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Clondegad 3-14 – Ballyvaughan 0-07 at Pairc Finne, Corofin

A GAME that mattered little in terms of the overall championship and in truth, it showed. Clondegad were safely into the semi-finals as group winners before a ball had been kicked while Ballyvaughan were at the opposite end of the spectrum and facing a relegation battle regardless of the result. And that previous form didn’t lie as last year’s finalists strolled to a handsome win in second gear and could afford to experiment with positions, tactics and even empty the bench to encouraging effect ahead of their semi-final showdown against O’Callaghan’s Mills.

In fact, budding spectators could have saved themselves a few bob and double-backed to the gate before the throw-in as the respective warm-ups succinctly displayed the contrasting difference in confidence and inten- sity. Clondegad’s near 30 minute session was high tempo stuff befitting a side determined to finally get over the line in the championship while Ballyvaughan’s leisurely gathering typified their moral crushing struggle this year with a threadbare squad.

Unquestionably Ballyvaughan did their upmost to impose themselves on their opponents and were honest to a fault but in terms of scoring prowess, pace and purpose, were never going to trouble a Clondegad side desperate not to become another Michael Cusack’s in terms of near misses at intermediate level.

And yet had Ballyvaughan’s most influential player, James Hynes grabbed a 18th minute goal, the north Clare side might have even rallied somewhat but instead the midfielder saw his shot just drift outside the far post. That chance was against the rain somewhat as it was Clondegad who commanded the opening quarter, led by the attacking half-back unit of Francie Neylon and Kieran Browne. On the scoreboard, their control was capped by 1-1 from always available corner-forward Pat Coffey who finished off a great move in only the sixth minute involving Shane Brennan, Eoin Griffin and Eoghan Donnellan before Coffey executed the cool finish under the body of goalkeeper Damien McNamara. That goal added to a brace of frees from Padraig McMahon lifted Clondegad to a five lead by the turn of the opening quarter which was extended to seven by the break at 1-7 to 0-3.

Inbetween James Hynes was effective at both ends, just missing that 18th minute goal chance after receiving the perfect pass from Lorcan Mahon while at the other end only five minutes later, he threw his body in front of McMahon’s goalbound shot to keep his side in the game.

Clondegad used the break to introduce Tony Kelly and Conor Gavin and both would be influential in Clondegad’s more potent second half showing.

With Ballyvaughan increasingly war weary, that added pace gave Clondegad the license to finish the game in style, with Kelly in particular central to that charge.

In all, the dual star would score 1-3 himself and set up two further final quarter goal chances, with Podge McMahon seeing his effort rebound off the butt of the post to safety while the clinical Pat Coffey made no mistake for his second goal of the game in the 54th minute.

In some ways, it was a valuable workout for Clondegad but in others, it was perhaps a phoney war in terms of the imminently tougher challenge to come in the last four.

Clondegad
Declan Flynn (7), Flan Enright (7), Paddy O’Connell (8), Cormac Ryan (7), Kieran Browne (8), Francie Neylon (8), Brian Murphy (7), Cormac Murphy (7), Shane Brennan (8), Francie O’Reilly (7) (0-1), Eoghan Donnellan (8) (0-2), Eoin Griffin (7) (0-2), Kenneth Kelly (7), Padraig McMahon (8) (0-3 3f), Pat Coffey (8) (2-1)

Subs
Tony Kelly (8) (1-3) for O’Reilly (HT), Conor Gavin (7) (0-1) for B. Murphy (HT), James Murphy (6) for C. Murphy (44 mins), Paddy Breen (0-1) for McMahon (51 mins), Flan King for Enright (52 mins)

Ballyvaughan
Damien McNamara (7), John Linnane (6), Sean McNamara (7) (0-1), Mark O’Loughlin (7), Phelim Coyne (6), Kieran Casey (7) (0-1), Marc Walsh (7), Ray Casey (6) (0-1f), James Hynes (7), Lorcan Mahon (6), John McCormack (7), John Mooney (6),Adrian Niland (7) (0-1), Donnacha Mahon (7) (0-2),Thomas Francis (6)

Sub
CianWalsh (6) (0-1) for Mooney (HT)

Man of the Match
Francie Neylon (Clondegad) Referee Pat Cosgrove (Corofin)

Cooraclare 2-12 – St Breckan’s 0-07 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown

COORACLARE are beginning to motor – evidence of which they drove home with ruthless efficiency on Saturday evening when they took a wrecking ball to St Breckans’ hopes of marking their first year back in the senior ranks with a run to the quarter-final stages.

This was a thrashing every bit as clinical as the scoreline suggests as Cooraclare sauntered into the quarter-final, but more importantly than that by dint of their 11-point winning margin they laid down a marker that they won’t be making up the numbers when they lock horns with Kilmurry Ibrickane in the quarter-final.

It was impressive stuff as they kept the pedal to the floor right until the end, despite being very secure in the knowledge that the points were in the bag long before the finish.

St Breckan’s never got closer than being four points adrift in the half – the goals they needed to kickstart any kind of sustained comeback never looked like coming, so much so that when they trailed by 0-11 to 0-7 after 55 minutes the game looked like trundling towards a tepid conclusion.

Not so thanks to Aidan Moloney’s side that really threw down a marker when hitting 2-1 in the last five minutes to leave St Breckan’s thoroughly forlorn and dispirited by the end.

In truth, it was a command performance from whistle to whistle by a Cooraclare side that was never headed at any stage. Firstly they kept with a pacy and industrious St Breckan’s in the first half when playing against the breeze, before really turning the screw with five points within the space of the final five minutes of the half to move 0-9 to 0-4 clear.

Game over really. The life was drained out of the St Breckan’s challenge in those minutes – they did try to pick it up again in the second half, but even had they fallen to their knees at the half-time break and chanted prayers to St Jude, theirs looked a hopeless case.

Cooraclare had forced the pace in this game from the off, with a couple of early bursts from Sean Maguire setting the tone and character of their display that was to last for the hour.

Maguire pointed in the second minute, while two minutes later he teed up Gearóid Looney for a point, just after Stephen Tierney had got St Breckan’s off the mark with a smart point from play.

A Pat Nagle free in the eighth minute levelled matters, but two John Looney points by the 20th minute had Cooraclare 0-4 to 0-2 ahead. His effort from play in the ninth minute really crystalised Cooraclare’s performance on the day – Mark Tubridy, Joe Considine and Rory Donnelly played their part in an incisive move that was finished over the bar by the full-forward.

And, even though St Breckan’s hit back to level matters with two Pat Nagle points by the 23rd minute, it was Looney again who did more than anyone to ensure that Cooraclare had matters well in hand by half-time.

He landed three frees in as many minutes before the break, while efforts from play by David Marrinan and Michael McMahon turned the game decisively in Cooraclare’s favour before the break.

St Breckan’s were their industrious selves on the turnover, but penetration was sadly lacking, with three Pat Nagle pointed frees being all they had to show for their endeavours as the promise and confidence they showed when ambushing Éire Og in the first round slowly drained away.

Cooraclare were like old time prize fighters – toying their opponents for much of the half, content to grab points from John Looney in the 42nd minute and Mark Tubridy ten minutes later, before finally moving in for the kill and registering their knockout blows in the final minutes.

Haymaker number one came in the 55th minute when Cooraclare sliced through the now porous St Breckan’s defence before Gearóid Looney drilled low into the left corner of the net; two minutes later Sean Maguire matched this feat with a goal of his own, while St Breckans’ misery was complete in the 60th minute when John McDonagh saw red from referee Gerry Keane.

Cooraclare
Declan Keane (7), Fergal Lillis (7), Conor Marrinan (7),Thomas Downes (7), David Marrinan (7) (0-1),Thomas Donnellan (7), Declan McMahon (7),AndrewO’Neill (7), Joe Considine (7), Michael McMahon (7) (0-1), MarkTubridy (7) (0-1), Sean McGuire (7) (1-1), Rory Donnelly (7), John Looney (8) (1-7, 6f), Gearóid Looney (7) (11).

Subs
Michael Kelly (6) for McMahon [39 Mins], Kieran Hassett (6) for Conor Marrinan [60 Mins].

St Breckan’s
Craig Flanagan (7), Daniel Carey (7), Conor Howley (6), Donal Howley (7), Raphael Considine (6), Michael Reddan (7), Cathal Blood (7), Shane O’Connor (6), StephenTierney (6) (01), Denis O’Driscoll (7), Sean Cormican (7), John McDonagh (7), Mikie Keating (6), Conor Cormican (6), Pat Nagle (7) (0-6, 5f).

Subs
John Stack (6) for Tierney [20 Mins], Stephen Flaherty (6) for Considine [Half-Time], Neil Hawes (6) for Conor Howley [44 Mins], Eric Murrihy (6) for O’Connor [50 Mins]., Darragh Curtin (6) for Stack [58 Mins].

Man of the Match
John Looney (Cooraclare) Referee Gerry Keane (O’Curry’s)

Éire Óg 1-12 – St Senan’s Kilkee 0-11 at Pairc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty

A DEAD rubber in terms of the overall championship but crucial to Éire Óg who needed a lift ahead of their relegation play-off following two demoralising losses. Kilkee, for their part, had already secured top spot in the group and it certainly bore out that way as a more urgent Éire Óg led from start to finish to secure their first victory of the championship.

