*Jamie Malone bursts through the Smith O’Briens defence. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
A heavy defeat for Whitegate, a narrow loss for Bodyke and an expected if hard earned, win for Corofin were the big talking points after the weekend’s intermediate hurling championship quarter finals, two of which were played in very difficult conditions on Sunday.
The inclement weather resulted in the clash of Parteen/Meelick and Ruan not going ahead at Cratloe due to a waterlogged pitch. They game had been moved from Shannon on Saturday due to that pitch being in difficulty because of poor weather earlier in the week.
Tulla, Sixmilebridge and Corofin are through to the semi-finals where they will be joined by the winners of the Parteen/Meelick v Ruan tie.
Strong second half showing from Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge 1-20
Bodyke 0-20
Venue: Glenomra Park, Broadford
A strong second half showing was key to Sixmilebridge’s one goal victory over Bodyke in the first of this season’s TUS Clare intermediate hurling championship quarter finals which was played at Glenomra Park in Broadford on Saturday,
Bodyke went into this game with maximum points having won their four group games and they looked to be heading for another victory when they opened a seven point lead in the opening half.
Shortly before half time the winner’s struck a major blow when the experienced Alan Mulready got the game’s only goal which left his team trailing by four points, 1-6 to 0-13, at the break.
Slowly but surely the winners closed the gap in the second half with substitute Jack Corry contributing 0-3 after being introduced at the break.
Sean Lynch top scored with 0-7, four from placed balls while Alan Mulready finished with 1-2 and Luke O’Halloran contributed 0-4, half coming from frees.
Paddy Fitzgerald top scored for Bodyke, finishing the tie with 0-10. While Seanie Doyle was introduced for the final five minutes, his loss, due to an knee injury was sorely felt by the East Clare men.
The referee’s report is awaited following a nasty melee in the final minute
Sixmilebridge; Colm Fitzgerald; Dylan Downes, Aidan Quilligan, Cillian Custy; Oisin Breen (0-1), Evan McInerney, Dara Fitzgerald; Colm Flynn (0-1), Christy Carey; Luke Keogh, Adam Breen (0-1) Luke O’Halloran (0-4); Kevin Lynch, Alan Mulready (1-2), Sean Lynch (0-7);
Subs; Jack Corry (0-3) for K. Lynch; Christy Griffin for Carey; Colin Kelly (0-1) for Flynn; Adam Murray for A. Breen; Ronan Tuohy for S. Lynch
Bodyke; Daryl O’Donnell; Kevin Drost, Eanna Doyle, Cormac Treacy; Ian Murray, Sean Wiley, Cian Minogue (0-2); Cathal Doyle (0-2), Jamie O’Donnell (0-3); Tomas Wiley (0-2). Tiernan Slattery, Paddy Fitzgerald (0-9); Michael O’Brien, Willie Fitzgerald (0-2), Cathal McKenna.
Subs: Jamie Howard for W Fitzgerald; Tomas Minogue for M. O’Brien; Seanie Doyle for Howard;
Referee: Andy McMahon (Cratloe)
Blistering start puts Tulla in the driving seat
Tulla 4-20
Whitegate 1-10
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
A blistering start by Tulla which yielded 2-5 without reply in the first ten minutes laid the foundation for their big win over Whitegate at Sixmilebridge on Sunday afternoon.
Tulla were well on their way to the last four by half time at which time they were sixteen points clear, 4-10 to 1-3.
Full forward Niall Bolton struck for a hat trick of goals in that first half with the team’s fourth goal coming from centre back Tony Leyden who soloed through the centre of the Whitegate defence before crashing an unstoppable shot to the net.
Paddy Burke struck for the Whitegate goal but, in truth, they were out hurled on the day with their defence in difficulty from the off.
Conor Whelan contributed 0-8 to the Whitegate tally but it was Tulla’s day as they dominated in most positions.
Tulla; Dan Vaughan; Kevan Conlon, Fearghal Kearney, Dara Ryan; Fionn Ryan, Tony Leyden, Padraic Mulconry; Dan Withycombe, Ronan Molloy; David McInerney, Sean Withycombe, Willie Halpin; Conor Murphy, Niall Bolton, David Meehan.
Subs; Colm McInerney for D. Meehan; Jimmy O’Gorman for Bolton; Michael Ryan for Halpin
Whitegate: Andrew Fahey; Dylan White, Eoin Quirke, Finn Madden; Brendan Bugler, Conor McDermott, Colm Madden; Thomas Holland, Conor Whelan; Danny Hynes, Eoin Patterson, Ronan Hayes; Luke Sugrue, Ian Fahy, Paddy Burke;
Subs; Ciaran Quinn for F. Madden; Liam Murray for Bugler; James Carey for Whelan (inj);
Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
Corofin justify favouritism
Corofin 1-14
Smith O’Briens 1-9
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla
Corofin carried the favourites tag into this quarter final tie at Dr. Daly Park in Tulla on Sunday evening and while they came through, they were made battle all the way by their Killaloe opponents.
Despite the loss of their captain Damian O’Loughlin due to injury, Corofin were the better balanced side on the evening.
Two points separated the sides at half time when the score was 1-6 to 0-7, the winner’s goal having come from Michael Kelly.
They extended their lead in the third quarter but Smith O’Briens kept in touch through the scores of David Gough from placed balls.
However, the goal they needed didn’t come until the final minute of normal time when Gough found the net from a free.
After an absence of almost three months due to injury, Diarmuid Cahill came into the Corofin side during the second half.
Four members of the Killaloe panel, Mark McInerney, Keith Stritch, Cian Moloney and Micheál Ryan, changed their flight arrangements and returned from the Rugby World cup on Sunday morning to play the game.
Corofin: Liam Corbett; Shay Malone, Fionn Clancy, Marc O’Loughlin; Damian Ryan, Killian O’Connor (0-1, f) Eoin Davoran; Cillian McGroary (0-1), Conor Leen; Gearoid Kelly (0-7, 5f), Gearoid Cahill (0-4), Kevin Keane; Michael Kelly (1-1), Shane O’Brien, Jamie Malone;
Subs; Fergus Killeen for G. Kelly; Micheal Duffy for K. Keane; Diarmuid Cahill for G. Cahill; Killian Neylon for J. Malone
Smith O’Briens: Mark McInerney; Cian Maloney, Cian Nolan, Ben Murnane; Dwayne Sheedy, Cathal Stritch, Evan Connolly; Mike Gough (0-1), Sean McMahon; Patrick Aherne David Gough (1-6), Eoin Heffron; Marc O’Halloran (0-1), Keith Stritch (0-1), Shane Geraghty
Subs: John Cusack for S. Gerghty; Micheál Ryan for Heffron; Cathal Howar for Aherne; Eoin Power for M. O’Halloran
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
