Category: Sport

Ballyea 0-15 – O’Callaghan’s Mills 0-15 at Fr Hamilton Park, Kilkishen

O’CALLAGHAN’S Mills and Ballyea played out an entertaining draw on Monday afternoon in Kilkishen with county minor player Gearóid O’Connell stealing the show when hitting 0-9 over the hour in a great display.

It was the midfielder who bagged the equaliser in the fourth minute of injury time to earn his side a deserved share of the spoils. That Ballyea came away with a point ensured that they bagged only their second point of the campaign.

It looked bleak for them early on as the Mills raced into a 0-5 to no score lead inside eight minutes with Alan Duggan, Gary Neville (2), Adrian Flaherty and Niall Donovan on the mark.

However three in a row settled Ballyea, with Gearóid O’Connell opening their account and Paul Flanagan and O’Connell adding points. From there it very competitive, even if the Mills forged clear before half-time again until O’Connell hit two more before the break to leave only two points in it, the Mills 0-10 to 0-8 ahead.

The Mills always seemed to have the edge in the second half with Fla- herty and Neville bagging a brace each as they moved 0-14 to 0-12 clear by the 50th minute.

However, O’Connell hit the point of the hour in the 55th and wasn’t to be denied in the closing stages as his three point to one reply from Conor Cooney ensured the sides were deadlocked at the end.

Ballyea
Shane O’Neill, Eanna McInerney, Kevin Sheehan, Eamonn Griffin, Niall Keane, Paddy O’Connell, Paul Flanagan (0-2), Gearóíd O’Connell (0-11, 6f), Frankie Griffin, Brian Murphy,Alan Carrigg (0-1),

Niall Deasy (0-1),Tony Griffin, Donal Chambers, Francie Neylon.

Subs
David Sheehan for Flanagan, Niall Griffin for Frankie Griffin,

O’Callaghan’s Mills
John Cooney, Ger Frost, Jamie Shanahan, Gerry Cooney, Bryan Donnellan, Conor Cooney (0-1), Sean O’Gorman, Jonathon Lyons, Gary Neville (0-5, 2f, one 65), Patrick Donnellan, Declan Donovan, Fergus Donovan (0-1),Adrian Flaherty (0-6, 4f), Niall Donovan (0-1),Alan Duggan (0-1).

Subs
Damian Noonan for Bryan Donnellan, Kevin O’Callaghan for Fergus Donovan

Man of the Match
Gearóid O’Connell (Ballyea) Referee Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield)

SO NEAR BUT yet so far for Ger O’Loughlin’s side who appeared to have the game and indeed Division 1 status at their mercy before a late collapse. This wasn’t Wexford all over again as Clare actually turned up this time and showed glimpses of a bright future that needs to be complimented by playing at the highest level.

It made defeat all the more gut wrenching and left supporters speechless as Kevin Downes scored a spectacular late goal to grab the headlines, much to the obvious disappointment of Clare manager Ger O’Loughlin who addressed the waiting media after a meeting with his players.

“We were two points up with I think 28 minutes gone in the second half and we conceded the goal at a vital time and in fairness to Limerick they took it well. You are not going to win too many matches when you concede four goals so that was the disappointing part of it.

“But I’m very proud of the lads, I thought they tried awful hard and for a long time in the game we took the game to Limerick and looked the better team. But again we need to be more clinical I suppose because for a period there in the second half we probably could have pushed on and won the game. But fair play to Limerick, they took their goals well and it’s young fellas that they have introduced that have shown the bottle tonight with Kevin Downes and Declan Hannon scoring those late goals. I’m very proud of our lads as well in the way they tried awful hard and wanted it badly but we just lost our way there for the last six or seven minutes and it cost us. Overall, goals win matches and Limerick took their goals well but unfortunately for us, it’s another year in Division 2 that we could have done without.”

And O’Loughlin was not about to sugar coat the loss with excuses of inexperience either.

“The guys that got the goals for Limerick were young lads and we have the same at the other side so I’m not using that as an excuse. I thought we didn’t play well in the first half and I thought in the second half we were completely transformed and for the guts of 27 or 28 mins, we took the game to Limerick for a lot of that. At times we looked sharper than Limerick and probably had a good few wides as well but we could of put them away and we probably should have and we will regret that but as I say, we will take a lot out of it but staying in Division 2 is the last thing we need really.”

It’s hard to envisage but with seven weeks to go to the Munster championship, can O’Loughlin take heart from the general improvement in performance at least?

“We will take an awful lot out of that. We need games like that and in a final such as that, you can see better speed and anyone who was at the game probably enjoyed it because there was good intensity in it. I think we just need to be playing better teams more often because that is how guys are going to come on as well. Whether that will happen now is doubtful but look, we have to take our beating tonight.

“We are licking our wounds again unfortunately but hopefully we will learn something out of it and we have to bounce back and see what the championship throws up for us.”

DÓNAL O’Grady has form. You could call in the Kevin Heffernan of the hurling world – and it’s in more ways than managing inter-county teams that is.

You see Heffo was chairman of the Labour Court in his day and maybe O’Grady has those industrial relations skills to make him confident enough to come into management set-ups with teams that have been racked with controversy and strikes before his arrival.

He became manager of Cork in 2002 – earlier that year they had gone on strike. Within two years he’d won an All-Ireland.

Last last year he became Limerick manager, after their own strike prob lems – within a few short months he’s won an national title, albeit it’s still a long way from All-Irelands.

However, this victory was a start, because as O’Grady said afterwards “when you’re in a final you want to win it”.

“Although some of these lads have been there for years, there’s a new generation of hurlers in Limerick,” added O’Grady.

“Downes got a great goal. I don’t know how he squeezed it in there and straight away after that came the big point. In a tight game, two big scores one after the other breaks the heart of the opposition.

“Once we got that goal it put fierce pressure on Clare, they had to try things up front that wouldn’t normally try and that played into the hands of our defence. We dominated from then on.

“I feel a bit sorry for Clare, and now they will spend their third year in Division Two but when you sit back to look at this match on the DVD there was nothing between the teams.

“If were were to meet again in a few days it could turn out differently. They had chances, but maybe the pressure of playing at home, maybe the pressure of looking into the chasm of Division Two again got them to tense up a bit.

“We’re pleased, from now on anything is a bonus,” said O’Grady. Coming into this I never mentioned Division Two or Division One. But everyone was aware of the Munster Championship in the background. The challenge ahead is huge. It’s like trying to climb Mount Everest when you’ve been practicing on Carrauntoohil.”

From the McGillycuddy’s Reeks to Nepal then for Limerick, but they’re are Division One hurling team as they go.

Clare must make the same journey when they face either Cork or Tipperary in the first round of the Munster Senior Championship in seven weeks time.

Mount Everest it is, the challenge is huge, but they’ll be up for it when the day arrives.

Avenue United 2 Rockmount (Cork) 0 the Fairgreen

THE LIONS Club Cup is a 32 county national competition for under 15 players. Avenue United are the Clare representatives and current holders having captured the trophy for Clare for the first time last season.

The competition is promoted by the Lions Club of Ireland to foster friendship, through football, for young people throughout Ireland North and South.

On Saturday last Avenue met Rockmount of Cork in the Fairgreen in the last eight having beaten Charleville United 3-0 away in the last 16.

Rockmount the former school boy club of Roy Keane, travelled to Ennis with high expectations and boasting a central midfield pairing, both of whom are Irish schoolboy internationals.

The game for the first 15 minutes was an even affair with a fierce battle taking place at mid field with Avenues Ross McCarthy and Cian Crimmins getting the upper hand on their more illustrious rivals. Avenue struck first blood on 15 minutes with a well worked move from mid field finished off clinically by Ross McCarthy. Avenue pressed hard looking for a second but were hit on the break five minutes from half time to make it one all.

The second half saw a fired up Avenue team begin to take control of the mid field battles and the whole team lifted their game. Their pressure was awarded when Sultan Kasali finished on his second attempt following a great save from the Rockmount keeper. Avenue wrapped up the match five minutes from time with a great individual effort from Eimhin Courtney. A great team performance by Avenue was rewarded and they go on now to meet a top of the Galway League table Salthill Devon team for a place in the May 21st final.

This game was a great show piece for schoolboy soccer in Clare and was played in a spirit of fairness and respect as promoted by the Lions club. Following the game both teams retired to the old ground for a meal and get together hosted by the Lions Club in Clare.

Avenue
Bryan Colleran, Evan McNamara, Lee O’Callaghan, James Woods, Barry Guilfoyle, Sultan Kasali, Ross McCarthy, Cian Crimmins, Rory Brennan, Eimhin Courtney and Bryan Guilfoyle.

