Category: Sport

IT WAS A double helping of top tier seven-a-side football for the Banner Ladies last weekend when the Senior and Under 14 teams appeared in the prestigious All-Ireland finals.

The Under 14 panel, most appearing in their third seven’s tournament, were well up for it this year and topped their group taking wins over Kildare, Down and Offally teams.

In the knockout stages, they dashed the hosts dreams when Grainne Nolan rallied the Banner with a couple of fine goals to defeat them by two points, aided by two crucial Niamh O’Brien saves. Then they dismantled the Emyvale, Monaghan machine by 2-9 to 3-0 before their semi-final meeting with Sarsfields, who were much fancied.

The Kildare side were rattled by the Banner’s blistering start, with scores from Eva O’Dea, Aoife Keane, Gráinne Nolan, and Aoibheann Malone. The second half belonged to Sarsfields, but the Banner were too far ahead to be stopped at 5-5 to 4-3 with solid performances from Elaine Casey, Emma Neylon and Aisling Maher.

An All-Ireland final meeting with Féile rivals and two-in-a-row champions Claregalway, was a very competitive affair with Clare Hehir and Laura Chesser showing great determination. The Banner held the advantage in the first half until Claregalway got two late goals to lead by two points at half–time.

The second half was all Claregalway with the Banner feeling the effects of their seven game marathon and a flurry of goals sealed it for the Galway side.

Banner Under 14
Elaine Casey, Emma Neylon, Eva O’Dea,Aoife Keane, Niamh O’Brien,Aisling Maher, Clare Hehir, Laura Chesser and captains Grainne Nolan and Aoibheann Malone. THE BANNER senior squad, AllIreland intermediate champions in 2010, went into senior grade action for the first time and reached the final with a perfect record too. They topped their group with wins over Down, Meath, Galway and Dublin sides.

An expected crucial decider with St. Ultan’s of Meath was averted when Down side Bryansford, came out on top in their game with Utlan’s.

The Ennis girls met Carrickmore in the All-Ireland semi-final and a sterling team performance delivered a big win over the Tyrone side 12-4 to 7-2.

When debutants Banner faced seven time champions Ballymacarbury of Waterford in the All-Ireland final they were unphased and were leading by the minimum at half-time. Ballymacarbury opened with two points but Niamh Keane started with a point, followed by a Niamh O’Dea goal and Louise Henchy tacked on a point shortly after for the Saffron and Blues.

The Waterford side had two more points scored when Niamh O’Dea goaled again and she replicated it when they went over and under the bar before the break at 2-3 to 1-5 in favour of the Banner.

Ballymacarbury started the second half with a point but Henchy was back with a penalty to go three points up. Captain O’Driscoll had them at sixes and sevens with long and short range kick-outs while Louise Woods, Laurie Ryan and Sinead O’Keeffe were outstanding in defence. Katie Cahill, Shonagh Enright and Louise Henchy in the middle were very strong.

The third quarter was frantic as O’Dea, Carroll and Orlaith Lynch tried to open up a solid Waterford defence but some harsh decisions and a couple of missed opportunities let the Déise through for 2-1 to leave the Clare side four points adrift.

In the last Banner attack of the day, Naomi Carroll buried to bring it back to the minimum but the whistle went up on the dot and Ballymacarbury were lucky to escape with the Cup.

Overall, it was a good day’s work for the Banner club with two teams in All-Ireland finals and surely they will feel they can return next year for seniors honours.

Banner
Emma O’Driscoll (Capt), LouiseWoods, Niamh Keane, Sinead O’Keeffe, Katie Cahill, Rebecca Culligan, Louise Henchy, Niamh O’Dea, Shonagh Enright, Naomi Carroll, Orlaith Lynch, Laurie Ryan County Junior A champions Doonbeg also reached the knock-out stages of the All-Ireland Junior Seven’s on Saturday after an perfect group stage campaign. The Magpies won all four of their opening games against Carryduff (Down), Aghada (Cork), Beagh (Galway) and Dublin’s Clontarf to reach the last eight but unfortunately, their hopes of emulating the Banner ended at the first hurdle when coming up against a clinical St Bridget’s squad from Mayo who advanced on a 7-2 to 1-5 scoreline.

