*Mark Rodgers excelled for Scariff. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

Not all superheroes wear capes but Mark Rodgers was certainly flying in Cusack Park as his unprecedented 1-18 tally, 1-10 of which stemmed from play, spearheaded Scariff’s gritty victory over Clarecastle.

Scariff 2-23
Clarecastle 2-21
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

An amazing personal tally that was all required to hold off the battling Magpies in what was a superb yet exceedingly tense seesaw wrestle for supremacy that was level on nine occasions before Scariff finally began to turn the screw in the final 20 minutes.

Clarecastle had held the whip hand up to the tow-thirds mark but in a ten minute turnaround either side of the final water break outscored the Magpies by 1-6 to 0-2, 1-5 of which was scored by the unstoppable Rodgers to soar 2-20 to 1-18 clear.

Trailing by five points with as many minutes remaining, Clarecastle captain Bobby Duggan led one final rally that slashed the arrears to the minimum but crucially never regained full parity.

A pivotal first victory back at senior level, Rodgers was simply outstanding throughout but was assisted most by teenager Patrick Crotty, puck-out magnet Diarmaid Nash and Martin Cunningham while along with Bobby Duggan, Stephen Ward, David Tuohy, Darragh Healy and Killian McDermott were the main protagonists in the Magpies’ challenge.

Grabbing six of the last seven points of the first quarter, four from Duggan, Clarecastle edged 0-8 to 0-5 in front and would never trail again for another 30 minutes as they admirably kept Scariff at bay!

Four goal chances were carved out in the second quarter, with Clarecastle goalkeeper Cian Broderick saving with his helmet from a Rodgers flick while up the other end, Jack Murphy appeared to get the final touch to a goalmouth scramble after good work from Stephen O’Halloran and Ward to boost the Magpies 1-11 to 0-10 ahead in the 25th minute.

However, within a minute, Scariff had cancelled it out as Martin Cunningham’s delivery was expertly fielded and batted to the net by Sean Minogue before Patrick Ryan hit the sidenetting immediately afterwards.

Niall Galvin’s second point did shade matters for Clarecastle by the break at 1-12 to 1-11, a slender advantage that they would still hold nearing the final water break despite Broderick saving from Ryan.

Four unanswered Rodgers points inspired intermediate champions Scariff to a 1-18 to 1-16 lead by the turn of the final quarter so while Ward and Duggan did level up the tie for the ninth time entering the final ten minutes, a relentless Rodgers would secure what seemed to be the clinching score when latching onto a break from a Liam Doyle free to flick to the net and power his side five in front.

Typifying what was a defensive coach’s nightmare encounter, back came Clarecastle with Bobby Duggan’s 56th minute goal from close range giving his never-say-die side a lifeline at 2-21 to 2-20.

Scariff held their nerve though with fittingly an injury-time Rodgers free from his own ’65 proving the relieving insurance point in what could well be a senior consolidating result.

Scorers for Scariff: Mark Rodgers (1-18, 8f); Sean Minogue (1-0); Patrick Crotty (0-3); Martin Cunningham (0-2)

Scorers for Clarecastle: Bobby Duggan (1-12, 9f); Jack Murphy (1-1); Stephen Ward (0-4); Niall Galvin (0-2); Killian McDermott, David Tuohy (0-1 each)

Scariff
1: Liam Doyle

2: Eoin O’Grady
3: Michael Scanlan
4: Cathal Madden

11: Diarmaid Nash
6: Daniel Treacy
5: Conor Moloney

7: Martin Cunningham
9: Keelan Hartigan

18: Patrick Crotty
19: Sean Minogue
12: Patrick Ryan

13: John Scanlan
14: Mark Rodgers
15: Shane Kavanagh

Substitutes:
22: Fergus Madden for Kavanagh (44)
17: Ross Horan for J. Scanlan (47)
8: Michael Barrett for Minogue (54)

Clarecastle
1: Cian Broderick

2: Marc McAuliffe
18: Stephen O’Halloran
3: Ronan Donnelly

5: David Tuohy
6: Darragh Healy
7: Patrick Kelly

8: Killian McDermott
9: Rory O’Connell

12: Stephen Ward
11: Bobby Duggan
13: Colin Brigdale

26: Dylan Browne
10: Niall Galvin
14: Jack Murphy

Substitutes:
15: Kevin Hartigan for O’Connell (41)
24: Conor Halpin for Brigdale (41)
23: Josh Brack for Galvin (44, Blood Sub)
10: Galvin for Browne (48)
22: Oisin Casey for Murphy (61, inj)

Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)

Related News

pepper 1
Sentencing of Pepper Group laptop thief postponed until Leaving Cert concludes
claire joe collins 1
'Check upstairs & outside' - inquest hears details on death of Kilnaboy couple
nile óg cusacks 1
Barefield family fun run & walk to raise funds for Clare group volunteering in Uganda
mick guinee 2
End of an era in Ei as Mick Guinee steps down as CEO

Advertisement

Latest News
nile óg cusacks 1
Barefield family fun run & walk to raise funds for Clare group volunteering in Uganda
john carmody 2
Antrim were deserving league winners says Carmody as Clare fall short
mick guinee 2
End of an era in Ei as Mick Guinee steps down as CEO
clare v cork u20 26-03-25 diarmuid stritch 1
Clare target better shooting efficiency & first championship win for Déise date
cork v clare u20 01-05-25 evan cahill 1
Clare's U20 footballers lose by nine points to Cork in Quilty
Premium
cork v clare u20 01-05-25 evan cahill 1
Clare's U20 footballers lose by nine points to Cork in Quilty
clare v limerick u20 22-03-25 luke pyne 1
Clare U20 footballers 'relishing chance' to play three more games in Munster
scariff sign 1
Judge triples prison time for Scariff bottom biter
clare v laois 15-03-25 cillian brennan 1
'We take real pride in performing in Cusack Park' - Clare captain Brennan
harry dinan 1
Dinan who was convicted of killing Clare school teacher pleads guilty to drug dealing

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Advertisement