Despite an understength side that saw their second string severely dented and a below-par display, Kilkee did finally rise to the challenge late on to cut the deficit to two but it was simply too little too late to knock the Townies off their perch.

When the masters fixtures list was finalised earlier in the year, this was expected to be a thrilling potential group decider but the lack of a competitive bite did make for a low-key affair that even their respective supporters failed to come out for in large numbers.

That didn’t concern Éire Óg however as they simply needed to kickstart their campaign after failing in all their major tests this year, including the Garry Cup final. Their strength lay in centre-back Alan Malone who controlled the backline before succumbing to injury just after half-time; Brian Frawley and Shane Daniels dominated the midfield exchanges; up front, corner-forwards Eoin Glynn and Sean O’Meara posed a constant threat while David Russell led the line expertly, even helping out his own backline on numerous occasions when needed most late on.

Indeed, they were 0-7 to 0-4 ahead by the break, taking advantage of a changeable wind with six different players getting on the scoresheet as compared to only Michael O’Shea and Barry Harte for Kilkee. There was also goal chances at either end with Sean Crotty’s 12th minute effort kept out by Kevin Harte while just before the interval, Barry Harte was denied by Eoin Slattery.

However, it was only after Sean Crotty’s 42nd minute goal for Éire Óg that Kilkee finally developed some urgency. A defensive error allowed Sean O’Meara to raid down on goal before passing to the un- marked Sean Crotty for the easiest of finishes. That put Éire Óg 1-8 to 0-6 ahead by the turn of the final quarter but Kilkee finally found their rhythm and four unaswered points in eight minutes, two from the foot of O’Shea, left only two points between the sides by the 54th minute.

Éire Óg battened down the hatches, led by captain Russell who swept up at the back and they were rewarded with the last three points of the game, two from placed balls, to secure the moral boosting victory.

Éire Óg
Eoin Slattery (7), Saren Butler (7), Donie Lyne (7), Michael O’Regan (7), Paul Madden (6),Alan

Malone (8), Conor Healy (7), Brian Frawley (8) (0-2), Shane Daniels (8) (0-3f), David Ryan (7) (0-1 1’45), David Russell (8) (0-1), Brian McMahon (7) (0-1), Eoin Glynn (8) (0-2), Sean Crotty (7) (1-0), Sean O’Meara (8) (0-2)

Subs
Robbie Malone (6) for A. Malone (36 mins, inj), Darren O’Neill for Madden (54 mins)

St Senan’s Kilkee
Kevin Harte (7), Darren Clarke (6), Darragh Kelly (7), Darren Owens (6), Diarmuid Keane (7) (0-1), Thomas Galvin (7),Alan Russell (6), David Russell (7), Christopher Williamson (7) (0-1), Brian Harte (6), Barry Harte (7) (0-3), Ronan Brown (6), Gearoid Lynch (7) (0-1), Michael O’Shea (8) (0-5 3f), Micheál Keane (6)

Subs
Gavin Melican (5) for M. Keane (22 mins, inj), Christy Kirwan (7) for Brian Harte (36 mins), Derek Deloughery (6) for Clarke (40 mins), John Enright for Melican (50 mins)

Man of the Match
David Russell (Éire Óg) Referee Barry Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)

Lissycasey 0-09 – Ennistymon 0-08 at Cooraclare

LISSYCASEY the brave!

A year ago they were a kick of a ball away from being relegated to the intermediate ranks – now they’re back in a quarter-final for the first time since their landmark championship-winning year of 2007 thanks to this victory that really showed up how score differences can bring a cliff-hanging dimension to the championship.

It was heroic stuff from the men in maroon. Forget that they went into this tie on the back of defeats to Doonbeg and Liscannor, which meant that before a ball was kicked here were staring another relegation dog-fight coming their way over the horizon.

All because, dame fortune finally looked on their favour as they turned over the Garry Cup champions and in the process sent them by up to the north Clare capital with only the Senior B championship to look forward to.

It was inspired stuff by Lissycasey, but at the same time hardly surprising given that they were unlucky losers in their previous championship games. It was the spirit they showed in those games that came to the surface once more here and ultimately carried them to victory and that quarter-final spot that seemed to be such a long-shot before a ball was kicked.

And they did it the hard way, coming from three points down with 20 minutes remaining to hit four unanswered points for a dramatic victory that squeezed them into the quarterfinal tie with Cratloe.

In the end it was the boot of midfielder Danny Clohessy that carried them over the line when he landed a free in the 54th minute to put Lissycasey in front for the first time, a lead they doggedly defended in the final few hectic minutes.

