11 points for Kelly as Ballyea reach final

Ballyea 1-13   Clonlara 0-12

IN close contests, goals more often than not prove the difference and this was the case at O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge on Friday evening, when Ballyea accounted for Clonlara in the semi-final of the U-21A Hurling Championship.
There was little between the sides in the opening half and just a point separated them at the half-time whistle. They had each added a point to their tally in the early minutes of the second half before Ballyea made the vital breakthrough.
A James Murphy delivery caused problems for Clonlara and Niall Deasy pounced for the game’s only goal. It put his side four points clear and gave them an edge they held to the finish.
The sides had swapped points three times in the opening quarter with the respective freetakers, Tony Kelly (Ballyea) and Cathal O’Connell, key members in the Clare minor team last year, on target.
By the time the half-time whistle sounded, Ballyea had edged a point clear, 0-6 to 0-5, with Kelly and O’Connell accounting for all but a point of their tallies.
They exchanged points again in the early minutes of the second half, before Deasy’s goal helped his side to go four clear, 1-7 to 0-6. The margin was still four, 1-9 to 0-8, at the three-quarter stage.
O’Connell and Colm Galvin then had points for the South-East Clare side to close the gap but a strong finish from Ballyea led to points for the winners from Tony Kelly to secure their place in the final.
Tony Kelly again excelled for the winners and contributed 0-11 of their total, five coming in the opening half.
Cathal O’Connell, younger brother of Clare senior Nicky, hit 0-7 of Clonlara’s total.
As Ballyea prepare for a final date with either Sixmilebridge or Kilmaley, there will be concern about the fitness of Declan Keane, Jack Browne and Eoin Donnellan, all of whom were forced to retire because of injury in the semi-final. In addition, Martin O’Leary missed the semi-final due to injury.

Ballyea: Shane Harkin; Declan Keane, Paul Flanagan, Cormac Ryan; Jack Browne, Cathal Doohan, David Sheehan; Tony Kelly (0-11), Stan Lineen; Gearóid O’Connell (0-1), Brian Murphy (0-1), Mark Coughlan; Eoin Donnellan, Niall Deasy (1-0), James Murphy.
Subs: Tadhg Lynch for Keane, Niall Griffin for Browne, Joe Nealon for Donnellan and Eanna McInerney for Lynch.
Clonlara: Patrick Stritch; Eoin Meehan, Shane O’Brien, Michael White; Ronan Carey (0-1), Cillian Fennessy, Paul Barry; Colm Galvin (0-3), Micheál O’Loughlin; Oisin O’Brien, Tomas Begley, Ciarán Downey (0-1); James Hastings, Cathal O’Connell (0-7), Ryan Morris.
Sub: Ger Powell for Morris.

Kilmaley 2-17   Newmarket 3-12

FOR the third time in recent weeks, Kilmaley and Newmarket produced another evenly matched contest in the U-21A Hurling Championship before Kilmaley squeezed through to a semi-final date against Sixmilebridge.
The fact that the game went to extra time was not a surprise, as these two sets of players have required replays and extra time in most of their meetings over the years.
A point separated them in the minor A semi-final three years ago and that winning score came in the last minute of extra time in a replay.
When they qualified to meet in the U-21A quarter-final, a close contest was expected and so it proved. Their first meeting ended in a 1-9 (Kilmaley) to 0-12 draw. When they met in the replay, they were level at 0-15 each at the end of normal time. This led to extra time and they were still locked together, 0-17 each, at the end of the first period. It was 0-21 (Kilmaley) to 1-18 after extra time.
The second replay went ahead on Friday and here again, it was tit for tat, with the lead changing hands. At the end of normal time it was 1-14 (Kilmaley) to 3-8, leading to yet another period of extra time. This time Kilmaley, as they had done at minor level, edged it.
A brace of goals from Tommy Griffin helped Newmarket to a two-point lead, 2-5 to 1-6, at half-time in this latest meeting. Kilmaley’s goal came from Aidan McGuane.
Points from Michael O’Neill, John Cabey and Conor Cleary helped Kilmaley to level in the second period. Kilmaley had a chance to snatch victory but John Cabey’s free drifted wide of the target.
The first period of extra time continued in the same vein, with the teams trading points. The crucial score came in the second period when Daire Keane, despite struggling with a hand injury picked up in the drawn tie the previous week, got through for his side’s second goal.
Newmarket hit back with a point but they never recovered from the blow and Kilmaley held on for victory.

Kilmaley: Bryan O’Loughlin; Darragh McMahon, Martin O’Connor, Stephen Griffey; Kevin McNamara, Colin McGuane, Enda Finnucane; Eoin Enright, Niall McGuane; Daire Keane, Conor Cleary, John Cabey; Killian McNamara, Michael O’Neill, Aidan McGuane.
Subs: Paul Kennedy for A McGuane, Dara Gregan for Killian McNamara and McNamara for Gregan.
Newmarket: Niall Woods; Paudie Hayes, Sean O’Connor, Evan Keogh; Alan McInerney, Darren O’Connor, James Warren; Colm McCaul, Frank Melody; Niall O’Connor, Shane Liddy, Niall Garry; Tommy Griffin, Liam Clancy, Ian Cusack.
Subs: Donogh Keogh for Garry, Shane McDermott for McCaul, Oisín Pender for Cusack and David Liddy for Melody (inj).