This article is from page 82 of the 2009-09-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 82 JPG
IN keeping with the character of a ferociously tight group, Cratloe squeaked past Tubber to claim the runners up spot and thus a place in the quarter finals.
Injury time points from Martin ‘Ogie’ Murphy and Sean Chaplin sealed the win after Tubber had ral- lied to recover a three-point half time deficit and draw level through Barry O’Connor’s 55th minute point.
Sandwiched between Murphy and Chaplin’s strikes was a fierce goal bound drive from O’Connor that Cratloe goalkeeper Sean Hawes did well to force behind.
Cratloe survived, a feat of some significance in a group dubbed ‘the group of death’.
They join Newmarket in the knock- out stages while Tubber, who’s hopes of qualification rested on winning on Saturday to force a play-off, join heavyweights Clarecastle and Wolfe Tones on the list of early champion- ship casualties.
It wasn’t a classic by any stretch, but there was enough guile in the play of Cratloe pair Cathal McInerney and Conor McGrath and plenty of desire and overall quality about Tubber to make things interesting.
Three points in the opening seven minutes from Eamon Taaffe, Jack Neylon and Blaine Earley saw Tub- ber seize an early advantage.
Their confident start was capped in the 15th minute when Barry O’Connor tipped Patrick O’Connor’s lighted delivery to the net.
McInerney picked off Cratloe’s first point before two frees from Damien Browne, who was excellent from placed balls throughout, left Tubber leading 1-3 O-3.
A controversial decision then re- sulted in the moment that saw mo-
mentum tilt back in Cratloe’s favour.
Damien Browne appeared to bat the sliotar over the touchline only for Cratloe, to widespread disbelief on the Tubber bench, to be awarded a sideline cut.
Browne duly poured salt on the wounds by walloping the sliotar deep into ‘Tubber territory. McInerney picked up a loose break and nailed
a close range finish to the net in the 26th minute.
The goal inspired Cratloe to open up what would ultimately prove a de- cisive lead. Two frees from Browne, a point from Sean Chaplin and crack- ing strike from Liam Markham, ensured Cratloe led 1-8 1-5 at half mbealee
Barry O’Connor’s 36th minute
point drew Tubber to within a point. Eamon Taaffe scored his third point from play but a free from Browne and McInerney’s skillfully executed effort, kept Cratloe 1-11 1-9 ahead.
That lead should have been greater but Cratloe’s errant shooting saw them rack up six wides in the second halt.
As a consequence they were even-
tually caught.
Three Tubber points on the trot, in- cluding a superb sideline from Blaine Earley, levelled the game at 1-12 apiece in the 55th minute.
But Cratloe eventually found their range and in doing so secured quali- fication.