Doonbeg
Edel Conway,Amanda Ryan, Caroline Haugh,Yvonne Downes, Patricia Nugent, Sarah Cahill,Aoife Conway, Siobhan Beehan, Linda Russell, Kevina Kenny, Rachel Ryan, Mairead Madigan Munst er Senior Club semi fina l Pr eview

ON it goes. The Cratloe carousel where players flit between kicking ball one week and pucking it the next.

Occasionally the lines become blurred, like they did when Cathal McInerney showcased his prodigious talent with one swing of his left leg on the sliotar to finally kill off Tulla’s challenge, but in Cratloe’s case it’s always a case of one game com- plimenting the other.

So it is that they’ve two county semi-finals to look forward too, and an under 21 final too. “It is like 2009,” admitted manager Mike Deegan, “but this year we’re used to it because we’ve done it before. We have more experience and hopefully that will pay to us in the end.

“All we want to do is keeping winning. It’s basically the same panel of players for both. Every day you win you get confidence and hopefully they’ll be able to carry that through to the next round.”

The footballers got to their penultimate round with a facile win over Lissycasey – the margin of victory here may have been nine points, but it was far from facile, as Deegan was quick to admit.

“It’s championship hurling and you’re not going to win a match very easily. The couple of goals at the end weren’t really fair on Tulla because they played really well and were very tough in the second half.

“Our guys started very well and then dropped off a small bit. When you go out in championship you hope that there will be an improvement everyday and we’ll be hoping for that the next day.”

Cratloe only managed 0-7 in their final group game against Inagh/Kilnamona – to say a haul 4-12 represented a massive improvement is putting it mildly. When asked for an explanation Deegan put it down to “the real important end” of the 2011 hurling year.

“Every match counts. The nervousness was there in the last couple of matches that we played, especially after the bad start we got against Tubber. After being beaten by Tubber we knew what we had to do. Every match we played was a knock-out game for us – obviously there were nerves there because we were afraid to lose but now it’s great to be back in a semi-final.”

Kilmihil 0-11 – Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-07 at Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg

THE club’s senior team may be walking a tight rope when they go into a relegation decider against St Joseph’s Miltown in Quilty this weekend, but it could be Kilmihil’s year at minor level.

They’re in a county final against Ennistymon thanks to this dramatic win over favourites Kilmurry Ibrickane – the fourth time in the campaign to date that they’ve secured a one-point win, against Clondegad, Cooraclare, St Joseph’s and now Kilmurry Ibrickane.

And they did this the hard way, coming from 1-6 to 0-1 adrift early in the second half to storm to victory on the back of a brilliant scoring performance from dual star Martin O’Leary who hit eight points over the hour to put his club to within 60 minutes of a first Minor A title since 1995.

Kilmurry Ibrickane played with the wind in the first half after winning the toss, but were slow to get into their stride and only led by 0-2 to 0-1 after the opening 15 minutes.

However, a penalty that was converted by Darren Sexton was the tonic Kilmurry needed and it helped them into a 1-5 to 0-1 interval lead. Darren Sexton bagged 1-1 in the half for Kilmurry, while three Niall Hickey frees and an effort from play by Aaron Murrihy ensured they enjoyed a healthy seven-point interval lead.

Within a minute of resumption Kilmurry Ibrickane added a further point but from there on Kilmihil took control. Inspired by their Captain Stan Lineen, Kilmihil began to take control and with 10 minutes to go they had reduced the lead to a single point. Up front Martin O’Leary was causing all kinds of problems for the Kilmurry Ibrickane backs, he kicked the four points in a row to give Kilmihil a two-point lead entering the final minutes.

With less than a minute on the clock Kilmurry Ibrickane launched a final attack which resulted in a point leaving just a point between the sides at the death.

Kilmihil
MatthewKeane, Conor O’Flaherty (0-1),Alan Dalton, Stephen Coughlan, David Coughlan, Jack

Browne, Diarmuid Lorigan, Stan Lineen, Niall Pender (0-1), Conor Egan (0-1), David Blake, Conor Dennehy, Conor Finucane, Martin O’Leary (0-8, 2f) Geróid Johnson.

Sub
Ronan Flaherty for Johnson.

Kilmurry Ibrickane
Dara Pender, Ciaran O’Neill, Ciaran Morrissey, Shane Kavanagh (0-1), Danny Murphy, Padraig Lynch, Conor Killeen, Niall Hickey (0-4f), John McNamara, Gary Sexton,Adrian Murrihy, Diarmuid Downes,Aaron Murrihy (0-1), Darren Sexton (11), Keith Sexton.

