*Jack Sheedy gets away from Joshua Vaughan. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
THE SECOND last round of games in the various football leagues took place at the weekend and a clearer picture is emerging as to what teams will reach the play-offs and who will be relegated.
Clondegad suffered their first defeat in the Cusack Cup when going down to Corofin on Sunday evening. Clondegad and holders St. Breckans share top spot and they meet in the final game with the winners assured of a place in the final.
Kildysart and Kilmurry Ibrickane are both on 7 points and in the final round Kildysart travel to play Doonbeg who still have a chance of avoiding relegation while Kilmurry Ibrickane travel to play Lissycasey who are not safe from relegation yet.
St Joseph’s Miltown are through to the final of the Garry Cup (Division 2) and are assured of promotion to the Cusack Cup while Cratloe have been relegated to Division 3.
Kilrush, Ennistymon, Ballyvaughan and the Banner are battling for the three play off places in division 3 with two St. Senan’s Kilkee and Shannon Gaels relegated.
Kilfenora sealed their place in the division for the coming season when defeating the Gaels on Sunday evening.
Michael Cusacks have qualified for the final of division 4 and won promotion after making it six wins from six outings when beating Coolmeen on Sunday. Liscannor, Kilmurry Ibrickane and Naomh Eoin are still in contention for play off places. At the bottom end of the table Éire Óg and Kilrush have been relegated, Lissycasey sealing their place in the division for 2024 with victory over Kilrush on Monday evening.
Clondegad have topped division 5 and have qualified for the final along with being assured of promotion to division 4. Doonbeg and Clooney/Quin look set to be relegated.
Cratloe lead division 6 and look set to be promoted with Corofin and Lissycasey heading for the drop to division 7 where Kildysart lead the way followed by Miltown. St. Breckans are relegated from this division.
Parteen/Meelick lead the way in division 8 with Kilmihil, Cooraclare and Clondegad contesting for the remaining two play off spots
Bricks remain in contention for Division 1 honours
Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-9
Kildysart 2-5
Venue: Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
Kilmurry Ibrickane maintained their challenge for a place in the play offs in this season’s Cusack Cup when they defeated Kildysart at Quilty on Saturday evening.
While Kildysart, who remain in contention to be in the play offs, will be disappointed with the result, there was good news for them as Diarmuid O’Donnell returned to action having missed the past year due to a cruciate knee injury. He got on the scoresheet, scoring their only second half point when converting a free near the end of the tie.
After an evenly fought first half the sides retired at the break on level terms, 0-7 for the home team to 1-4, Kildysart’s goal having come from Fergal Guinnane.
Kilmurry got the upperhand after the break and they had pushed five points clear with the final whistle approaching. Joe Campbell was their goalscorer in a tie in which they limited their opponents to just two scores in the second moiety.
A goal following a goalmouth melee in the last minute closed the gap to the minimum but when the final whistle sounded Kilmurry Ibrickane were deservingly ahead.
Kilmurry Ibrickane: David Sexton; Diarmuid Comber, Michael Comber, Andrew Shannon; Conor Kearney, Ciaran Morrissey, Josh Moloney (0-1); Mark Killeen, Darren Hickey; Oisin Sexton (0-2), Jason Cussen, Shane Hickey (0-3); Joe Campbell (1-0), Niall Hickey, Cathal Talty (0-3);
Subs: Paudie Murrihy for N. Hickey; Colin Considine for Campbell; Shay Gleeson for O. Sexton;
Kildysart: Damien Hill; Michael Eustace, Brian Eyers, Stevie Sheehan; Rory McMahon (0-1), Kieran Leahy, Conor Moloney; Kieran O’Brien, Luke McGrath (0-1); Mikey Donnellan, Seamus Casey (0-1), Fergal Guinnane (1-0); Oisin Coyle, Keith O’Connor, Conor Hassett(0-1).