Subs:
SeanTwoomey for Bryan Guilfoyle, Michael Moloney for Rory Brennan, Patrick Chesser for Barry Guilfoyle and Niall Keane for Evan McNamara

Unused subs:
David Egan, Conor McInerney and Ciaran O’Halloran

Managers:
SeanieWhyte and Robert McCarthy

Burren United 3 – Shannon Olympic A 2 at Shannon

BURREN UTD took three vital points off league leaders Shannon Olympic on Wednesday evening as the First Division title race comes to a close finish.

The Burren started the game all guns blazing, their first chance came after only eight minutes with Olympics ‘keeper Gary McGettrick at full stretch to save a superb volley from the Burren’s Marine Ghita. Burren piled the pressure on for the next twenty minutes which resulted in a penalty being conceded by Olympic.

Martin Mc Donagh stepped up and took the spot kick which was excellently saved by McGettrick. After this lucky escape Olympic seemed more lively with a couple of chances from Ian Hogan and Karl Scott. The Burren soaked up the pressure and dealt a major blow to Olympic with a goal in the 37th minute from Ghita giving the Burren a well deserved lead at the break.

The first thirty minutes of the second half saw the Burren putting more pressure on Olympics defense. Burren were rewarded for all their hard work in the 77th minute when Enda Coughlan headed home giving the away side a two goal advantage. The fatal blow was dealt by the Burren in the 79th minute when Martin Mc Donagh atoned for his penalty miss by scoring Burren’s third goal.

With the game looking dead and buried Olympic came out of their shell with substitute Alan Casey making some probing runs down the left side. Olympic played without fear for the next ten minutes with Mick O’Connell and Karl Scott scoring, bringing the game back to 3-2.

Olympic pushed for an equaliser in the final five minutes but the Burren defense stood tall and they held out for a well deserved 3-2 win, earning three huge points in the race for promotion to the Premier Division.

Shannon Olympic
Gary McGettrick, Mick O’Connell, James Fitzgerald, Karl Fogarty, Ian Hogan, Jimmy Houlihan, Donncadh Kelly, Ray Quigley,Wayne Regan, Karl Scott, Jay Regan.

Subs
Alan Casey, Greg Keane, Michael Byrnes, David Kearns.

Burren Utd
Craig Flanagan, Enda Coughlan, Mickey Keating, John Mc Donagh, Ian Mc Inerney, EvanTalty, Patrick Darcy, Marine Ghita, Danny Burke, Martin Mc Donagh, Mark Mc Carthy.

Subs
John Mc Cormack, Martin Garrihy, Eric Murrihy, LiamKeane.

Crusheen 1-17 Wolfe Tones 2-13 at Shannon

IT WAS the sort of performance befitting county champions. The innate ability to dig out a result while not firing on all cylinders and while it was cruel on a luckless Wolfe Tones who were determined to bounce back from their sizeable defeat to Sixmilebridge last time out, a late rally ensured that Crusheen maintained their perfect start to the competitive season.

Four points down with only ten minutes remaining, the visitors had to use all of their experience to claw out the victory with Gerry O’Grady grabbing the decisive goal to inspire further scores from Paddy and Joe Meaney.

All this after Wolfe Tones had led for the majority, with a Garret McPhillips goal spurring them to a 19 to 0-8 half-time advantage. A second goal from Paul Walsh appeared to have the Shannon side on the road to their first victory of the campaign and with just over ten minutes left, they led by 2-11 to 0-13.

O’Grady’s goal sparked the Crusheen recovery however, Paddy Meaney followed up with the equalising score and gathering momentum, Joe Meaney put Crusheen ahead with only minutes remaining. Daithi O’Connell attempted to stop the rot with a levelling point but by now, Crusheen had the bit between their teeth and two frees from Joe Meaney set up the win, with a late Barry Loughnane point merely a consolation as the 2009 finalists remain on course for a semi-final spot.

