This article is from page 70 of the 2011-05-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 70 JPG
Tulla 1-13 – Clarecastle 0-10 at Shannon
WHEN the Magpies were in their pomp in the mid-‘90s Tulla never stood back from the challenge, famously nearly bringing them to ground in their greatest ever year of 1997.
They didn’t stand back here either – but did the business this time as their mix of youth and experience eased them to a thoroughly deserved six-point win over a Clarecastle team that’s going through tough times.
Daragh Corry was the star turn from the new generation; David McInerney had his moments before being injured, while old boys Andrew Quinn, Aidan Lynch and Mark Quinn provided inspiration at key intervals as Tulla took another giant step towards a return to the quarterfinal for the first time since their sto- ried 2007 season.
The final leap was provided by last year’s county minor Corry – another soaring catch that was crowned when he turned and drove to the net from eight yards in the 59th minutes to ease any Tulla nerves and put them six clear.
Truth is, Tulla were nerveless at key moments of this tempestous encounter that saw referee Seanie McMahon flash five yellow cards and reds to Danny O’Halloran and Derek Quinn.
Before half-time when when Andrew Quinn hit four points in a row to ease Tulla 0-9 to 0-5 clear at the break; at the death after Clarecastle had pegged it back to point, only for the claret and gold to hit back with points by Cathal Dinan and Daragh Corry; finally Corry’s goal.
Clarecastle did have their chances, but a spate of bad wides in the closing stages – they hit ten in all – cost them very dear, as did their failure to match Tulla in the physical stakes.
Tulla’s Danny O’Halloran paid the price of a straight red card for a wild pull on Ollie Plunkett after only seven minutes; Eanna Torpey was very lucky not to walk for a pull on Eric Flynn three minutes later, while Clarecastle’s Derek Quinn went that way after some argy bargy in first half injury time.
In between there was actually some hurling – Tulla held the initiative early on and led 0-4 to 0-1 after 15 minutes with Aidan Lynch to the fore with two good points, but a flurry of four-in-a-row from the Magpies when Tyrone Kearse (2), Derek Quinn and Darragh Moloney put them 0-5 to 0-4 clear.
Ultimately, however, it was Clare- castle’s failure to raise a flag in the final ten minutes and Andrew Quinn’s haul of 0-5 in the same period that set them up for victory. Their fourpoint lead was still intact by the 40th minute after they traded a brace of points each.
Another surge by the Magpies saw them peg it back to the minimum as two Tyrone Kearse frees and a Conor O’Gorman effort had the matters delicatley poised at 0-11 to 0-10 in Tulla’s favour.
Clarecastle looked capable of kicking on, but didn’t as their wide tally mounted and they failed to score in the final 13 minutes of the game.
Tulla had no such problems and Clarecastle could have no complaints as the 2007 champions also missed two penalties during the game, as Aidan Lynch and Andrew Quinn had their shots stopped.
Tulla
Philip Brennan (7), Eugene Cooney (7), SeanTorpey (7), John Brennan (7), Paul Lynch (7), Mark Quinn (8), Cian McInerney (7), Cathal Dinan (7) (0-1), Conor O’Halloran (7), EannaTorpey (6), Daragh Corry (9) (1-1), David McInerney (7), Danny O’Halloran (6) (0-1) (6),AndrewQuinn (8) (0-7, 3f, two 65s),Aidan Lynch (8) (0-3).
Subs
Michael Murphy (6) for McInerney [40 mins], Raymond Stewart (6) for Murphy [57 mins].
Clarecastle
Donagh Murphy (7), Seanie Moloney (7), Stephen O’Halloran (6), Ollie Plunkett (7), Fergus Ryan (6), Patrick Kelly (7), Eric Flynn (7), Eamonn Callinan (6) (0-1), Danny Scanlan (6), Darragh Moloney (7) (0-2), Ciaran O’Dwyer (6), Jonathon Clancy (7),Aaron Considine (6), Derek Quinn (6) (0-1),Tyrone Kearse (7) (0-5, 4f).
Subs
Conor O’Gorman (6) (0-1) for O’Dwyer [41 mins], Gary Farmer (6) for Callinan [57 mins].
Man of the Match
Daragh Corry (Tulla) Referee Seanie McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus)