Clarecastle storm into Division 3 final

Clarecastle 1-25   Newmarket 1-11

A strong first-half performance proved decisive as Clarecastle overcame Newmarket in their Division 3 Hurling League semi-final at Gurteen on Saturday.

Playing with the aid of the wind, the Magpies ran up a tally of 0-19 and Newmarket were unable to match that in the second period.

Seven players got on the scoresheet for the winners, with Pakie Healy leading the way with 0-8 while Andrew Page and Gareth Barry each hit four points.

Liam Clancy was Clarecastle’s goalscorer on the day.

Clarecastle: John Casey; Dylan Broderick, Conor Clancy, Kieran Lynch; Joe Barry, John Reidy, Patrick Casey; Gareth Barry, Conor Galvin; Pakie Healy, Andrew Page, Aaron Considine; Mark Foley, David Greene, John Pyne.
Subs: Brian Russell, Kieran Tuohy for Lynch, Aaron Greene for Pyne, Pajo Dolan and Pa Tuohy.
Newmarket: Ian Mulcahy; Patrick McCormack, Eoin McInerney, Seamus Meehan; Martin Frawley, Jim McInerney, Alan McInerney; Noel Frawley, Frank Melody; Liam Clancy, Paul McInerney, Tommy Griffin; Neil Ryan, Stephen Kelly, Oisín Pender.

Cratloe 2-19   Kilmaley 0-23

Extra time was required to produce a winner in the semi-final played at Clarecastle on Saturday. The sides have met on a couple of occasions this season and little has separated them. They will meet again next week in the opening round of the Junior A Championship.

At the end of normal time last week it was 1-15 to 0-18, Cratloe’s goal having come in the very first minute from substitute David O’Brien.

David Collins, the winner’s top scorer, scored their second goal in the second half of extra time and this proved to be the decisive score.

Cratloe: Colin O’Kelly; Joe Conroy, Pádraig Chaplin, Aaron Gaule; Sean Ryan, Kevin Browne, Jack McCourt; David Collins, Jamie Arthur; David O’Gorman, Barry Gleeson, Dean De Loughrey; Tomás Ryan, Fergal Carroll, David O’Brien.
Subs: John L Boyce for O’Brien and Fintan Ward for Carroll.
Kilmaley: Bryan O’Loughlin; Darragh McMahon, Shane Lynch, Kevin McNamara; Brian Colleran, John Clohessy, Sean Hehir; Stephen McNamara, Gerry Commane; Eamonn Bracken, Declan Clancy, Pat Sexton; Eoin O’Malley, David Cleary, Darragh Gregan.
Subs: Conal O’Friel for Colleran, Seamus Hurley for Gregan and Barry Lynch for Commane.