Subs; Diarmuid O’Donnell (0-1) for Hassett; Ian Flanagan for Coyle;
Referee: Barry Keating (Lissycasey)
Goals vital for Lissycasey
Lissycasey 3-10
Doonbeg 0-11
Venue: Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg
Lissycasey picked up their second win in this season’s Cusack Cup campaign when accounting for Doonbeg at the latter’s venue on Sunday evening.
A strong start which saw them race 1-3 to 0-0 ahead laid the foundation for this victory. Darren Keane was the goalscorer and a second goal came near the end of the half when good work by Niall Kelly led to an own goal being conceded by the home side’s defence. At the break Lissycasey were nine point clear, 2-7 to 0-4.
The continued where they had left off when the new half got under way, hitting 1-3 without reply in the opening ten minutes. Darren Keane’s effort looked to be heading across the goal line but Francis Hayes, scorer of 0-3 in the opening half, was there to make sure.
While happy with the victory, Lissycasey will be concerned that they failed to record a score in the last twenty minutes.
David Tubridy was again the winner’s top scorer with 0-7 with Sean Conway contributing the remaining 0-4 of their total on an evening when their mentor Kieran O’Mahoney was shown a red card by referee Niall Quinn.
Lissycasey: Thomas Collins (0-1); Michael Meaney, Matt O’Shea, Cyril Sheehan; Daire Killeen, Niall McCarthy, Daire Hill; Enda Finnucane (0-1), Luke Griffin; Conor Meaney (0-2), Shane Griffin, Conor Finnucane (0-3); Darren Keane (2-0), Francis Hayes (0-3), Niall Kelly (1-0);
Subs; Shane Culligan for F. Hayes; Kevin Shivers for Sheehan; Tom Collins for Hill; Harry Keane for L. Griffin
Doonbeg; Eamonn Tubridy; Cillian Blake, Tadhg Lillis, Conor O’Mahoney; Jason Linnane, Cian O’Mahoney, Sean Conway (0-4); Kevin McInerney, Kevin Pender; Cathal Killeen, Eoin Conway, Rory Walsh; Gavin O’Shea, David Tubridy (0-7), Mikie Tubridy.
Subs: Eamonn O’Dea for Blake; Jason Killeen for Walsh (inj.)
Referee; Niall Quinn (St. Joseph’s Miltown)
Cahill brothers point the way
Corofin 0-17
Clondegad 1-10
Venue: Páirc Mhichil Ui Eithir, Ballynacally
The Cahill brothers, Diarmuid and Gearoid, landed 0-11 between them as Corofin recorded their first win in this season’s Cusack Cup when accounting for leaders and hitherto unbeaten Clondegad on Sunday evening.
The result lifts them off the bottom of the table but relegation worries remain as they head into their final game in the group when they will take on Ennistymon.
The winners led 0-11 to 1-6 at half time with the Clondegad goal coming from Gary Brennan.
Corofin failed to find the net from a penalty as Damian O’Loughlin’s effort following a foul on Gearoid Cahill was saved.
Try as they did Clondegad were unable to get ahead of a very lively Corofin outfit on an evening when six players shared in the winner’s impressive tally.
Corofin: Luke Neylon; Michael Cahill, Cillein Mullins, Damian O’Loughlin; Shay Malone, Ross Hayes, Cillian McGroary; Sean O’Brien, Fergus Killeen; Gearoid Kelly, Gearoid Cahill, Fionn Clancy; Diarmuid Cahill, Killian O’Connor, Damian Ryan;
Subs: Cillian Clancy for F. Clancy; Cian Doolin for Kelly; Eoin Davoran for D. Ryan.
Clondegad: Pat Coffey; Brian Casey, Peter Casey, Niall Lynch; Ryan Jennings, Conor Gavin, Tadhg O hUallachain; Sean McAllister, Evan Flynn; Eoghan Gavin, Podge McMahon, Barry Toner; Mossy Gavin, Gary Brennan, Colm Meaney;
Subs: Diarmuid O’Neill for Flynn; Patrick Sweeney for Jennings; Brian Murphy for Lynch; Cillian Gavin for E. Gavin; Joe Neylon for McAllister;
Referee; Barry Kelly (St. Joseph’s Miltown)
McGann’s penalty strike vital for title holders
St. Breckans 1-8
Ennistymon 0-10
Venue: Lisdoonvarna
In an evenly contested game at Lisdoonvarna on Sunday evening, Joe McGann’s goal from the penalty spot played a key role in the title holders’ one point win over North Clare neighbours Ennistymon.