Lissycasey had elected to play against the breeze after winning the toss – a gamble that ultimately paid off as they reeled in Ennistymon by the death, but for the first 40 minutes it looked as if the north Clare side had enough in hand to take the spoils.

With Michael McDonagh putting in a storming hour in the middle of the park, Ennistymon bossed this game for much of the first half. McDonagh got them off the mark in the third minute and while Derek McMahon levelled matters in the 12th, three-in-a-row from the boots of John McInerney, a Danny Rouine free and another from McDonagh had Ennistymon 0-4 to 0-1 ahead by the 15th minute.

McDonagh was denied a goal by a good Joe Hayes save in the 20th minute but the north Clare Magpies pressed on with points from a Danny Rouine free and McDonagh’s third of the half by the 23rd minute.

Lissycasey did peg a couple back via a Niall Kelly free and Francie Hayes from play by the 30th minute but Danny Rouine’s third free of the half ensured a 0-7 to 0-4 lead for Ennistymon as they turned to face the wind.

That it wasn’t enough of a cushion was down purely to Lissycasey’s spirit, with their first point of the half in the 32nd minute really showcasing what they were about. It was started in defence by Martin Moran, taken on by Enda Finnucane and finished over the bar by their longest serving player and centre-back Michael Melican.

Michael McDonagh’s tour de force resumed with his fourth point of the hour in the 39th minute, but it proved to be Ennistymon’s last score as Lissycasey slowly reeled them in.

Danny Lynch marked his coming out of retirement with a point in the 41st minute, while a Danny Clohessy free in the 43rd brought the gap back to the minimum. A foul on Francie Hayes in the 50th minute teed up the equaliser from Niall Kelly’s free, before Clohessy completed Lissycasey’s resurrection with six minutes remaining.

In a hectic finish Joe Dowling was red-carded in the 59th minute before opportunity at an equalising point knocked for Wayne Griffin in the 62nd minute – had he scored Ennistymon would have been in the quarter-final; he missed and their interest in Jack Daly was at an end for another year.

Lissycasey
Joe Hayes (7),Alan Nagle (6), Gerry Moran (7), Martin O’Connor (7), Martin Moran (7), Michael Melican (7) (0-1), Cathal Hill (7), Danny Clohessy (8) (0-3, 2f), Enda Finnucane (7), MatthewO’Shea (7), Francis Hayes (7) (0-1), Dermot Nagle (6), Derek McMahon (7) (0-1), Niall Kelly (7) (0-2f), Paul Nagle (6).

Subs
Cathal Doohan (7) for Alan Nagle [14 Mins], Sean Hayes (6) for Dermot Nagle [21 Mins], Danny Lynch (7) (0-1) for McMahon [40 Mins]

Ennistymon
Noel Sexton (7), Michael Devitt (7), Laurence Healy (7), OisinVaughan (7),Willie Murphy, Sean O’Driscoll (7), Michael Hohey (6), Ronan Linnane (7), Michael McDonagh (8) (0-3), Kevin Scales (6), Joey Dowling (7), Joe Rouine, (6), Danny Rouine (7) (0-4, 3f), John McInerney (6) (0-1), Sean McGonigley (6).

Subs
Wayne Griffin (6) for Hohey [34 Mins], Micheal O’Loughlin (6) for McInerney [50 Mins], James Murphy (6) for O’Loughlin [51 Mins], Brian Conway (6) for McGonigley [55 Mins].

Man of the Match
Michael McDonagh (Ennistymon) Referee Damian Fox (WolfeTones)

Kilrush Shamrocks 0-11 – Kilmihil 0-08 at Cooraclare

THE Shams have steered themselves clear of the relegation mire – instead it’s now Kilmihil’s lot to look forward to with some trepidation after this Group 1 basement battle on Saturday afternoon.

With Kilmurry Ibrickane and Wolfe Tones already qualified from the group, this west Clare contest was always going to be a dog-fight with both sides desperate not to be sucked into intermediate football for 2012.

That it went the Shams’ way was down to their burst after half-time when they hit four points without reply inside the first 19 minutes to move 0-10 to 0-6 clear – from there they never looked like surrendering the initiative against a Kilmihil side that was game throughout, but ultimately limited.

Kilmihil held an early advantage thanks to a Shane Egan point in the second minute, but after Kilrush replied with frees from Padjo McGrath and Peadar McMahon by the fifth minute they were never headed for the rest of the game.

It was an even affair in the first half, albeit that Kilmihil were always chasing the game against a Shams that forced the pace thanks to the edge they enjoyed in the midfield battle thanks to the veteran Donal O’Sullivan/Jim Young partnership.