Crusheen
Donal Tuohy, John Brigdale, Cronan

Dillon,Alan Brigdale, Ciaran O’Doherty, Cian Dillon, Cathal Dillon,Tony Meaney (0-2), Pat Vaughan (0-7), Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-1), Joe Meaney (0-4), Gerry O’Grady (1-0), Fergus Kennedy, Shaun Dillon, Gearoid O’Donnell (0-1)

Subs
Paddy Meaney for Kennedy,AlanTuohy for Dillon (inj), Conor O’Donnell for A. Brigdale

Wolfe Tones
Paul Hogan, John Coen, Joe Mc Gauley, Niall Murphy, Shane Chambers, Bobby McPhillips (0-2f), Barry Loughnane (0-1), Stephen McInerney, Daithi O’Connell (0-2), Brendan Hughes, Declan O’Rourke (0-2), Kevin McCafferty, Alan Hehir (0-1), Garret Mc Phillips (1-5), Paul Walsh (1-0)

Subs
Richie Lillis for McCafferty, Daniel Gallery for Walsh

Referee
JimHickey (Cratloe)

Inagh/Kilnamona 0-15 Clarecastle 0-12 at Inagh

A SUPERIOR finish was enough to earn the home side all the points in a game that seemed destined for a draw for long periods. With both sides needing to bounce back after defeats last time out, it was always going to be a battle to the finish and so it proved as the sides were level on eight occasions over the hour before Inagh/Kilnamona broke away to snatch victory.

Indeed, it was the home side’s strong finish in both halves that earned them a much needed win. Tyrone Kearse and Jonathan Clancy were instrumental in Clarecastle holding a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage by the 23rd minute but they would go in trailing by the break after a brace of Niall Arthur points and a monster free from goalkeeper Patrick Kelly.

The second half continued in the same vein with Aaron Considine gaining parity immediately after the break before Kearse and Kelly would cancel each other out with a brace of frees apiece.

The Magpies lost centre-back Patrick Kelly to injury but still had enough opportunities to pull clear but only Aaron Considine would add to their tally before the home side’s strong finish. Again it was the supply from the half-back line that catapulted Inagh/Kilnamona to victory. Two Arthur placed balls and two from play from Tomas Kelly and Conor Tierney in response to two Kearse pointed frees steered the home side to their second win of the campaign while the Magpies were resigned to successive defeats for the first time in 12 months.

Clarecastle
Donnagh Murphy, Seanie Moloney, Conor Plunkett, Mark McNamara, Kevin Clohessy, Patrick Kelly (0-1f), Stephen O’Halloran, Fearghus Ryan, Eric Flynn, Derek Quinn, Kieran O’Dwyer, Jonathon Clancy (0-2),Aaron Considine (0-2), Darragh Moloney,Tyrone Kearse (0-7 6f, 1’65)

Subs
Ollie Plunkett for McNamara (HT), Garrett Barry for Kelly (40 mins), Fergal Griffin for Moloney (57 mins)

Inagh/ Killnamona
Patrick Kelly (0-3f), Milo Keane, Brian Glynn, Dermot Lynch, Damien Lafferty, Eamon Glynn, Ronan O’Looney, Colm Pilkington,Tomás Kelly (0-1), Niall Arthur (0-8 4f, 1’65) Cathal Lafferty (0-1), Dermot Gannon, StephenToomey, Gerry Arthur (0-1), Conor Tierney (0-1)

Subs
David Hegarty for Pilkington (40 mins), Eoin Vaughan for C. Lafferty (45 mins), Shane Griffin for Gannon (45 mins), Sean McConigley for Toomey (53 mins) Gary Lafferty for Keane

Referee
Ger Lyons (Ruan)

Clooney/Quin 1-18 Whitegate 2-07 at Whitegate

SURPRISINGLY straightforward for Clooney/Quin who expected a battle but came away from fortress Whitegate with all two points intact with little fuss. That said, it could also be seen as a pyrrhic victory of sorts as the two points came at a cost of five injuries to Cillian Duggan, Conor Harrison, Derek Ryan, Mike Daffy and Joe O’Loughlin and only weeks away from the championship, it is worrying for Clooney/Quin.

On the scoreboard, they had little problems though, opening up an early five point lead, with Mike NcNamara grabbing three of those. When Whitegate did finally open their account, Clooney/Quin simply upped the ante once more with another four point burst and repeated the dose once more after Whitegate’s second point in the 19th minute to hold a 014 to 0-02 interval advantage.

Whitegate were better after the break but still made hard work of splitting the posts. Substitute Ruairi McNamara cancelled out Whitegate’s hard earned points with a goal in the 56th minute but there were consolation goals from Ian Fahy and an Andrew Fahey penalty to cushion the blow of Whitegate’s defeat as Clooney/Quin secured their first win of the competition.

