Bodyke take last quarter-final spot

Bodyke 2-10 Ennistymon 0-13

THE last of the quarter-final spots in this season’s Intermediate Hurling Championship was filled at Clareabbey on Saturday evening, when Bodyke overcame the challenge of Ennistymon.
Two excellent first-half goals from Ciarán Walsh proved decisive in the tie.
The big talking point was the decision of referee Johnnie Healy to send off Ennistymon’s Michael Organ in the thirteenth minute of the game. At the time, the North Clare men were 0-5 to 0-1 ahead and well on top in a number of positions.
They were on the attack when a melee developed about 30m from the Bodyke goal. It involved up to a dozen players from both sides. The Killaloe match official red-carded Organ and issued a yellow card to Bodyke’s Colin Molloy.
This was a major turning point in the game and Bodyke, with the help of an extra player, got a grip on proceedings after this.
Walsh struck for his goals in the 21st and 27th minutes and when the half-time whistle sounded, the East Clare men were a point in front, 2-2 to 0-7, with wind assistance to come.
To their credit, Ennistymon battled hard in the second half but being a man short proved costly.
Ciarán Walsh was his side’s top scorer with 2-3 to his credit.
The North Clare men put on fierce pressure in the closing stages and won two close-in frees but their efforts for goals were stopped on each occasion and Bodyke went through to face Clarecastle in a quarter-final tie this weekend.
In addition to Walsh, the winners had impressive performers in Seamus Ryan, Sean Doyle and Keith Quigley. For Ennistymon, Liam O’Driscoll, Brian McDonagh and Cathal Malone did well.

Bodyke: Seamus Ryan; Tomás McNamara, Caimin Treacy, Shane Walsh; Colin Molloy, Sean Doyle, Manus Maguire; Keith Quigley, PJ Kelleher; John Fitzgerald, Colm Madden, Ian Molloy; Danny Maguire, Ciaran Walsh, Cathal Minogue.
Subs: Keith O’Donnell for D Maguire and Sean McNamara for Fitzgerald.

Ennistymon: Martin Malone; Liam O’Driscoll, Kevin Scales, Michael A Devitt; Paudie Fahy, Brian McDonagh, Brian O’Driscoll; Paudie Brennan, Paudie Kelleher; Michael McDonagh, Michael Organ, Cathal Malone; Aidan Slattery, Tadhg Malone, Eoin Curtin.