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*Aidan McCarthy gets a shot away with Paurig Taylor trying to block. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
A four goal second half blitz sealed Inagh/Kilnamona’s passage to the last eight on the Clare Senior Hurling Championship at the expense of a previously unbeaten Broadford in Cusack Park.
Inagh/Kilnamona 4-19
Broadford 0-16
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Only leading by the minimum by half-time despite having the conditions in their favour, Tomas Kelly’s side were a far more potent side on the turnover, with their superior strength-in-depth evidenced by the impact of Gearoid Barry (2-2) and Aidan McCarthy (1-3) to transform their fortunes.
Indeed, the second half was only 13 seconds old when Sean Rynne raced through for their opeing goal, a timely boost as they eventually outscored their East Clare opponents by 4-9 to 0-7.
All-Ireland winner McCarthy, in a welcome return for his club championship bow for 2024, expertly grabbed the second goal in the 38th minute when holding off his marker to collect a Seamus Foudy crossfield delivery before giving goalkeeper Cian O’Brien no chance at 2-12 to 0-11.
Broadford attempted to meet fire with fire, despite being without chief targetman Stiofan McMahon, but two goal sightings yielded nothing. Darren Chaplin flashed a shot across goal and wide while Niall O’Farrell had a subsequent effort saved by Eamonn Foudy at his near post.
Craig Chaplin did lessen the damage to five entering the final ten minutes but having weather that Broadford storm, Inagh-Kilnamona simply put on the afterbuners once more as a 1-3 unanswered rally including a rebound goal for replacement Gearoid Barry effectively put the result beyond doubt.
It wouldn’t be the end of the drama though as injury-time served up another Barry goal and a last gasp melee just in front of the dug-outs that referee Kieran Liddane ultimately resolved with the final whistle.
All that after Broadford appeared to have teed themselves up nicely by the break. Inagh/Kilnamona had raided for the first five points of the tie in as many minutes but an obstinate Broadford clawed their way back into contention as a late brace of Craig Chaplin frees left only a point between the sides (0-10 to 0-09) with the wind to come.
The greater gust came from a resurgent Inagh/Kilnamona though as inspired by McCarthy, they simply blew Broadford out of it to finish as runners-up to Scariff ahead of Monday’s quarter-final draw.
Scorers for Inagh/Kilnamona: Gearoid Barry 2-2, Aidan McCarthy 1-4 (1f), Sean Rynne 1-4, Seamus Foudy 0-3, Fred Hegarty 0-2, James Hegarty 0-1 (f), David Fitzgerald 0-1, Niall Mullins 0-1, Eamonn Foudy 0-1 (f)
Scorers for Broadford: Craig Chaplin 0-8 (8f), Donie Whelan 0-2, Niall O’Farrell 0-2, Cian Mulqueen 0-1, Darren Chaplin 0-1, Cathal Chaplin 0-1, Paurig Taylor 0-1, Diarmuid O’Brien 0-1
Inagh/Kilnamona
1: Éamonn Foudy
2: Keith White
3: Shane Woods
4: Conor Rynne
5: James Hegarty
6: Jason McCarthy
7: David Fitzgerald
8: Conner Hegarty
9: Seamus Foudy
11: Darren Cullinan
12: Sean Rynne
10: Fred Hegarty
17: Evan McNamara
14: Eoghan Foudy
15: Niall Mullins
Subs
13: Aidan McCarthy for McNamara (HT)
30: Gearoid Barry for Mullins (43)
22: Ronan Mescall for Eoghan Foudy (53)
19: Brian Foudy for C. Hegarty (55)
21: Cathal McConigley for S. Foudy (60)
Broadford
1: Cian O’Brien
2: Eoghan Gunning
3: Eoin Donnellan
4: Damien Kiniry
5: Paurig Taylor
6: Cathal Chaplin
7: Davy Boland
8: Paddy Donnellan
9: Cian Mulqueen
10: Craig Chaplin
17: Cian Cremins
13: Darren Chaplin
12: Diarmuid O’Brien
15: Niall O’Farrell
14: Donie Whelan
Subs
11: Sean Phelan for Whelan (49, inj)
18: Mark Moloney for Cremins (57)
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
