Clonlara overcome understrength Killanena

Clonlara 2-19   Killanena 1-6

THE final scoreline shows a win for Clonlara by 16 points but, for 40 minutes of their senior hurling championship game at O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge on Wednesday evening, they struggled to get the upperhand on a dogged, if very understrength, Killanena outfit.
Clonlara were just two points in front, 0-7 to 0-5, at the halfway point after playing against the breeze on a wet and dull evening. They scored the first three points of the second half in the space of three minutes but a Killanena goal from substitute Eoin McMahon had the margin back to two five minutes after the resumption of play and it looked like last year’s intermediate champions would make the hot favourites battle all the way for victory.
From when Cormac O’Donovan raced through for his side’s first goal, 13 minutes into the second half, there really was only one team in the contest. From here on the South-East Clare outfit dictated the play and had their second goal from Clare minor Cathal O’Connell, who had the simple task of tapping the ball into the net after David Noone saved from John Conlon.
Without regulars Noel Sheedy, Gerry McNamara and Mark Flaherty, who are in the US, it was always going to be difficult for Killanena. The fact that they managed just one score from play, substitute Eoin McMahon’s goal, highlights their lack of scoring power.
The win has pushed Clonlara closer to the play-offs but they will still need something from their final group game, which is against Smith O’Brien’s on Sunday week. Nicky O’Connell, Cormac O’Donovan, John Conlon and Clare minors, Shane O’Brien, Colm Galvin and Cathal O’Connell, were prominent for Clonlara. Goalkeeper David Noone, Joe Clancy, Enda Collins, Alan McNamara and Barry Noone battled hard for the Killanena but their attack struggled to make an impression on the day.

Clonlara: Ger O’Connell; Shane O’Brien, John Moloney, Senan Nihill; Nicky O’Connell, Paul Nihill, Pat O’Hare; Cormac O’Donovan, Neil Ryan; Colm Galvin, Tomás O’Donovan, Tommy Lynch; John Conlon, Donal Madden, Cathal O’Connell.
Subs: James Hastings for Madden (45 minutes) and Paul Collins for S Nihill (50 minutes).
Scorers: Cormac O’Donovan (1-3), John Conlon (0-5, 4f), Cathal O’Connell (1-0), Neil Ryan, Colm Galvin and Tommy Lynch (0-2 each), Donal Madden, Tomás O’Donovan, Pat O’Hare, Paul Nihill (free) and Nicky O’Connell (f), 0-1 each.
Frees for: 8; wides: 16; ’65s: 1
Bookings: Tomás O’Donovan (30 minutes) and Paul Nihill (51 minutes).
“We made basic mistakes in the first half and our first touch was poor. Weather conditions were bad. Things went well in the second half and we got some great scores.” Tony O’Sullivan, Clonlara

Killanena: David Noone; Barry Noone, Joe Clancy, Pat Noone; Shane Moroney, John O’Mara, Alan McNamara; Mikey Noone, Enda Collins; Martin Glynn, Fintan McNamara, Declan Noonan; Colin McNamara, David McNamara, Padraig Brady.
Subs: Eoin McMahon for Brady (20 minutes), Stephen McMahon for D Noonan (44 minutes) and John O’Brien for Glynn (48 minutes).
Scorers: David McNamara (0-6, all frees) and Eoin McMahon (1-0).
Frees for: 13; Wides: 4
Bookings: Joe Clancy (7 minutes), Barry Noone (30 minutes), Alan McNamara (53 minutes) and Shane Moroney (56 minutes).
Sent off: Stephen McMahon (59 minutes).
“They opened us up big time in the second half and piled on the scores. We had done reasonably well up to when they got their first goal. Our lads gave as best as they could and that’s all we can ask.” Colman Houlihan, Killanena

Referee: Kevin Walsh, Wolfe Tones.