Clooney/ Quin
Damien O’Halloran, Joe O’Loughlin, Conor Harrison, Shane McNamara, Derek Ryan, Cillian Duggan, Enda Harrison, Sean Conheady, Padraig Ward, Ronan Gallagher, Mike McNamara, Cathal Egan, Martin Duggan, Fergal Lynch, Mike Daffy

Subs
Tony McMahon for O’Loughlin (inj), John Earls for C. Duggan (inj), Brian McInerney for Ryan (inj), SeanWard for Daffy (inj), Ruairi McNamara for C. Harrison (inj)

Whitegate
AndrewFahey, Cathal Mulvihill, John Bugler, John Minogue, Jason Malone, Brendan Bugler, Christy Jones, Shane O’Rourke, George Waterstone, Stephen Malone, Ian Fahy, Michael O’Brien, Niall Hayes,Terence Fahy, Eric Minogue

Subs
Tomas McNamara for Hayes, Eoin Quirke for O’Rourke,Trevor Kelly for T. Fahy, Gary McClearn

Referee
Johnny Healy (Smith O’Briens)

Tulla 1-15 Sixmilebridge 0-10 at Tulla

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Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-13 Kilrush Shamrocks 0-8 at Michael Tubridy Park, Kilrush

KILMURRY Ibrickane are sitting pretty at the summit of affairs in the Cusack Cup after a Bank Holiday Monday victory that’s every bit as convincing as the double scores result reads.

They brushed aside the disappointing Shams challenge, largely on the back of hugely impressive starts to both halves when they blitzed the home side with a flurry of scores, while holding conceding very little at the back.

They led 1-4 to no score inside the first 22 minutes, a fast start that all but decided the destination of the two points and secured Kilmurry their third win from four starts and maintained their unbeaten start to the 2011 league season.

Ian McInerney showed the way with two early frees before Kilmurry put themselves in pole position thanks to a well-worked goal that was finished to the net by Enda Coughlan in the 15th minute.

Still, there was no respite for the Shams and no let up by a rampant Kilmurry side as man of the match Shane Hickey made his first impression on the scoreboard with a point in the 19th minute before young gun Thomas Lernihan added another three minutes later.

It was until Kilrush started to make changes that their fortunes lifted somewhat, with substitute Darragh Bolton getting his side off the mark five minutes before half time with a point from play, one that was followed up by a Stephen Sweeney effort a minute later.

However, Ian McInerney finished the half as he started it with another pointed free to give his side a 1-5 to 0-2 interval lead – a six-point advantage that was a portent of things to come as the 2008 champions really turned the screw in the opening stages of the second half.

A six-point deficit wasn’t insurmountable for the Shams, but a 12point deficit most certainly was. That’s the margin that separates the sides approaching the last ten minutes of play as Kilmurry reeled off six points in-a-row to move 1-11 to 0-2 clear.

It was hugely impressive stuff – Enda Coughlan (2), Thomas Lernihan, Evan Talty and Peter O’Dwyer all grabbed points from play, while Ian McInerney brought his tally for the hour to 0-4 as the Shams were pummelled into submission.

However, they plugged away in the final stages to give the scoreboard a more respectable look to it, once Peadar McMahon opened their account for the half with a pointed free in the 48th minute.

Jim Young pegged another back in the 50th minute before Enda Coughlan landed his third point from play a minute latter. All that was left was for Peadar McMahon to finish the game with a mini-flourish of four points in seven minutes, while Shane Hickey rounded off his impressive display with a second point from right-halfback.

Kilmurry Ibrickane
Peter O’Dwyer, JohnWillie Sexton, Darren Hickey, Declan Callinan, Shane Hickey (0-2), Paul O’Connor,Thomas Lernihan (0-2), Seamus Murrihy, Peter O’Dwyer (0-1), Ian McInerney (0-4f), Mark McCarthy, Seamus Lynch, Johnnie Daly, Enda Coughlan (1-3), Michael O’Dwyer.

Subs

Evan Talty (0-1) for Lynch, Niall Hickey for Michael O’Dwyer.

Kilrush Shamrocks
Tony Burke, Seamus Bolton, Cathal Lyons, Niall Gilbride, Gearóid O’Brien, Niall Clancy, Matthew Moloney, Paul Heaslip, JimYoung (0-1), Paddy Clancy, Peadar McMahon (0-5, 4f), John Hayes, Rory O’Connor, Donal O’Sullivan, Stephen Sweeney (0-1).

Subs
Darragh Bolton (0-1) for Bolton, Con O’Brien for O’Brien, Pat Joe McGrath for O’Connor.

Man of the Match
Shane Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane) Referee Michael Rock (Ennistymon)