Aaron dashes dad’s final dream

Clare 2-14   Offaly 0-19

In the lead up to this Division 1B Hurling League tie at O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Sunday, there were suggestions that Clare weren’t too concerned about winning the game.
After all, they were already assured of a place in the Division 1B final and win, lose or draw wasn’t going to change that. The result, however, could influence who their opponents in the final would be.
Those who supported the view that Clare might prefer to lose the game had their belief strengthened when a team was named that did not include Pat Donnellan (captain), Nicky O’Connell, Conor McGrath, Cian Dillon, Brendan Bugler, Conor Cooney or John Conlon.
If Clare had ideas about not winning this tie, then the players who were named for duty weren’t told. Two points behind with time ticking away, they refused to give in and were rewarded when Cathal Chaplin goaled a minute from the end of normal time.
The winning point came from young Aaron Cunningham and it’s a score that earned him bragging rights in the Cunningham household this week. His father Alan is the Offaly coach this year.
This won’t be remembered as a great game but for the Clare management team it provided an opportunity to see players in action that hadn’t got much game time in the league to date.
Patrick Kelly (Clarecastle), Cathal Chaplin, Aaron Cunningham, Colm Galvin and Liam Markham all started their first league game of the campaign and this tie highlighted the determination of players to be retained in the squad for the season.
Clare made the better start and was 0-3 to 0-1 in front by the sixth minute. The first major talking point came two minutes later when full-forward and captain for the day, Fergal Lynch, was sent off following an off-the-ball incident with the Offaly captain David Kenny. Referee John Sexton consulted with his umpires before producing a red card for the Clooney-Quin man.
Clare should have been dealt a further blow a minute later when Conor Mahon broke through but with only goalkeeper Donal Tuohy to beat, he shot wide of the target. The sides exchanged points on four occasions in the next 15 minutes before Clare hit three-in-a-row to go into a five-point lead, 0-10 to 0-5 as half-time approached.
A brace of Shane Dooley points from frees narrowed the margin to three and it could have been closer but Patrick Kelly made a timely interception when the home side looked like they might get in for a goal. At the end of the half it was 0-10 to 0-7 in Clare’s favour and it’s worth noting that it was the visitors who looked like they had the extra man in that first half.
Clare resumed with Stephen O’Halloran at wing-back, releasing Enda Barrett for duty at wing-forward in place of Caimin Morey while Bryan Donnellan came in at midfield for Colm Galvin.
There clearly was more urgency in Offaly’s play after the break and after the teams had exchanged points, three pointed frees by Shane Dooley had the sides level (0-11 each) seven minutes into the half. They took the lead for the first time five minutes later through substitute Colin Egan but at the mid point of the half, Clare were back in front after Bryan Donnellan crashed the ball to the corner of the net.
The midlanders fought back again and after Dooley levelled from a free, they went back in front through Joe Bergin before they were awarded a penalty that Dooley, to the surprise of many, opted to tap over the bar with eight minutes remaining.
Eight minutes still remained in the game and seven of these elapsed before the next score that proved crucial. It fell to the visitors and to Cathal Chaplin who fired home Clare’s second goal. substitute Cathal Parlon responded with an Offaly point to level matters but the final score fell to Aaron Cunningham which sealed a one point win for Clare and sees them maintain their 100% record in this campaign.
James McInerney, at full-back, Domhnaill O’Donovan, Patrick Kelly and Enda Barrett, when he was at wing-back, were among the more prominent performers for the winners. David Kenny, Derek Morkan, when he moved to midfield, Joe Bergin and Shane Dooley did best for the home side.

Clare: Donal Tuohy; Eamonn Glynn, James McInerney, Domhnaill O’Donovan; Enda Barrett, Patrick O’Connor, Patrick Kelly; Colm Galvin, Liam Markham; Caimin Morey, Colin Ryan, Cathal Chaplin; Aaron Cunningham, Fergal Lynch, Cathal McInerney.
Subs: Bryan Donnellan for Galvin (half-time); Stephen O’Halloran for Morey (half-time); Eoin Hayes for McInerney (57 minutes).
Scorers: Colin Ryan (0-7, 6f); Bryan Donnellan, Cathal Chaplin (1-0 each); Cathal McInerney, Aaron Cunningham (0-2 each); Caimin Morey, Patrick Kelly, Liam Markham (0-1 each).
Frees for: 13   wides: 9   65s: 1
Bookings: Patrick Kelly (45 minutes); Patrick O’Connor (56 minutes); Donal Tuohy (60 minutes).
Sent off: Fergal Lynch (8 minutes).

Offaly: James Dempsey; David Franks, David Kenny, Chris McDonald; Barry Harding, Derek Morkan, James Rigney; Diarmuid Horan, Brendan Murphy; Joe Bergin, Conor Mahon, Dermot Mooney; Shane Dooley, Ger Healion, Sean Ryan.
Subs: Eanna Murphy for Mooney (28 minutes); Colin Egan for Healion (half-time); Thomas Carroll for Ryan (45 minutes); Cathal Parlon for Carroll (55 minutes).
Scorers: Shane Dooley (0-12, 9f, 1 65); Joe Bergin (0-3), Derek Morkan, Sean Ryan, Colin Egan, Cathal Parlon (0-1 each).
Frees for: 18   wides: 10   65s: 1
Bookings: Joe Bergin (45 minutes); Chris McDonald (54 minutes).

Referee: John Sexton, Cork.