Deserved victory for the Mills

THERE were comprehensive wins for Ballyea and Smith O’Brien’s in the opening round of the U-21B Hurling Championship on St Patrick’s Day.
Neighbours, O’Callaghan’s Mills and Broadford, who have joined forces to take part at A level, had mixed luck in the B title race. The Mills had a one-point win over Clarecastle while Broadford went down by two points to Corofin.
St Joseph’s came from behind to beat Ruan-Banner, while neighbours Clooney-Quin and Crusheen shared the spoils and must meet again to determine who will go through to play Corofin.

O’Callaghan’s Mills 3-11
Clarecastle 4-7

OVER the 60 minutes, O’Callaghan’s Mills were the better-balanced side and deserved to win this tie but it nearly didn’t turn out that way.
Leading by seven points with as many minutes remaining, they looked set to win comfortably.
An Aaron Considine point from a 30m free reduced the lead to six with three minutes to go. Then a Considine free rebounded off the post and David Greene managed to find the net. Considine missed from a scoreable free a minute later but the Magpies were piling on the pressure and drew level when a Conor O’Gorman effort from a 65’ somehow found its way to the net in the 60th minute.
From the resumption of play, the Mills won possession and went on the attack, James McMahon won possession and headed for goal chased by Clarecastle full-back, Eamonn O’Connor. As McMahon attempted to get in his shot, he was hooked by O’Connor but referee Damian Fox, much to the surprise of many, saw it differently and he awarded a 20m free to the Mills. He also issued a yellow card to the Clarecastle full-back.
The talking points didn’t end there as, over a minute into injury time, O’Donovan tried for a goal only to have his effort saved at the expense of a 65’, which he cooly converted for the winning score.
Clarecastle made the better start and dominated the opening quarter scoring three points from Aaron Considine and a goal from Conor O’Gorman to lead 1-3 to 0-0.
The game was 18 minutes old before the Mills had their first score, a point from Eoin McInerney. They improved with each play from here to the break when the score stood at 1-4 to 0-5 in Clarecastle’s favour.
Five minutes into the second half, Colm McHugh goaled for the winners and another major from Eoin McInerney left them 2-7 to 1-6 in front at the three-quarter stage. They had extended their lead to six points when, with 10 minutes to play, Clarecastle had a lucky goal from John Reidy after Henry Skehan in the Mills’ goal had made a fine save from Stephen O’Halloran. Within a minute, the Mills had restored their six-point advantage with a fine James McMahon goal.

O’Callaghan’s Mills: Henry Skehan; Sean O’Gorman, Gerry Cooney, Michael McGrath; Aidan Fawl, Adrian Donovan (0-4, 2f, 265s); Darren Cooney; Kevin O’Callaghan, Eoin McInerney (0-2), Eoin McGrath, James McMahon (1-0), Colm McHugh (1-1); Aidan O’Gorman (0-1), Ian Donnellan (1-0), Jamie Lynch (0-3, 2f).
Clarecastle: Jamie Coughlan; Gearóid Ryan, Eamonn O’Connor, Austin Guckian; Cormac Donnellan, Stephen O’Halloran, Fergus Ryan; Patrick Casey (0-1), John Reidy (1-0); Mark Foley, David Green (1-0), Conor O’Gorman (2-0); Seanie Dilger, Aaron Considine (0-6, 4f), Michael Casey.
Subs: Gary Porter for P Casey; James McAllister for Foley.
Referee: Damian Fox, Wolfe Tones.

Corofin 0-15
Broadford 1-10

PLAYING with the aid of the breeze in the first half, Corofin led at half-time on a score of 0-10 to 1-2 and while Broadford fought back in the second half, they were never able to get on terms They weren’t helped by the fact that they had 15 wides.
Free-taker Stephen Heagney contributed 0-9 for the winners and some of these were from frees from difficult angles. Kevin Heagney and Killian O’Loughlin each scored three points while the majority of Broadford’s points came from Pauric Taylor and Cathal Chaplin.