Sub
Darren Callinan for Downes.

Man of the Match
Martin O’Leary (Kilmihil) Referee Michael McGann (Michael Cusacks)

Clonlara 0-20 – Kilmaley 0-05 at Clooney

AND SO it came to pass. The perfect year of a clean sweep of league and championship honours that encompassed a 15 match winning run was finally realised on Saturday. Even the dogs around Clonlara could have told you that the title was destined for the club, especially after romping to the Junior A league.

And while this wasn’t their most impressive of displays this year, particularly in the opening period when only holding a 0-7 to 0-3 advantage, having benefitted from the aid of a strong breeze, once they opened up on the turnover it was merely a matter of how much the winning margin would eventually be.

Kilmaley for their part, fought the good fight in the opening half but against such a clinical outfit, they simply needed to take every opportunity and missed frees ultimately proved costly, six in the first half alone.

That said, it’s unlikely it would have mattered to the overall result as Clonlara were devastating in the second half with Barry Moloney unerring through frees while captain Alan O’Connell tacked on three points to cap off another masterful display.

Junior A championship beware.

Clonlara
Patrick Stritch, Patrick Conlon, Fergal

Barron, Owen Hackett, Patrick Clancy, Brian Woods, Ronan Carey, Diarmuid O’Meara (0-1 s/l), Barry Moloney (0-9f), Harry Horgan, Jason Murphy (0-1), Michael Collins, Ryan Morris (0-2), Paul Barry (0-2),Alan O’Connell (0-4)

Subs
Kieran Murphy for Clancy,TomBegley (0-1) for Horgan, Kenneth Haskett for Collins, Eoin Meehan for Conlon, Padraig Hession for Morris

Kilmaley
Eoin Meehan, ColmLynch, James Murphy, Darragh McMahon, Jacko Neylon (0-1), Gerard O’Sullivan, Sean Hogan, Ciaran O’Loughlin, DavidTalty, John McMahon, Dick Pyne, Darragh Gregan (0-1), Eamon Bracken (0-1), Gerry Kennedy (0-2), Dermot Queally

Subs
James O’Rourke for Queally, Eibhear Slattery for Pyne, Shane O’Malley for O’Loughlin, Dermot Maher for J. McMahon, Flan Queally for Talty

Man of the Match
Barry Moloney (Clonlara) Referee Michael Fitzgerald (Ballyea)

Wolfe Tones 1-10 – St Senan’s Kilkee 0-09 at Lissycasey

WHERE there’s football there’s hope.

It must have been the mission statement around Rineanna at the start of the year when they took a stock take of the footballers they had left at their disposal.

Privately they may have been talking about safeguarding senior status as their goal for 2011, but now they’re publicly stoking the dream of a landmark first ever county final appearance.

And, why not. Their chance seemed lost when they surrendered a fourpoint lead to the old dogs of Kilkee in the final minutes of the drawn game, but that theory was well and truly cast to the Kilmihil wind on Sunday afternoon as the Tones finally brushed aside the off-colour Blues.

It’s true that the Tones again made life difficult for themselves when racking up 11 sides over the hour and failing to kill the game in the second half when they had enough chances to ease away from their one-dimensional opponents.

But, they still got there, with the final nail driven into the Seasiders’ championship challenge deep in in jury time with a Patsy Keyes point that finally put the Tones into the comfort zone.

Until then there was always the threat of another Harry Houdini act from Aidan O’Keeffe’s charges – by dint of spirit and never-saying-die they had clawed their way to the safety of a draw the first day out and tried valiantly to go down the same road this time out, but lightening didn’t strike once more.

Two David Russell points off his left foot and another from Darragh Kelly had reduced matters to a 1-9 to 0-9 game deep in injury time as the Blues clawed their way back into contention, but it just wasn’t to be.

That this was the case was down to the Tones’ first half display when they were in complete control and racked up an impressive 1-7 to 0-2 interval lead. Midfield dominance from Patsy Keyes and Joe McGauley gave them the platform, while the forwards made light of the absence of the injured Chris ‘Chippy’ Dunning in grabbing the game by the scruff when playing with the breeze.

Full-forward Darren Ryan opened their account with a first minute point, before a seventh minute goal from Daniel Gallery had them on the high road as the blazed away from a lethargic Kilkee side.

