Burkes inspire Whitegate to C title

 

Whitegate 3-12   Meelick 1-5

WHITEGATE were crowned U-21C hurling champions at Cusack Park on Friday evening when they had a comfortable win over Meelick.

Two goals in as many minutes, shortly before half time, proved decisive for the East Clare outfit, who led 3-6 to 1-3 at the interval after playing with the aid of the breeze on a bitterly cold evening.

The opening 20 minutes saw the sides evenly matched and were level on three occasions. From then on, however, Whitegate dominated proceedings and the pace of their forwards caused huge problems for the runners up.

The winners got off to a tremendous start with the outstanding Paddy Burke rounding his marker Bobby Sherlock and racing through to shoot to the net in the first minute.

Burke tormented the Meelick defence all evening and the South East Clare side, surprisingly, waited until late in the game before making a switch in this area.

Burke’s brother, Colin, a member of the Clare minor hurling panel, was impressive at centre-back throughout.

Meelick’s first score came from freetaker Sean O’Connor in the sixth minute and a minute later they were in front after Oisin Hickey got the final touch when Whitegate failed to clear their lines. Eoin Quirke had Whitegate level in the ninth minute before Hickey and Quirke and then Quirke and Sean O’Connor swapped points to leave the sides level, 1-3 each, after 21 minutes.

From here on it was all Whitegate and in the last nine minutes of the half they hit 2-3 without reply, the goals coming from Liam Sugrue and Reuban Noyes, to lead at the break, 3-6 to 1-3.

Defences dominated for much of the third quarter when the only scores were two Whitegate points from Tomás McNamara and Eoin Quirke.

Further points from Noyes and Paddy Burke had them 3-10 to 1-3 in front with just ten minutes to play.

In the remaining time both sides introduced a number of substitutes but Whitegate maintained the upperhand and were deservingly in front at the final whistle.

Brothers Colin and Paddy Burke were prominent throughout for the winners, as was top scorer Eoin Quirke.
Damian Moloney battled to the end for the losers, while goalie Roy Duffy made a number of good stops.

Clare GAA board vice-chairman Joe Cooney presented the trophy to the winning captain, Michael Dooley.

Whitegate: Luke Solan; Gareth Bleach, Paul O’Rourke; Tomas Hanley, Colin Burke, Michael Minogue; Conor McDermott, Michael Dooley (capt); Liam Sugrue, Eoin Quirke, Reuban Noyes; Paddy Burke, Tomás McNamara.
Subs: Luke Patterson for Noyes (50 minutes); David Durack for Sugrue (52 minutes); Dylan White for P Burke (58 minutes); John Dooley for McNamara (58 minutes); James Lucas for Quirke (59 minutes).
Scorers: Eoin Quirke (0-7, 5f); Reuban Noyes (1-2); Paddy Burke (1-1); Liam Sugrue (1-0); Conor McDermott, Tomas McNamara (0-1 each).
Meelick: Roy Duffy; Niall Mullen, Bobby Sherlock, Eoin Brewitt, Damien Moloney (capt) James Glynn; Gary Callinan, Colin Ryan; Lee Ryan, Sean O’Connor, Kieran McCArthy; Oisin Hickey, Joe McCarthy.
Subs: Daniel Moloney for K McCarthy (35 minutes); Jamie Lynch for J McCarthy (57 minutes); Daniel Rice for Hickey (57 minutes).
Scorers: Oisin Hickey (1-2); Sean O’Connor (0-2); Daniel Rice (0-1).
Referee: Martin Leahy, Ruan.