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*Kilmurry Ibrickane’s Joshua Moloney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
SUCCESSIVE wins have sealed Kilmurry Ibrickane’s place in the quarter-finals of the TUS Clare SFC.
Kilmurry Ibrickane 2-15
Kilmihil 0-13
Venue: Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg
In the end the result was as expected but for the opening thirty minutes of this round three senior football championship meeting of Kilmurry Ibrickane and Kilmihil at an excellently, there were hints that an upset might be on the cards.
With their bigger panel and greater experience, Kilmurry Ibrickane took control after the break and went on to emerge as deserving winners and seal second place in the group behind Éire Óg.
For this tie the winners welcomed Darren Hickey back to the starting line-up for his first full game since suffering a serious leg injury twelve months ago. He showed that he had lost none of his craft and skill when delivering a strong performance from centre back.
Kilmihil went into this tie almost certain of being in the relegation play off having suffered losses to Lissycasey and Éire Óg in the opening two rounds but that position wasn’t reflected in their play in the opening half.
Daryn Callinan opened the scoring for the winners but a brace from Martin O’Leary had Kilmihil in front after five minutes. Kilmurry Ibrickane attacked from the resumption of play and a lively ended with wing back Darragh Sexton finding the net and that goal separated the sides at the end of the opening quarter when the score was 1-4 to 0-4.
Each side had added two points before a Martin O’Leary piledriver following great work by the lively Gavin Downes rebounded off the crossbar.
A Daryn Callinan free saw the winners lead 1-7 to 0-6 at the break.
There was more urgency in Kilmurry Ibrickane’s play on the resumption and they landed the opening three points.
By the three quarter stage it was 1-13 to 0-8 and then a Keelan Sexton goal followed by a Dermot Coughlan point put the winners 2-14 to 0-8 ahead.
In typical Kilmihil fashion, they refused to accept defeat and they landed the next four points. The margin, however, was too great and Kilmurry Ibrickane emerged as deserving winners on an evening when Darren Hickey, Martin McMahon, Josh Moloney, Daryn Callinan and Keelan Sexton were prominent,
For Kilmihil, Gavin and Shane Downes, Marty O’Leary and Sean Crowley worked tirelessly throughout.
Scorers Kilmurry- brickane: Keelan Sexton (1-4, 0-1 f) Daryn Callinan (0-6, 4f); Darragh Sexton (1-0); Daniel Walsh, Dermot Coughlan (0-2) each; Darren Hickey (0-1)
Scorers Kilmihil: Marty O’Leary (3 frees), Ciaran Downes (2 frees), 0-5 each; Sean Crowley (0-2), Shane Downes (0-1)
Kilmurry-Ibrickane;
1: David Sexton
2: Conor Kearney
4: Mark Killeen,
8: Andrew Shannon;
5: Darragh Sexton
21: Darren Hickey
7: Martin McMahon
15: Dermot Coughlan
9: Diarmuid King
10: Shane Hickey
11: Daniel Walsh
12: Josh Moloney
13: Keelan Sexton
14: Daryn Callinan
19: Cathal Talty
Subs:
6: Evan Cahill for Callinan (44);
23: Diarmuid Comber for Darragh Sexton (54
29: Michael O’Dwyer for S. Hickey (54)
26: Joe Campbell for J. Moloney (54)
Kilmihil;
1: Damian Lineen
2: Fionnn Febbraro
3: John Finucane
4: Padraig O’Grady
5: Gavin Downes
6: Mikey Keating
7: David Coughlan;
18: Dan Keating
9: Jack Keating
10: Shane Downes
11: Stan Lineen
12: Cathal Murray
13: Sean Crowley
14: Marty O’Leary
15: Ciaran Downes
Subs:
17: Mark Normoyle for J Keating (50)
8: Conor Finucane for D. Keating (54)
25: Dylan Downes-Rigney for Febbraro (55)
19: Michael Cotter for C. Murray (55)
Referee: Martin Downes (Naomh Eoin)