A fisted point from the influen- tial Stephen Monaghan in the ninth minute had them 1-2 to no score clear before Chris Williamson finally broke Kilkee’s duck with a 15th minute point.

However, it wasn’t until injury time that Kilkee raised another flag and in between those scores Wolfe Tones tacked on five points, while their cause was further boosted when Michael O’Shea retired injured in the 20th minute.

Monaghan landed a long range point in the 16th minute while Daniel Gallery and Gary Leahy added two each before the Blues finally raised some cheer for themselves with a Barry Harte pointed free just before the break.

Michael O’Shea did re-appear in the second half while a Barry Harte point two minutes after the re-start threatened to spark another trademark Blues revival, but truth told they just hung in until the death on the back of some alarming profligacy by a Wolfe Tones team that lacked the ruthlessness to kill the game long before the end.

Points from free by Stephen Monaghan’s in the 40th minute and Gary Leahy free in the 59th was all they could muster from ample possession, a poor return that gradually enabled the Blues to chip away at their deficit.

A point from Michael O’Shea in 44th minute and two by Barry Harte by the 54th minute really kickstarted the comeback, while points by David Russell (2) and Darragh Kelly in injury time ensured that the Tones were living on their nerves in the final minutes.

Enter Patsy Keyes to ensure that Wolfe Tones’ remarkable journey from the departures lounge of Shannon Airport towards Cusack Park in high October continued.

Wolfe Tones
Jason Casey (7), Stephen Carroll (6), Sean Brennan (6), Craig O’Brien (7), ColmMcCaul (6), Brendan Hughes (7) WilliamFlynn (7), Patsy Keyes (7) (0-1), Joe McGauley (7), Daniel Gallery (8) (1-3), Kevin Cahill (7), Kevin Corbett (6), Gary Leahy (7) (0-3f), Darren Ryan (6) (0-1), Stephen Monaghan (7) (03, 1f).

Subs
Aaron Cunningham(6) for Ryan [29 Mins], Stephen McInerney (7) for O’Brien [HalfTime], Chris Dunning (6) for Corbett [60 Mins].

AS Wolfe Tones players trooped off the field and into the dressing room after the first installment against St Senan’s Kilkee, the management team of supremo Brendan Reidy, coach Jerome Stack, Tony O’Gorman and a few more held back for a few minutes.

They were deep in conclave, talking it through, before finally going into the players. You could say that they were in game mode still – just as Brendan Reidy was when talking to reporters after the Tones eventually reappeared from behind the closed doors.

“We’re still in this in a big way,” said Reidy. “You better believe it,” he added. What’s more, he said a number of times – not to raise the spirits of some disconsolate clubmen around him after they had blown a four-point lead in the final minutes, but because he believed it.

The result was this performance – again they had a healthy lead, this time they closed it out to reach a first county semi-final in four years. Dreamland for a team decimated by emigration before a ball was kicked at the start of the year? Surely?

“When we gathered in January the main thing for the year was to safeguard our senior status,” admitted Reidy.

“We were totally down in numbers and it was just about re-grouping and staying up, because if we didn’t there was always the danger that football could go down in Wolfe Tones in a flash.

“We were lucky against Kilrush in the first game – total enthusiasm and workrate got us through that day and we built from there.

“There has been a great attitude in the dressing room all year. Small numbers bring that.

“After the drawn game we sat down as a team on Monday night and we thrashed it out. We got fellas’ opinions and there were a lot of fellas who didn’t play well the first day. Then we had a great training session on the Tuesday night and a lot of the fellas stood up in this game.

“I could never see the game being gone from us after the first day. We had the speed, we had the legs on them, it’s just that we didn’t finish them off.

“We did it this time and are looking forward to the semi-final.”

Éire Óg 0-17 – Parteen 1-09 at Shannon

ÉIRE ÓG are only 60 minutes away from an eagerly anticipated return to the top tier after eventually seeing off the challenge of Parteen on Saturday. Granted, they made hard work of it at times and can’t claim to have produced their most effective display of the championship but after two knock-out defeats in as many years, getting over the line by any means possible was the Ennis side’s only concern.

In truth, it was their superior firepower and strength-in-depth that essentially won the day after Joe O’Connor’s 42nd minute goal had gained parity for Parteen. Danny Russell’s frees along with a blistering five minutes from former county senior Barry Nugent regained control for the Townies while county minor Shane O’Donnell simply tortured the Parteen defence upon his introduc tion in the 41st minute. The fact that Éire Óg had the luxury of bringing on All-Ireland intermediate winner Ronan Keane and Munster minor winner O’Donnell only further emphasised the superior strength of their squad.

