This article is from page 114 of the 2009-03-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 114 JPG
BOTH went into battle searching for their opening points of the campaign — in that regard both went home rela- tively happy as honours were shared in this Sunday afternoon encounter that saw the initiative ebb and flow both ways.
It was Kilrush who held all the aces in the first half when playing with the wind and at one stage they built up a commanding five-point lead, but a goal before half time and then an 1m- pressive second half display moved the Ennis side to win touching dis- tance of the two points.
They led by two points entering the final five minutes, but Kilrush de- served something from the game and hit back with late frees from man- of-the-match Alan Daly to secure a share of the spouls.
A point after three minutes of play from midfielder Donal O’Sullivan got the Shams off the mark — thereaf- ter they dominated and pinned Eire Og back into their own half for most of the 30 minutes.
The Townies did manage two breakaway points from __left-half- back Marty Whelan and corner for-
ward Darren O’Meara, but further Kilrush points from Alan Daly (2), Jim Young, Eoghan O’Kelly, Patrick Clancy and David Moran moved them 0-7 to 0-2 clear on the stroke of half-time.
There matters should have rested, but before half-time Tony Burke’s decision to play a ball that seemed to be going wide ended up with the concession of a penalty that Stephen Hickey, in his seasonal debut, ham-
mered to the net.
It gave the Townies a huge boost, something they built on in the second half as Darren O’Meara goal 13 min- utes into the second half to give them the lead. Alan Daly did knock over a
free for the Shams but two pointed frees from Stephen Hickey seemed to seal the points for the Townies en- tering the last five minutes.
That was until Alan Daly stepped up to get something for the Shams with two late frees, the second of which was the last kick of the game.