This article is from page 80 of the 2011-08-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 80 JPG
LESS SCORES than the All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park earlier in the day but no comparison in terms of entertainment as these heavyweights went toe to toe in this penultimate stage clash. As the score suggests there was nothing between the sides and in truth, Lissycasey only have themselves to blame for not taking advantage of their second half momentum but they failed to take their numerous chances, with Cratloe goalkeeper Jamie Joyce probably icing his hands after the game, such was the amount of shots that fell short.
Cratloe were certainly below the standard they showed in winning a first ever title at this grade two years ago but at the same time, were dogged enough to soak up the pressure, never panic and eventually pull through. Captain Joyce, full-back Sean Hynan and centre-back Liam Markham were the stars of the show in their miserly defending while the forward division which boasted such names as Conor McGrath, Podge Collins and Cathal McInerney did enough to get by without ever carving open Lissycasey.
Indeed, there were shades of Croke Park as the interval score stood at 04 to 0-2 to Cratloe but the east Clare side couldn’t be accused of the negativity of Donegal. No, this was endto-end football without the flurry of scores as two evenly matched sides cancelled each other out for the most part.
It took 12 minutes for the first score of the game through Lissycasey’s Niall Kelly, a lead that was short lived as Cratloe equalised in the next pas sage of play when Conor Ryan fed Wesley Deloughery to accurately dissect the posts. It was to be the first of four successive points for Cratloe over the next fifteen minutes, two from Conor McGrath, with the first stemming from the move of the match from their own kick-out that went through Sean Hynan, Wesley Deloughery and Cathal McInerney before McGrath finished the move. Lissycasey did pull one back before the interval when Enda Finnucane converted a free in injury-time but for much of the half, their tactic of a two man full-forward line only played into Cratloe, and in particular, Sean Hynan’s hands.
A Cathal McInerney free inside 30 seconds of the restart suggested that Cratloe would drive on from there but the opposite proved to be the case as they would not score for another 17 minutes. Instead, Lissycasey finally found their range with three unanswered points through Sean Hayes, Finnucane and Niall Kelly to gain parity for the first time in 36 minutes.
Momentum appeared to be on their side but an experienced Cratloe side dug deep and two Cathal McInerney points put some breathing space between the sides once more at 0-7 to 0-5 with only five minutes remaining.
Lissycasey had the chances but repeatedly chose to shoot from distance into the welcoming arms of Joyce rather than work the ball inside while a Matthew O’Shea shot at goal also went straight at the stopper.
Dermot Nagle did ensure a nervous finish with a superb point on the right from 40 metres in the 58th minute but that was to be as close as they would get as Cratloe expertly held possession to run down the clock and go one step further to reclaiming their Under 21 crown.