Points by Ruairi O’Connor and Peadar McMahon either side of another Shane Egan free had them 0-4 to 0-2 ahead by the 18th minute. Paul Reidy and Cathal Lyons swapped points by the 20th minute, as did Eamonn Ryan and Peadar McMahon by the 24th as the Shams maintained their two-point advantage.

However, points by Shane Egan and Mark O’Connell had the side level before Peadar McMahon’s fourth free of the half hour gave the Shams a 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead.

And when McMahon, Cathal Lyons and Jim Young tacked on points by the 49th minute the Shams primary objective of avoiding the ignominy of a relegaiton dog-fight was completed – gladly leaving that to Éire Óg, Ennistymon, St Joseph’s Miltown and Kilmihil to scrap over.

Two Paul Reidy points in the 50th and 55th minutes raised Kilmhil’s spirits and brought them to wining a kick of a ball of safety in the senior ranks for another year, but when the goal they needed didn’t come it was left to Jim Young to fire over the insurance point two minutes from time.

Suddenly the Shams have a Senior B campaign to look forward to – who knows they might embrace it and bring ‘championship’ silverware back to the west Clare capital for the first time since 1987.

Kilrush Shamrocks

Tony Burke (7), Seamus Bolton (7), James Hehir (7), Niall Gilbride (7), Niall Clancy (7), John Hayes (7), MatthewMoloney (7), Donal O’Sullivan (7), JimYoung (8) (0-2, 1f), Pat Joe McGrath (7) (0-1f), Cathal Lyons (7) (0-2), Darragh Bolton (7), Ruairi O’Connor (7) (0-1), EoinTarrant (7), Peadar McMahon (7) (0-5, 4f).

Subs
Stephen Sweeney for Lyons [48 Mins],Alan Daly for McGrath [48 Mins].

Kilmihil
Keith Considine (7), Conor Crowley (7), Laurence Murray (7), Derek O’Connell (7), Stan Lineen (7), Mark O’Connell (7) (0-1),Anthony Downes (7),Timmy Ryan (7), Paul Reidy (7) (0-3, 2f), Eamon Ryan (7) (0-1), Mark Coughlan (6), Enda O’Halloran (6), Declan Downes (6), David Ryan (7), Shane Egan (7) (0-3f).

Subs
ColmCallinan (6) for Downes [Half-Time].

Man of the Match
Jim Young (Kilrush Shamrocks) Referee Michael McGann (Michael Cusack’s)

Doonbeg 0-12 – Liscannor 0-09 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown

DOONBEG go marching on in the defence of their title, for Liscannor the dream is over for another year as they bowed out at the group stages thanks to what can only be termed as their second half ‘Miltown Meltdown’.

By the mid-way stage they seemed to be on the way into the last eight, having put in a fantastic half-hour when playing against the breeze that was blowing towards the town end of Hennessy Memorial Park.

Liscannor led 0-7 to 0-6, having dominated midfield and the diamond around it thanks to the sterling efforts of Ronan Slattery, Alan Clohessy and Brian Consdine and kicked only one wide in the best half of football they’ve produced since famously taking a catapult to Doonbeg’s championship hopes at the semi-final stage of the Jack Daly race three years ago.

Doonbeg, meanwhile, were ponderous and one-dimensional in the sense that everything seemed to rest of David Tubridy’s shoulders when it came to creating and taking scores.

It’s true that he bagged four points over the half hour and had notable assists in the other two, but the force seemed to be with a Liscannor side that had embraced this do-or-die contest as being the potential starting point of another championship odyssey.

That it wasn’t to be was down to that ‘Miltown Meltdown’ – five wides inside the first five minutes of the second half when they monopolised possession tells the story of where it all started to go horribly wrong for the north Claremen.

From there Doonbeg suddenly roused themselves, as if jolted into action by a realisation that if Liscannor had been as accurate in the opening minutes as they had been throughout the first half the game would have been already out of their reach.

Being let off the hook is a football currency that generations of Magpies have scavenged off and so it was that they hit five without reply in the space of ten minutes to move 0-11 to 0-7 clear and ultimately to the safety of their third successive championship win.

It was rough on Liscannor, but completely their own fault as they contrived to commit their own version of hara kiri in that second half, having done all the hard work in that hugely encouraging first 30 minutes.

Doonbeg had grabbed two early points from David Tubridy and Paul Dillon by the third minute, but once Alan McDonagh grabbed Liscannor’s opener in the seventh mintues they warmed more and more to the task with every passing minute.

David Tubridy and Alan Clohessy swapped pointed frees by the tenth minute, but as Liscannor began to exert dominance around the middle they hit the front for the first time by the 15th minute thanks to an effort from play by Niall Considine and an Alan Clohessy free.