A foul on McGann resulted in the awarding of the penalty which the skillful forward dispatched to the net.
The victory means that a win over Clondegad in their final group game will see the Lisdoonvarna based side in the final for a second successive year and one step away from retaining the crown.
Ennistymon took an early 0-6 to 0-3 lead but when the half time whistle sounded the home outfit were in front by the minimum margin.
The teams continued to be evenly matched in the second half but McGann’s goal was the vital score.
St. Breckan’s: Oisin O’Loughlin; Paddy Doherty, Conor Burke, Padraig O’Dwyer; Rowan Danaher, Cian Burke, Jack Sheedy; Denis O’Callaghan, Padraig Kelly; Colm O’Brien, Eoin Guerin, Shane Fitzpatrick; Maccon Byrne, Mark O’Donnell, Joe McGann;
Subs: Jamie Stack for O’Donnell; Cian Jimmy Burke for Fitzpatrick; Conor Shannon for Danaher; Cathal Guerin for O’Callaghan
Ennistymon: Noel Sexton; Joey Rouine, Lawrence Healy, Ciaran McMahon; Liam Cotter, James Cullinan, Josh Guyler; Joshua Vaughan, Ciaran Devitt; John Murphy, Sean Rouine, Eanna Rouine; Paudie Considine, Ryan Barry, Liam Devitt;
Subs; Diarmuid Fahy for Barry; Joe Dowling for Fahy (inj.); Keelan Guyler for J. Murphy; Niall Canavan for Devitt (inj).
Referee: John O’Connell (Cooraclare)
St. Josephs move closer to play offs
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 0-11
Éire Óg 0-9
Venue: Gurteen
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield maintained their strong challenge for promotion to division 1 and for a place in the knock out stage of the Garry Cup when they defeated neighbours Éire Óg in round 6 at Gurteen on Friday evening.
They raced two points clear inside the opening five minutes and while Éire Óg hit back quickly to level, three in a row from the home side gave them a lead they held to the finish.
It was 0-6 to 0-4 at half time but Éire Óg can feel a little disappointed as they had created a couple of goal chances which they failed to convert. Some credit for this must go to the winner’s defence which was sharp throughout.
Early in the second half St. Josephs stretched their advantage to four points after they landed the first two scores of the new half.
Entering the final ten minutes the visitors had rallied to within a point (0-8 to 0-9) thanks mainly to the sharpness of full forward Philip Talty who landed 0-7 of their tally on the evening.
The Doora/Barefield men responded strongly to the visitors with points from Nicki Hardiman and Dara Nagle to seal victory on an evening when Conor O’Brien, Dara O’Shea, Jack Hannan, Dara Nagle, Tom McDonald and Eoghan Thynne were prominent while Shane Daniels, Eoin Guilfoyle, Einne O’Connor until injured, Luke Pyne and Philip Talty impressed for Éire Óg.
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield; Tom O’Brien (0-1, f); Peter Collins, Conor O’Brien, Conal Dorgan; Jack Hannan, Dara O’Shea, Dara Whelan; James Curran, Dara Nagle (0-2); Kieran Thynne, Eoghan Thynne (0-1), Conal Kelleher (0-1); Tom Curran (0-2, frees), Tom McDonald (0-1, f), Nicki Hardiman;
Subs; Paddy Bugler for T. Curran; Sam Costello for K. Thynne; Cian Moloney for Kelleher;
Éire Óg; Shane Daniels; Gearoid Collins, Eoin Guilfoyle, Gavin D’Auria; Dean D’Auria, Dean Ryan, Einne O’Connor; Ultan Shiels, Colin Smyth; Luke Pyne (0-1), Gavin Murray, Sean Perrill; Andrew McElwee, Philip Talty (0-7, 3f), Jack Joyce (0-1);
Subs; Mark Collins for O’Connor (inj.); Alan O’Neill for McElwee
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
Wolfe Tones send Cratloe back to division 3
Wolfe Tones 0-16
Cratloe 2-8
Venue: Shannon
Wolfe Tones recorded their first victory in this season’s Garry Cup and, in doing so, consigned Cratloe to division 3 league football for next season when the teams met n round six at Shannon on Friday evening.
