By Seamus Hayes
A haul of eleven points from teenager Jason McCarthy steered Inagh-Kilnamona to the Clare junior A hurling championship title when they proved too strong for Clonlara at sun splashed Clarecastle on Saturday afternoon.
A goal from full forward Dermot Gannon, eleven minutes into the game gave the winners a six point lead (1-5 to 0-2) after a quarter of an hour. P_laying with the assistance of the breeze, Clonlara fought back and when the half time whistle sounded they were just three in arrears, 0-6 to 1-6.
The South East Clare side scored the first two points of the second half to move to within a point of the winners but that was as good as it got and Inasgh-Kilnamona hit back with seven unanwered points to lead by eight inside the final quarter.
Clonlara made a number of changes in an effort to get back into contention but Inagh-Kilnamona had the better balanced outfit and they held on for a merited victory n a day when Sean Mahoney, Thomas McConigley, Ronan O’Looney and Jason McCarthy impressed.
Clonlara’s best were Pauyl Collins, Barry Moloney, William Slattery and Paraic O’Loughlin.
After the game Clare GAA vice chairman Joe Cooney presented the cup to the winning captain Ciaran Devitt.
Meanwhile, Wolfe Tones are back in senior football after just a year thanks to a one point win (1-10 to 2-6) over Corofin in the replay of the intermediate football final at Hennessy park in Miltown.
The Shannon club’s dream of a second adult championship title this year ended at Gurteen when their junior B footballers suffered a one point loss (0-6 to 0-7) to Clarecastle.
Meanwhile Whitegate a step closer to completing the junior B hurling league and championship double when they defeated Broadford (2-11 to 0-12) at Bodyke. In the final they will play either Wolfe Tones or Ballyea
In the senior hurling league (Clare Champion cup), Crusheen booked a place in the semi-final when they bounced back from their championship final loss last week to record a 2-12 to 1-12 win over Sixmilebridge. In the semi-final they will play Clonlara.