David Tubridy levelled matters once more with a 14-yard free in the 18th minute, but a brilliantly worked score from Alan McDonagh that was teed up by Alan Clohessy and Alan Flaherty and then a Kieran Considine free in the 21st minute put Lis- cannor 0-6 to 0-4 ahead.

The gap remained at two when David Tubridy and Alan Clohessy pointed from play by the 25th minute before Shane Ryan had the last act of the half with a good point to leave the minimum between the sides.

It was there for Liscannor though – there for them to lose as it turned out as Doonbeg turned the screw with points by Colm Dillon (2), Shane Ryan, Frank O’Dea and Tubridy after the early flurry wides from the north Claremen.

Indeed, it wasn’t until the 54th minute that Liscannor managed a score – a booming effort from Niall Considine, but it was to little and too late. They battled to the death and after Tubridy and Clohessy had swapped points by the 60th minute to leave three between them, Liscannor did have one final shot at reaching the quarter-final.

It came when a sweeping move left Alan Flaherty one on one with Nigel Dillon – it was from a tight angle, but Dillon, whose handling had been suspect on a couple of occasions, stood his ground to make an excellent save.

With Lissycasey having beaten Ennisytmon by a point, Liscannor’s race for 2011 was run. It’s a relegation match against St Joseph’s Miltown for them – if Flaherty had a goaled a totally different world would have opened out before them.

All or nothing, but it just wasn’t to be.

Doonbeg
Nigel Dillon (6), RichieVaughan (7), Padraig Gallagher (7), Conor Whelan (7), Joe Blake (7), Shane O’Brien (6), JimBob Griffin (7), Colm Dillon (7) (0-2), Enda Doyle (7), Frank O’Dea (7) (0-1), Shane Killeen (6), DavidTubridy (8) (0-6, 2f) Paul Dillon (7) (0-1), Kevin Nugent (6), Shane Ryan (7) (0-2).

Subs
TomHonan (6) for Nugent [Half-Time], EamonnTubridy (6) for Paul Dillon [55 Mins].

Liscannor
Noel Kilmartin (7), Shane Canavan (7), David McDonagh (7), Michael Foley (7), Dara Blake (7), Ronan Slattery (8), Denis Murphy (6), Brian Considine (8) (0-1),Alan Flaherty (6), Johnny Considine (6), Niall Considine (7) (0-2), Gerry Considine (6), Kieran Considine (7) (0-1f),Alan Clohessy (7) (0-4, 2f),Alan McDonagh (7) (0-2).

Subs
Robert Lucas (6) for Johnny Considine [46 Minutes], Joe Considine (6) for Alan McDonagh [49 Mins], Paul Guerin (6) for Gerry Considine [55 Mins], Declan Fawl (6) for Joe Considine [59 Mins].

Man of the Match
David Tubridy (Doonbeg) Referee Pat Cosgrove (Corofin)

Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-14 – Wolfe Tones 0-06 at Lissycasey

WITH both sides having secured their passage into the quarter-final stage with a match to spare, this early Sunday afternoon contest was never going to be as competitive as their last championship meeting in Lissycasey.

That was the famous afternoon in 2007 when the Shannon side ambushed the men from the barony of Ibrickane in the quarter-final.

That was a stormy enough affair – this was pedestrian stuff, predictable enough too as Kilmurry Ibrickane further franked their status as the team to beat in this year’s championship with a comfortable eight-point win.

Not that the Tones were unduly bothered – for them the 2011 championship has already been a resounding success as they’ve bucked the prediction of many that they’d be more a relegation side than the top eight side they now are.

They were competitive enough here, especially in the first half when playing against the breeze that blew towards the dressing room end.

They had three points on the board inside the first then minutes, all from the boot of Gary Leahy, who was making his return to the side after missing the victory over Kilmihil through suspension.

However, an early 0-3 to 0-2 lead quickly evaporated as Kilmurry slowly warmed to their task of hoovering up two more championship points.

Mark McCarthy and Johnnie Daly had landed their opening points, while another Daly free on 16 minutes and an effort from play by Enda Coughlan two minutes later put them ahead by 0-4 to 0-3 ahead.

Kilmurry never really looked back and from there until half-time took control, with three more points ensuring that they reeled off five-in-a-row to lead by 0-7 to 0-3 at the break.

Niall Hickey teed up Michael O’Dwyer for a point in the 20th minute. Straight from the subsequent kick-out midfielders Seamus Murrihy and Paul O’Connor created an opening for Michael Hogan, while they rounded off an impressive half with the point of the day in the 28th minute when a raid up the roadside of the field was finished over the bar by Shane Hickey.