A haul of 0-8, four from frees, from Craig Riordan played a key role in this victory on a day when former Cratloe player Billy Connors chipped in with 0-4 for the Shannon outfit.
Tommy Rooney top scored for the visitors with 1-6 to his credit while Jack McInerney contributed 1-1 but it wasn’t enough to prevent their side from returning to division 3 where they had been promoted from last year.
Despite the win, Wolfe Tones remain in the relegation zone and they will have to get a result from their final game which is against Cooraclare on the June Bank holiday Monday, if they are to have a chance of retaining division 2 status for 2024.
Wolfe Tones: Fionn McInerney; Shane Nihill, Jayme O’Sullivan, Aaron Brennan; Jason McAuley, Eoghan Casey, Brian Murphy; Liam Murphy (0-1), Dean Devanney (0-1); Chris Dunning (0-1), Craig Riordan (0-8), Aaron Kelly; Cody Waller, Billy Connors (0-4), Jack Ryan (0-1);
Subs; Peter McEvoy for Waller; Sean Brennan for Casey; Colin Riordan for A. Kelly; Luke Cahill for Dunning; Stephen Donnellan for B. Murphy;
Cratloe; Padraig Chaplin; Denis Mundy, David Collins, Caimin Deegan; Cathal Lohan, Sean Collins, Rian McNamara; Mike Brennan (0-1), Tommy Rooney (1-3);
Emmett Costigan, Cathal McInerney (0-2), Sean Ryan; Luke Healy (0-1), Sean Gallagher, Jack McInerney (1-1);
Subs: Mike Flanagan for R. McNamara; Jack Danagher for E. Costigan; Mike Mundy for L. Healy;
Referee; Robert Harte, St. Senans, Kilkee
Miltown seal return to Division 1
St. Joseph’s Miltown 2-12
O’Currys 3-6
Venue: Doonaha
St. Joseph’s Miltown sealed a return to the Cusack cup and a place in the division 2 (Garry cup) league final when they made it six wins in a row when defeating O’Currys at Doonaha on Friday evening.
In their final game in the league series they will take on St. Joseph’s, Doora/Barefield on Whit Monday.
The foundation for this win was laid in the opening half at the end of which the visitors were 2-8 to 1-2 in front, the goals having come from Micheál Murray and Cormac Murray, the latter finishing with 1-9 on the day.
The home side rallied in the second half helped by goals from Jim Marrinan who got one in the each half and Danny Downes.
O’Currys travel to play Éire Óg in their final game and a loss here allied to a win for Wolfe Tones over Cooraclare would see the West Clare side relegated.
St. Joseph’s Miltown; Sean O’Brien; Seanie Malone, Eoin O’Brien Gordon Kelly; Cian Flanagan, Enda O’Gorman, Gearoid Burke; Oisin Looney, Darragh McDonagh; Paul Keane, Micheál Murray, Cian Mahoney; Oisin Meade, Cormac Murray, Conal Meade;
Subs: Cormac Byrne for G. Burke; Gearoid Curtin for O. Meade;
O’Currys; Derek Troy; Jonathan Clancy, Darragh Keane, Stephen Kelly; Eoin Brew, Sean Haugh, Seamus Keane; Michael Foran, Cathal Downes; Ian Roche, Jim Marrinan, Eoin Kelly; Danny Downes, Eoin Troy, Sean Browne;
Subs: Thomas Clancy for Foran; Paddy Clancy for Roche.
Referee: Joe Kelly (Cooraclare)