Corofin: Patrick Burke; Keith O’Loughlin, Eoin Malone, Ian Corbett; Darren Malone, Luke O’Loughlin, Willie Neylon; Fionn Clancy, Stephen Heagney (0-9); Gearóid Kelly, Jamie Malone, Declan Stack; Kevin Heagney (0-3), Eamonn Malone, Killian O’Loughlin (0-3).
Sub: Manus Malone for F Clancy.
Broadford: Danny Reddan; Jack Kelleher, Kieran O’Connell, Brian Taylor; Stephen Mahon, Cathal Chaplin (0-3), Owen O’Brien; Mark Moloney, Michael McInerney (0-1); Cian O’Brien (1-0), Alan Mahon. Donie Whelan; Kieran Casey, Pauric Taylor (0-6), Niall Moloney.
Subs: Craig Shanahan for B Taylor (inj); John McNamara for K Casey.

Ballyea 3-16
Wolfe Tones 1-7

BALLYEA turned in an impressive performance when dethroning the U-21B champions Wolfe Tones at Sixmilebridge on St Patrick’s Day.
Tony Kelly turned in another impressive performance as his tally of 2-10 highlights.
Kelly and fellow county minor panelists Aaron Cunningham exchanged points in the opening minutes. By the end of the opening quarter, the winners were four clear, helped by a goal from Niall Deasy.
A goal from a free by Kelly helped the winners to open a nine-point advantage as half-time approached. In the closing minutes of the half, the Shannon side hit three good points to keep their hopes of progressing alive.
In the second half, the Shannon side were forced to move Cunningham to defence in an effort to curb the Ballyea attack and this weakened their forward line.
A Daniel Gallery goal kept the Shannon side’s hopes alive but Kelly hit back with a like score to put the winners 12 clear.
In addition to Kelly, the winners had impressive displays from Paul Flanagan, Gearóid O’Connell, Cathal Doohan, Jack Browne and Niall Deasy while Cunningham received most support from Daniel Gallery, Stephen Simmonds and Peter Russell.

Ballyea: Shane Harkins, Eanna McInerney, David Sheehan, Jack Browne, Joe Neylon, Gearóid O’Connell, James Murphy, Brian Murphy, Tony Kelly (2-10), Cathal Doohan (0-2), Paul Flanagan (0-1), Niall Deasy (1-1), Niall Griffin (0-1), Paudge McMahon, Declan Keane (0-1).
Subs: Eoghan Donnellan for Sheehan (inj), Martin Quigley for Griffin.
Wolfe Tones: Peter Russell, Niall Murphy, Gary Whelan, Aaron Leahy, David Ryan, Stephen McInerney, Stephen Simmonds (0-1), John Guilfoyle, Kevin McCafferty, Russell Lagan, Daniel Gallery (1-2), Sean Brennan, Martin O’Connell, Aaron Cunningham (0-4), Darren Lynch.
Subs: Aidan McMahon for Lynch, Craig O’Brien for Ryan, Shane O Connor for Brennan.
Referee: John Healy (Smith O’Brien’s).

Smith O’Brien’s 3-17
Scariff-Ogonnelloe 0-4

SMITH O’Brien’s were convincing winners over neighbours Scariff-Ogonnelloe in this first-round tie at Bodyke. Helped by a goal from Mark Stritch, they were 1-8 to 0-3 in front at half-time and continued to hold the upperhand in the second half when they added further goals from Micheal Ryan and substitute Noel McInerney.

Smith O’Brien’s: Jason Monaghan; Cian Nolan, Mark McInerney, Alan Lyons; Noel Howard, Mark Stritch, Kevin McEvoy; David Gough, Micheal Ryan; Ben Hynes, Dean Sinnott, Kevin Walsh; Cian Moloney, Barry Power, Mark O’Halloran.
Subs: Noel McInerney, Mark McNamara, Luke Hession and Christopher Monaghan.
Scariff-Ogonnelloe: Michael O’Brien; Kevin McMahon, Liam Bugler, Jamie Cunnane; Cathal Madden, Diarmuid Nash, Conor Minogue; Brian Corry, Matthew Horan; Mark Mulvihill, Eoghan Collins, Paul Healy; Rory Skelly, Alan Corbett, Peter English.
Subs: Cormac Bane, John Bugler, Darren Nugent, Enda Nugent.