And when Hickey made another raid two minutes after the re-start to land his second point this game had an inevitable look to it as Kilmurry could afford to play within themselves and run out comfortable winners.

An Ian McInerney free and an effort from play had them 0-9 to 0-4 head by the 48th minute, with the Tones’ lone point coming from a Stephen Monaghan effort four minutes into the half.

Monaghan landed another point in the 50th minute, but points by Mark McCarthy, Ian McInerney and Shane Hickey’s third had them out of sight before Stephen Moloney and Chris Dunning traded points in injury time.

Kilmurry Ibrickane
Peter O’Dwyer (7), Shane Hickey (9) (0-3), Darren Hickey (7), Martin McMahon (7), EvanTalty (6), Enda Coughlan (7) (0-1), Ian McInerney (6) (0-2f), Paul O’Connor (6), Seamus Murrihy (6), Mark McCarthy (7) (0-2), Michael O’Dwyer (7) (0-1), Michael Hogan (6) (0-1), Niall Hickey (7) (0-1), Noel Downes (6), Johnnie Daly (6) (0-2).

Subs
Stephen Moloney (7) (0-1) for Daly [45 Mins], Seamus Lynch (6) for Hogan [45 Mins].

Wolfe Tones
Jason Casey (7), Stephen Carroll (6), Craig O’Brien (7),WilliamFlynn (6), Alan Downes (6), Brendan Hughes (6), Stephen McInerney (6), Patsy Keyes (7), Joe McGauley (7), GaryWhelan (6), Chris Dunning (6) (0-1), Kevin Corbett (6), Gary Leahy (6) (0-3, 1f), Darren Ryan (6), Stephen Monaghan (7) (0-2, 1f).

Subs
Niall Murphy for [45 Mins], Sean Reidy (6) for McGauley [50 Mins].

Man of the Match
Shane Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane) Referee Michael Fitzgerald (Clondegad)

Clare 2-13 – Kilkenny 1-11 at Semple Stadium Thurles

THERE WAS history in the air in Semple Stadium on Saturday evening as Clare completed the full set of All-Ireland adult titles by capturing the elusive intermediate crown. In truth, the last piece of the jigsaw was garnered more comfortably than expected as once Clare reponded to yet another stuttering start with Tony Carmody’s 14th minute goal, they were always in command without perhaps ever putting the game to bed.

Of course, there are some that would bemoan the fact that Kilkenny were understrength due to the loss of three senior panellists at the behest of senior manager Brian Cody and had only played one competitive game to reach the final but Clare won’t mind that begrudgery as they had earned their title shot the hard way. Hard fought victories over Cork, Limerick and Galway had primed them for the ultimate stage and to complete the set by taking down the defending champions in the decider simply added to the sweetness of the historic occasion.

It was also a moral victory for Kevin Kennedy, Niall Romer, Tommy O’Donoghue and all who had lobbied for the county to take a more serious approach to the intermediate grade in recent times. For years in both hurling and football, the respective intermediate and junior grades were not treated with the respect they deserved but Saturday’s achievement justified a more mature and beneficial attitude that will have only enhanced the development of this squad of players in future intercounty grades.

Captain Tony Carmody put it best before the All-Ireland semi-final when aptly noting that while the competition is predominantly a development grade for younger players, one annual Munster championship outing isn’t sufficient to bring those players on, hence the neccessity for more epxerienced players to aid a sustained run.

And his pronouncement proved to be as accurate as his barnstorming first half goal that put Clare firmly on the road to victory. As in their previous outings, the seamless blend of youth and experience was essential to Clare’s progress on Saturday with Niall Gilligan, Tony Carmody and Declan O’Rouke providing the inspiration for others like Michael Hawes, Patrick Kelly, Shane Golden, John Fennessy, Joe O’Connor and Padraig Hickey to prosper.

And while this wasn’t anywhere near Clare’s most complete performance to date, the spirit and understanding that has developed over the past few months stood to them when need most.

The scores were shared out over ten different players, the loss of captain Tony Carmody to injury only minutes after his goal only strengthened the side’s resolve as they remained focused on the prize.

On the flip side, Kilkenny looked every bit the side that was lacking competitive games together with only PJ Rowe, Stephen Byrne and Paul O’Flynn raising their game to the expected Kilkenny standard but they also had plenty of inter-county and All-Ireland experience at all grades in the side when compared to Clare.

Instead, however Clare didn’t need to be asked twice when gaining a foothold in the game after another slow start. A Michael Grace free immediately on the throw-in was added to by Paul O’Flynn’s fifth minute goal that brought back all too recent memories of their semi-final start against Galway.