Parteen had no such selection headaches and while they were infinitely better than their previous outing against Ruan, poor shooting cost them dearly. Up against the best forward division in the championship, Parteen needed big performances from their leaders and a clinical edge to upset the odds. Six first half wides against the breeze was decisive and while their tactic of playing the impressive Darragh Yelverton as a sweeper as well as some of their short puck-outs did disrupt the flow of Éire Óg for long periods, they needed to take every available scoring opportunity.

Parteen did have a great start against the conditions when surging 0-3 to 0-1 clear by the eleventh minute thanks to scores from Paraic O’Connor, Martin Moroney and Ivan Conway.

Éire Óg settled, mainly through the unerring free-taking of Danny Russell who picked off four of his side’s opening six scores to secure a 0-6 to 0-4 turnaround by the 19th minute. By the half’s end, there were three points in the difference at 0-8 to 0-5 and Parteen would have been satis- fied to have held the Townies with the wind to come.

Noel Whelan opened the second half scoring after only 30 seconds to extend it to a four point game but it was Parteen who crept back into the tie, with county minor Martin Moroney central to that charge.

After Ivan Conway’s 33rd minute point, Moroney would cut the deficit further and in the 42nd minute, pro- duced a mazy solo run through the heart of the Éire Óg defence to set up the equalising goal. There was a large element of fortune involved as well as his shot for goal rebounded off the body of an Éire Óg defender and fell into the path of Joe O’Connor who doubled to the net.

Éire Óg needed leaders and while Mark Fitzgerald was inspired throughout, who better than Barry Nugent to take up the mantle over the next five minutes. It was as if he had an X-Men-like magnetic force for leather as the ball was drawn to his hand on five separate occasions, yielding four successive scores. First he earned a free for Russell to convert and then hit three points in as many minutes to push his side clear once more.

If that wasn’t problematic enough for the previously miserly Parteen defence, substitute Shane O’Donnell came on to terrorise them thereafter, earning three frees for Danny Russell to arrow over the crossbar as Parteen ran out of steam. Having successfully avoided this potentially tricky banana skin, the Townies will take some stopping now.

Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-22 – Tubber 0-16 at Clarecastle

THE Blues don’t really want to be here, but on this display they can’t be accused of not wanting to embrace what is effectively a chase for ninth place in the county senior pecking order in 2011.

It was their energy and urgency even the passion displayed by Darren O’Connor when venting his frustration about being substituted early in the second half – that helped sweep them to this comfortable 12-point success on Saturday afternoon.

The job of journeywork that was advancing to the semi-final was really done by half-time as they moved 1- 11 to 0-11 clear when playing against the strong breeze, an advantage that enabled them to gradually turn the screw in the second half as Tubber’s challenge gradually petered out.

A 1-11 haul by Colin Ryan led the way for the Blues, with his 19th minute goal from a 21-yard free driving his side 1-9 to 0-7 clear of a game Tubber side that stayed competitive thanks to Blaine Earley’s accuracy.

The sides were level on four occasions inside the first ten minutes, with Earley hitting three points for Tubber in addition to Shane O’Connor’s opener while Enda Barrett, Martin O’Hanlon and Colin Ryan (2) were on the mark for the Blues.

Indeed it was the Blues’ greater spread of scorers that showed up the difference between the two sides – Anthony Kilmartin, Enda Kelly, Eoin Hayes David Barrett and Shane O’Brien, not to mind the free scoring Colin Ryan that kept them in front all through the half.

Seven points without reply in the first 15 minutes after half-time killed the game as the Blues moved 1-18 to 0-11 ahead, with Anthony Kilmar tin, Shane O’Brien, David Barrett, Stephen Kelly and Colin Ryan (3) on the mark.

Clive Earley grabbed Tubber’s first point of the half in the 47th minute, but they were restricted to only five in the half while Newmarket matched their first half tally of 1-11 in cruising to victory.

Three points in row between the 50th and 55th minute via Blaine Earley (2) and Patrick O’Connor left only seven between the sides but the Blues cranked up once more with a strong a strong finish that was embellished when Anthony Kilmartin slammed to the net in the final minute.

