Two Clare schools will contest Munster colleges hurling finals next week.
St.Flannans College Ennis and Scariff Community college both recorded comfortable victories in their semi-final games against Cork opposition this Wednesday afternoon, highlighting the current strong state of hurling in the Banner county
St. Flannans 3-20 Gaelcholaiste Mhuire AG 2-7
A powerful opening which saw them sixteen points in front after twenty one minutes laid the foundation for this comfortable victory for St.Flannans College in the TUS Dr Harty cup, (Munster colleges senior A hurling championship) semi-final at Kilmallock this Wednesday afternoon.
From the moment Darragh Ball struck for the game’s first goal in the second minute the Clare side was in control against a Galcholaiste Mhuire (North Monastry) outfit that struggled in most positions
It was 3-11 to 1-3 when the half time whistle sounded, the Cork side’s goal having come with the last play of the half.
Indeed St Flannans would not have been flattered had their lead been a little greater at this stage as they were guilty of six first half wides
Points from Graham Ball, Harry Doherty (2) and Marco Cleary followed Ball’s opening goal before Conor Ralph struck for his side’s second goal which came in he twelfth minute.
Doherty, Ronan Kilroy and Marco Cleary added points before Doherty struck for the team’s third goal.
After the break St. Flannans took up where they had left off and added points from Robert Loftus and Doherty
The Cork side hit 1-2 through Craig O’Suileachain in the next fur minutes, giving their followers some hope but after points were exchanged twice St.Flannans hit three in a row killing off any hopes Gaelcholaiste Mhuire might have had of staging a rally.
Team captain James Hegarty, back to lead the side having missed out on their quarter final win over Midleton CBS, Joe Caey, Robert Loftus, Ronan KilroyConor Daly and Harry Doherty were prominent for the winners.
In the final, which is scheduled for Saturday week, February 1, St.Flannans will take on Thurles CBS who were 0-28 to 3-12 winners over De La Salle from Waterford in the other semi-final. also played on this Wednesday afternoon
St.Flannans; Micheal O’Coilean (St. Josephs); Christian Cumminns (Ruan), Joseph Casey (Kilmaley), Conor Daly (St Josephs); Robert Loftus (Eire Og) 0-1, James Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), Captain, James Cullinan (Ruan); Daniel Costelloe (Ballyea) 0-1 , Dara Kennedy (Ballyea) 0-1; Ronan Kilroy (Banner) 0-3, Darragh Ball (St Josephs) 1-0, Marco Cleary (Eire Og) 0-2; Graham Ball (St. Josephs) 0-1, Conor Ralph (Clarecastle),1-1, Harry Doherty (Clarecastle) 1-8, 0-6f
Subs; Darragh McNamara (Clooney-Quin) 0-1 for D. Ball (46); Patrick Finneran (Clooney-Quin) 0-1 for G. Ball (48); Neil Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona) for D. Kennedy (49); John Barry (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Costelloe (54); Paul O’Connell (Clarecastle) for Cleary (55)
Scariff CC 6-18 Bishopstown 2-11
Scariff Community College will play High School Clonmel in the final of the Munster colleges senior B (Corn Tomas Mhic Choilm) hurling championship after they recorded a comfortable nineteen point win over Bishopstown at Bansha on this Wednesday afternoon.
The Cork side made the better start, striking for an early goal but this was quickly cancelled out by a like score from Paul Rodgers. The Clare outfit followed with a number of points, including two from sideline efforts from Ben Sweeney.
Team captain Ben Sweeney then struck for a hat trick of goals and Scariff went to the break leading on a scoreline of 4-10 t 1-3.
Early second half goals from Gunning and Rodgers put the East Clare college into a commanding position
Scariff CC; Cormac Doyle (Bodyke); Cathal McCaul (Scariff) Sean Og Kilkenny (Bodyke) Cormac Gunning(Broadford); Michael Heffernan (Whitegate), Kalum Fahy (Whitegate), Mikey Bogenberger (Whitegate); Matthew Crotty (Scariff) Harry Bogenberger (Whitegate); Colin O’Grady (Scariff) Ben Sweeney (Scariff), Jake Gibbons(Whitegate); Michael Vaughan (Scariff) Eoin Gunning(Broadford) Paul Rodgers (Scariff);
Subs; Edan Buckley (Bodyke) for Gunning; Patrick O’Donnell (Killanena) for Rodgers; Sean Reilly (Ogonnelloe) for Gibbons; Dylan Joyce (Bodyke) for Crotty; Dan Tuohy (Whitegate) for H. Bogenberger.