Scariff & Broadford finish all square in absorbing East Clare duel

*Michael Barrett and Paddy Donnellan in action. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

PATRICK Crotty fired the final score to secure a draw for Scariff against Broadford in an East Clare derby in the second round of the TUS Clare SHC.

Broadford 2-15
Scariff 1-18
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla

A point defInitely squandered for Broadford but Scariff gladly collected theirs with a large degree of relief as this absorbing East Clare duel ended in an unlikely stalemate in Dr. Daly Park in Tulla.

Unlikely because of Broadford’s blistering opening half performance accentuated by goals for Stiofan McMahon and Diarmuid O’Brien that threatened to finish this derby before it could even get motoring.

Eleven points clear by the 26th minute, wind-assisted Broadford didn’t want half-time to come whereas Scariff simply couldn’t wait for their first half nightmare to end. Crucially however, last year’s semi-finalists did rally with the last three points of the half through Keelan Hartigan, Éanna O’Brien and Mark Rodgers to lessen the half-time damage to eight at 2-10 to 0-08.

Mark McKenna’s side might have eaten further into the deficit only for Patrick Ryan to strike a goal chance wide while Patrick Crotty had another excellently repelled by goalkeeper Cian O’Brien.

In fact, both sides passed up glorious goal opportunities throughout a dramatic opening period with Stiofan McMahon hitting the post, Niall O’Farrell had a shot saved while at the other end Patrick Crotty and Mark Rodgers were left frustrated.

It was role reversal for the new half though as now backed by the conditions, the only way was up for a Scariff side that hit the first four points through Éanna O’Brien, Rodgers and a brace from Shane Kavanagh to lower the arrears to just four by the two-thirds mark.

Eoghan Gunning had cleared a Mark Rodgers shot off the line while Stiofan McMahon scored Broadford’s first point in 16 minutes to keep Scariff at arm’s length by the turn of the final quarter at 2-11 to 0-12.

The woodwork again came to Scariff’s rescue entering the final ten minutes when Niall O’Farrell looked to punish a defensive mix-up but hit the post with the goal at his mercy.

That would have slammed the door of opportunity for Scariff but instead they kept plugging away and their persistence would be rewarded in the 59th minute when a puck-out was helped on by Rodgers to substitute Ben Sweeney to pull to the net and slash the deficit to the minimum.

Mark Rodgers levelled matter in injury-time but there would still be time for more twists as a pressure free from the outstanding Craig Chaplin inched Broadford back in front before Patrick Crotty opened his account at the death to ensure that both sides share top spot in Group 3 facing into the final round.

Scorers for Broadford: Cathal Chaplin 0-9 (2f, 1’65); Diarmuid O’Brien 1-2; Stiofan McMahon 1-2; Davy Boland 0-1, Oisin Kavanagh 0-1

Scorers for Scariff: Mark Rodgers 0-6 (3f); Shane Kavanagh 0-4 (1f, 2’65); Ben Sweeney 1-0; Eanna O’Brien 0-2; Keelan Hartigan 0-2; Liam Crotty 0-1, Patrick Ryan 0-1, Michael Barrett 0-1, Patrick Crotty 0-1

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
21: Cian Mulqueen

10: Craig Chaplin
11: Sean Phelan
12: Diarmuid O’Brien

17: Darren Chaplin
14: Stiofan McMahon
15: Niall O’Farrell

Subs
20: Oisin Kavanagh for Phelan (HT)
19: Mark Moloney for Cathal Chaplin (35)
24: Cian Cremins for Kiniry (60, inj)

Scariff
1: William Kavanagh

4: Scott Cairns
3: Michael Scanlan
2: Seamus McCaul

17: Jack Ryan
6: Diarmaid Nash
7: Shane Kavanagh

8: Keelan Hartigan
9: Conor Downes

10: Liam Crotty
11: Patrick Crotty
12: Michael Barrett