Newmarket- on- Fergus
Kieran Devitt, Shane O’Brien, Stephen Kelly (0-1), Padraig Gilmartin, Darren O’Connor, James

McInerney, Enda Barrett (0-1), Martin O’Hanlon (0-3), Eoin O’Brien, Shane O’Brien (0-2), David Barrett (0-2), Enda Kelly (0-1), Eoin Hayes (0-1), Anthony Kilmartin (1-2), Colin Ryan (1-10, 1-6f, two 65).

Subs
Alan Barrett for O’Connor, JimMcInerney for Hayes, Sean O’Connor for Stephen Kelly, James Liddy for Enda Kelly

Tubber
RonanTaaffe, Eoin Ruane, Mark Earley, John O’Connor, Fergal O’Grady, Patrick O’Connor (03f), Conor Earley, Clive Earley (0-2), Ger O’Connor, David O’Donoghue (0-1), Shane O’Connor (0-1), Nigel O’Donoghue, Dara O’Connor, Justin McMahon (0-1), Blaine Earley (0-8, 6f).

Subs
Tommy Lee for Dara O’Connor.

Man of the Match
Colin Ryan (Newmarket- on- Fergus) Referee Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield)

Corofin 0-13 – Ruan 1-10 at Shannon

ALL’S WELL that ends well as these neighbours will gladly take a second bite of the cherry to decide who will play Éire Óg in the decider. Both sides could claim to have been unlucky not to win but equally will certainly be relieved that they are still in the championship after a thrilling yet anxious cresendo to this derby.

The sides were level on no fewer than six times over the hour but it was Cillian Ryan’s 56th minute equalising score that stood out from the pack as he took a pass on the run from Darragh Roughan to pick off the score of the game and force a replay.

The Ruan support were overjoyed to see their side gain parity as they had found themselves four points in arrears as late as the 52nd minute and in real trouble in most areas of the field after Corofin had made deci sive match-altering switches.

No better team that Ruan to grind out the result however as despite not playing to the heights of previous performances, still had enough championship experience to maintain their unbeaten run of six games. But while fading late on, Corofin will also be hugely encouraged by their display as this was arguably their most impressive showing of the campaign.

Essentially, both sides had their heroes with centre-backs Gerry Quinn and Jonathan Clohessy to the fore while respective wing (Mikey Vaughan and Neil Killeen) and corner forwards (Brendan Lyons and Cillian Neylon) also playing decisive roles in this derby. However, Darragh Roughan’s leadership in the last ten minutes also has to be noted as the main driving force behind their comeback.

Corofin had the better of the early exchanges when pushing 0-4 to 0-1 clear by the 13th minute with unanswered points from Stephen Heagney (two frees), Declan Lee and Neil Killeen following Mikey Vaughan’s third minute opener. However, they were rocked when Ruan goaled merely seconds later against the run of play through Brendan Lyons who slipped initially before getting up and finishing to the net.

That inspirational score was added to by Vaughan again as Ruan retook the lead but it was Corofin who finished stronger with Killeen, Neylon and Kevin Heagney handing them a 0-8 to 0-6 half-time advantage despite being lucky to keep their full complement of players after a hefty late Declan Lee challenge on Eoin Hanrahan just before the break.

The wet conditions played their part throughout and could have had a decisive impact on the restart when Gerry Quinn’s ’65 slipped out of Jonathan Clohessy’s grasp, only for goalkeeper Packie Roughan to come to his rescue on the line. Ruan used that let-off to their advantage though when pulling level by the 38th minute through points from Brendan Lyons and Aidan Lynch.

Corofin freshened things up with a trio of substitutions and it was the return of Daragh Clancy that really caught the eye as the former county senior went to full-back, releasing Luke O’Loughlin to the wing and Damien Ryan to midfield as they began to seize control once more. A brace of Stephen Heagney frees add ed to points from substitutes Jamie Malone and Diarmuid Daly put Corofin four clear by the 49th minute and with Ruan all at sea, it looked to be Corofin’s day.

However, last year’s finalists dug deep and led by an immense final quarter from Darragh Roughan, they began to chip away at the deficit. Roughan found John Punch for their first score in 12 minutes; Cillian Ryan and Aidan Lynch combined to release Vaughan for his third of the game and Punch converted a 55th minute free before Ryan put over a crucial 56th minute equaliser.

With momentum on their side, Ruan had chances to win it but ultimately failed to capitalise and in the end, a draw was the fairest result for both sides’ endeavours.