However, like a hurler that needs a slap to anger him into action, Clare were forced to react in kind and did so thanks in the main to their Sixmilebridge contingent. Shane Golden opened Clare’s account with a brace from distance, Niall Gilligan converted his own free while Clare finally took the lead in emphatic style when Tony Carmody took on Kilkenny’s last line and found the top corner of the net in the 14th minute to take a 1-3 to 1-1 advantage.

It was a lead that they would never relenquish as Kilkenny failed to hit the target from their numerous chances on the wings while in contrast, Clare grew in confidence with every passing score, grabbing five out of the last seven points of the half to take a 1-8 to 1-4 half-time lead, with the wind to come. While also being defensively sound through the dominant Michael Hawes, John Fennessy and Patrick Kelly, it allowed the forwards to prosper, particularly Padraig Hickey, who epitomised his emergence by his inspirational 30th minute dispossession and score that raised the biggest cheer of the evening amongst the largely Clare dominant support.

They extended that advantage to nine by the 41st minute after points from Joe O’Connor and Niall Gilligan who were both enjoying their new roles in the half-forward line. Daire Keane’s 41st minute goal may have had an element of fortune in the build up when Padraig Hickey’s point attempt came off the upright into the substitute’s path but there was no luck involved in the finish as the Kilmaley man carved his name into the history books from close range.

All this after Kilkenny had started better once more but Ger Shelly’s handpass across the square to his waiting colleagues was expertly intercepted and cleared by Patrick Kelly.

Clare possibly should have ran out comprehensive winners from that point but credit Kilkenny for emptying the bench and sparking a minirevival. Replacements Ger Aylward (2) and Simon Burke hit three unanswered points by the turn of the final quarter but Clare kept themselves in safe territory with Joe O’Connor, Ronan Keane and Declan O’Rouke matching points from O’Flynn, Conor Conway and Burke.

Niall Gilligan might have killed off Kilkenny’s renewed challenge before time but couldn’t get the ball out of his feet to strike in front of goal and instead, it took until the 62nd minute for the Cats to use up their ninth life when Paul O’Flynn crept in at the back post but saw his effort for goal just go the wrong side of the crossbar.

That sense of relief was replaced by unbridled joy as the final whistle sounded on yet another positive for Clare hurling.

And while the parameters will change substantially next year, the gauntlet has finally be put down as to the benefits of throwing everything into every competition the county enters.

Clare
AndrewFahey (Whitegate) (7), Mark Earley (Tubber) (7), Patrick Kelly (Clarecastle) (8), Alan Brigdale (Crusheen) (7), John Fennessy (Sixmilebridge) (8), Michael Hawes (Cratloe) (9), Kevin Moynihan (Éíre Óg) (6), Ronan Keane (Éire Óg) (7) (0-1), Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge) (8) (0-2), Martin Duggan (Clooney/Quin) (6) (0-1), Tony Carmody (Sixmilebridge) (7) (1-0), Kevin Dilleen (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) (7) (0-1), Joe O’Connor (Parteen) (7) (0-2), Niall Gilligan (Sixmilebridge) (7) (0-3 2f), Padraig Hickey (Broadford) (8) (0-2)

Subs
Daire Keane (Kilmaley) (7) (1-0) for Carmody (20 mins, inj), Paidí Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge) (6) for Moynihan (45 mins), Declan O’Rourke (WolfeTones) (6) (0-1) for Duggan (48 mins), Sean Chaplin (Cratloe) for Golden (58 mins, inj), Conor Tierney (Inagh/Kilnamona) for Gilligan (62 mins)

Kilkenny
Richie O’Neill (Kilmacow) (7),Willie Phelan (Dunnamaggin) (7), Michael Walsh (Young Irelands) (6), Sean Phelan (Lisdowney) (7), Luke Harney (Kilmacow) (7), PJ Rowe (Mooncoin) (8), Stephen Byrne (Young Irelands) (8) (0-1), Michael Grace (Mooncoin) (7) (0-1f),Willie O’Dwyer (Mullinavat) (6), Paul O’Flynn (Dicksboro) (8) (1-2), Seoirse Kenny (St Patrick’s) (6), JJ Farrell (Thomastown) (6), Ger Shelly (John Lockes) (7), Eddie Hickey (Lisdowney) (7) (0-2),Adrian Stapleton (Dicksboro) (6)

Subs
Ger Aylward (Glenmore) (7) (0-2) for Stapleton (38 mins), Simon Burke (John Lockes) (6) (0-2f) for Farrell (42 mins), OllieWalsh (Dicksboro) (6) for Kenny (42 mins), Conor Conway (Mullinavat) (6) (0-1f) for O’Dwyer (49 mins), Nicky Kenny (Piltown) for Hickey (55 mins)

Man of the Match
Michael Hawes (Clare) Referee Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork)