead after five minutes against a Feakle side who carried the favourites tag into the tie.

The switch of Shane McGrath to the full forward line early in the first half helped get the East Clare side get moving and his goal at the midpoint of the half following good work by team captain Oisin Donnellan, levelled the tie at 1-2 to 0-5.

Gearoid Cahill put Corofin back in front but five unanswered points from Feakle helped them to a one goal interval lead with the score at 1-8 to 0-8.

Points were exchanged three times in the third quarter and Feakle were finding it difficult to pull away from their opponents who were a little unlucky not to have a few more scores on the board at this stage.

Corofin weren’t helped by the fact that they had to make four chances to the team named on the programme for this tie. Marc O’Loughlin, Gearoid Kelly, Killian O’Connor and Diarmuid Cahill were all ruled out due to injury, making their task harder. Cahill who has struggled with injury all season did come in for the final ten minutes.

Four unanswered points for Feakle in the mid period of the second half helped them to open a six point lead shortly before they got in for a fortuitous goal when Fiachra Donnellan’s long range delivery bounced into a crowded goalmouth on the way to the net. It killed the game as a contest.

Conn Smyth, Adam Hogan, Evan McMahon, Eoin Tuohy, Oisin Donnellan, Shane McGrath and Owen McGann were prominent for the winners while Conor Leen excelled for Corofin with Sean O’Brien, Georoid Cahill, Kevin Keane and Damian O’Loughlin also doing well.

Scorers Feakle: Shane McGrath (1-6, 0-3 frees) Fiachra Donnellan (1-0) Oisin Donnellan, Owen McGann (0-3) each; Oisin O’Connor (0-2) Ronan O’Connor, Raymond Bane (0-1) each

Scorers Corofin: Gearoid Cahill (0-5, 2 f), Conor Leen (0-3, 2 f);James Organ (1 free), Kevin Keane (0-2 each, Sean O’Brien, Cillian McGroary (0-1) each.

Feakle;
1: Eibhear Quilligan;

2: Killian Bane
3: Evan McMahon
4: Oisin Clune