St Joseph’s 0-17
Banner-Ruan 1-11

A QUARTER-final spot did not seem likely for St Joseph’s when they trailed Banner-Ruan by eight points at half-time at Corofin.
Adrian Talty scored the goal that helped Banner-Ruan to a 1-8 to 0-3 half-time lead.
With the help of a number of changes, positional and in personnel, the physically stronger St Joseph’s got the upperhand in the second half which they dominated, scoring 0-14 while conceding just three. They will now play Smith O’Brien’s in a quarter-final tie this week.

St Joseph’s: Mikey Roseingrave; Jonathon Casey, Stephen Collins, Darragh Murphy; Liam Clohessy, Alan O’Neill, Eamonn Clohessy; Leo Duggan, Niall De Loughrey; Jarlath Colleran, Donal Fanning, Aaron Landy; Barry Millane, Shane O’Connor, Ian Lyons;.
Subs: Niall Hassett for Casey; Niall Collins for Landy; Cathal Duggan for Fanning.
Banner-Ruan: Colin Burke; Danny Lynch, Damian Corry, Fiachra Hayes; Adrian Corry, Aidan Lynch, Damian McDonald; Killian Ryan, Eoin Hanrahan; Robbie O’Loughlin, Jason Curtin, Sean Cullinan; Adrian Talty, Alan Bell, Brendan Lyons.
Subs: Brian Roughan for D Lynch; Ciarán O’Leary for Curtin.

Clooney-Quin 1-9
Crusheen 1-9

FROM the outset, it was believed there would be little between these neighbouring sides, which is how it transpired.
Crusheen had marginally the better of the first-half exchanges in the match played at Éire Óg.
Helped by a goal from Conor O’Donnell who punished a defensive blunder by Clooney-Quinn, Crusheen led at the break on a score of 1-7 to 0-6.
Early in the final quarter, Clooney-Quin struck for a Peter Duggan goal from a 25m free and from here to the end, it was tit for tat.
A draw was a fair result on the day and they will have to do it all again to decide who will advance to meet Corofin in the quarter-final.
The loss of Fergus Kennedy to a leg injury didn’t help Crusheen and his chances of playing in the next few weeks are considered slim.

Clooney-Quin: Keith Hogan; Brian McInerney, Brian Clune, Ronan McMahon; Niall McMahon, Ruairi McNamara, David Kennedy; Dara Hannon, Dave Barry; Conor Cunningham, Ryan O’Neill, Niall Hehir; Jason Ryan, Peter Duggan, Joe Clune.
Subs: Gary Hogan for Cunningham; Shane Duggan for Kennedy.
Crusheen: Briain Dillon; Jason Daffy, Conor Hayes, Rory Halpin; Jason Greene, Conor O’Loughlin, Dara O’Doherty; Paraic O’Malley, Edward Fogarty; Sean Weir, Jamie Fitzgibbon, Fergus Kennedy; Ethan O’Donnell, Conor O’Donnell, Anthony Rodgers.
Sub: Youen Horner for Kennedy (inj).

 

 

TUBBER booked a place in the last eight when they accounted for the Tulla-Bodyke combination at Gurteen on Sunday.
A goal from a 20m free by goalkeeper Ronan Taaffe just before the half-time whistle helped them to lead by six at the break. The score was 1-9 to 1-3, the loser’s goal coming from Tomas McMahon.
The East Clare combination tried hard to get back into contention in the second period but some great scores from Patrick O’Connor ensured Tubber stayed ahead. Tulla-Bodyke’s second goal came from substitute Cathal Bolton shortly before the full-time whistle.
As a result of this victory, Tubber will now face Ballyea in the quarter-final.

Tubber: Ronan Taaffe; Paddy O’Connor, Paul Fogarty, Philip O’Connor; Sean Brosnan, Patrick O’Connor, Sean Naughton; Nigel O’Donoghue, Fergal O’Grady; Cathal Murray, Conor Clancy, Evan O’Donoghue; Kevin Fawl, Darragh O’Connor, Neil O’Loughlin.
Tulla-Bodyke: Alan Leamy; Gavin Moroney, Owen Halpin, John Fahy; Manus Maguire, Darragh Corry, Sean McGrath; Donnacda McNamara, David McInerney; Colm Halpin, Trevor Vaughan, Owen Molloy; John Fitzgerald, Danny Maguire, Tomas McMahon.
Subs: Cathal Bolton for C Halpin; Cormac Lynch for Molloy.