Clonlara ease their way to second group win

Clonlara 2-18 Corofin 0-10

THE emphatic scoreline suggests that Clonlara won very easily. Certainly they pulled away in the second half but Corofin didn’t help themselves by shooting eight first-half wides, with the breeze at their back, in Shannon.

Clonlara 2-18 Corofin 0-10

The emphatic scoreline suggests that Clonlara won very easily. Certainly they pulled away in the second half but Corofin didn’t help themselves by shooting eight first-half wides, with the breeze at their back, in Shannon. Had Corofin’s shooting been sharper they would have been much closer to Clonlara at half-time, rather than the interval scoreline of 1-9 to 0-7 in favour of the 2008 champions.
Within two minutes of Damien Fox’s opening whistle last Saturday afternoon, William Slattery had opportunistically diverted the ball into the Corofin net. Three minutes later Donal Madden pointed from play, leaving Clonlara 1-1 to 0-0 up.
The remainder of the half was closely fought, with Corofin matching Clonlara for effort but not in front of goal.
Gerry Quinn shot three first-half Corofin points, two from frees and one from a 65, while Stephen Heagney added a brace. Just before half-time Declan Lee and Damien Ryan pointed Corofin to within five of the winners.
In the interim, Darach Honan, who left the field shortly afterwards carrying an injury, Madden, John Conlon and Cormac O’Donovan notched points for Clonlara.
There was no need to find out what the second half would bring as Clonlara resumed with the elements behind them.
Corofin mustered just three additional points from Quinn, including an excellent effort from play,  and one from Stephen Heagney.
Clonlara, meanwhile, added a further 1-9, with substitute Cathal O’Connell (Nicky O’Connell’s younger brother) burying their goal and indeed looking very sharp and wristy in his hurling. Madden, Cormac O’Donovan, Tomás O’Donovan and Conlon knocked over their nine second-half points as Clonlara eased to their second win. Earlier in the group they beat Ballyea by a point and drew with St Joseph’s.
Corofin are now out of the senior championship, having been well beaten in all three games to date.

Clonlara: Ger O’Connell; Brian Woods, Senan Nihill, Paul Collins; Diarmaid O’Meara, Domhnall O’Donovan, Pat O’Hare; Tommy Lynch, Cormac O’Donovan; John Conlon, Tomás O’Donovan, William Slattery; Darach Honan, Donal Madden, Cillian Fennessy.
Subs: Cathal O’Connell for Darach Honan (injured); John Barry for William Slattery.
Scorers: Donal Madden (0-10, 0-4f); William Slattery, Cathal O’Connell, (1-0) each; John Conlon (0-3); Cormac O’Donovan (0-2, 0-1f), Tomás O’Donovan (0-2), Darach Honan (0-1).
Wides: 6; Frees won: 11
Yellow cards: Tommy Lynch

Corofin: Kevin Raftery; Paudie Barry, Darragh Clancy, Donnacha Kelleher; Luke O’Loughlin, Gerry Quinn, Martin Tierney; Neil Killeen, Ollie O’Loughlin; Stephen Heagney, Kevin Heagney, Damien Ryan; Killian Neylon, Kieran Carkill, Eamon Malone.
Subs: Declan Lee for Eamon Malone; Diarmuid Daly for Neil Killeen; Fionn Clancy for Ollie O’Loughlin; Shane Neylon for Donnacha Kelleher; Killian O’Loughlin for Kevin Heagney.
Scorers: Gerry Quinn (0-5), (0-3f, 1 65); Stephen Heagney 0-3 (0-2f); Declan Lee, Damien Ryan (0-1) each.
Wides: 11; Frees won: 11; 65s: 1
Yellow cards: Ollie O’Loughlin, Kieran Carkill, Diarmuid Daly.