Clooney/Quin 2-14 – Scariff 1-11 at Dr Daly Memorial Park, Tulla

ANYONE who doubted the enthusiasm for the senior B championship was silenced in this fiercely competitive last eight tie. Granted, there was a sizeable drop in standard from the last of the group games, both from the players and main official, but the will to win was beyond question as this full-blooded encounter demonstrated.

In the end, a brace of Mike Daffy goals was enough to separate the sides in the second period after an evenly matched first half. The lively corner-forward eased his side to a ten point lead as the game entered its finale and while there were question marks surrounding the build up to both goals that could have on another day resulted in frees the other way, there was no doubt about the clinical finishes that put Clooney/Quin into the last four.

Credit Scariff for never throwing in the towel and admirably slashing the deficit in a hectic final few minutes but time simply wasn’t on their side as Clooney/Quin held on.

All so different in an inch-tight first half that saw the sides level on four occasions before Clooney/Quin edged a 0-6 to 0-5 interval advantage thanks to a late Padraig Ward free. Ward’s three placed balls allied by Fergal Lynch’s clever running to pick off a brace made up the bulk of their scores while Scariff had a greater spread of scorers that included Ross Horan, Padraig Brody, Alan Corbett, Diarmuid Nash and Kenny McNamara. However, there could easily have been goals as well for either side with Daffy sending off a warning shot as early as the first minute when picking up a break around the square only to see his shot expertly tipped away for a ’65 by goalkeeper Shane Mulvihill. Four minutes later, it was Scariff’s turn as Ross Horan soloed through to attract the last line before offloading to Barry Murphy who volleyed first time just past the far post, shipping a hefty tackle in the process from goalkeeper Damien O’Halloran that could have easily earned a penalty.

The pair would eventually have to succumb to injuries sustained in that incident but it wasn’t to be the last of the goal chances. Scariff reemerged in the second half and had an early opportunity when Michael Moroney broke the ball for Alphie Rodgers but he struck wide. The east Clare side would rue that chance as Martin Duggan hit back with a point followed by the opening goal of the game in the 37th minute when substitute Derek Ryan appeared to pick the ball off the ground before offloading to the overlapping Daffy to finish with aplomb.

Scariff were incensed but used that motivation to reply with points from Alan Corbett and Ross Horan before wasting another glorious goal chance, this time through Kenny McNamara who did the hard work by soloing to the endline but his shot hit the side netting.

Again they would be punished to the full as Daffy and Lynch capitalised further. Both registered a point apiece before combining for the second goal in the 49th minute and when Cillian Duggan eventually converted a free from halfway after a farcical three minute stoppage, Clooney/Quin found themselves ten points clear.

Scariff’s charge came late but did make for a compelling climax as they picked off 1-4 including two Conor McNamara 20 metre frees that yielded 1-1. Daffy and Lynch again replied deep into injury-time to restore a six point advantage while the final chance fell to Conor McNamara who again stood over a 20 metre free in the 65th minute. However this time, he was distracted in his run-up and failed to lift the ball as Clooney/Quin marched on to the semi-final against Clarecastle.

Clooney/ Quin
Damien O’Halloran, Joe O’Loughlin, Conor Harrison, Shane McNamara, Donncha Murphy, Cillian Duggan (0-1f), Enda Harrison, Mike McNamara, John Earls, Martin Duggan (0-3), Cathal Egan, Seamus Conroy, Padraig Ward (0-4 3f 1’65), Fergal Lynch (0-4), Mike Daffy (2-2)

Subs
Patrick Cunninghamfor O’Halloran (25 mins, inj), Derek Ryan for Conroy (HT), Sean Conheady for Ward (47 mins),Tony McMahon for Murphy (62 mins)

Scariff
Shane Mulvihill, Barry McNamara, Darragh Kelly, JimMinogue, Padraig Brody (0-1), Conor McNamara (1-1f), Patrick Minogue, Diarmuid Nash (0-1 1’65), Shane Corry, Ross Horan (0-2), Kenny McNamara (0-2),Alphie Rodgers (0-1), Barry Murphy, Michael Moroney (0-1),Alan Corbett (0-2)

Subs
MatthewHoran for Murphy (HT, inj), Brian Corry for Corbett (55 mins)

Man of the Match
Mike Daffy (Clooney/ Quin) Referee Ger Lyons (Ruan)