Deserving win for county champions

Doonbeg 0-12
Liscannor 0-9

THE margin between failure and success can be very thin when scoring averages are a deciding factor, as Liscannor’s experience on Saturday shows. If Alan Flaherty had converted an injury-time goal chance, the North Clare side would have preparing for a quarter-final rather than a relegation scrap.

A bit more composure in front of the posts would have helped Liscannor, while long balls into the full-forward line rarely reaped the dividend they would have hoped and in truth, Doonbeg were deserved winners in Miltown.
The county champions made a blistering start, David Tubridy pointing after just 40 seconds. In the fourth minute, he was involved in their second score, when he laid off to Kevin Nugent after an incisive run. Nugent then passed to Paul Dillon who put them two ahead.
While Liscannor took a while to settle, they were on top for quite a bit of the half. Alan McDonagh pointed in the eighth minute, getting them on the board for the first time.
While a free from Tubridy cancelled this out, points from Alan Clohessy and Niall Considine would level it, 0-3 apiece in the 12th minute. Clohessy gave Liscannor the lead for the first time, before Tubridy converted a free that was won after some great work from Pádraig Gallagher levelled it again.
McDonagh finished off a Liscannor move in the 20th minute and a free from Kieran Considine left them two ahead.
Liscannor were on top but they weren’t finding scores easy to come by. A great point from Tubridy halved Doonbeg’s arrears, while Alan Clohessy and Shane Ryan traded points towards the end of the half leaving Liscannor ahead at the break, 0-6 to 0-7.
With the wind at their back for the second 30 minutes, Liscannor were in a great position but they didn’t make great use of it.
They dominated the first few minutes after the restart and monopolised possession but they made no proper use of it, recording five wides in the first four and a half minutes. Then, against the run of play, towering midfielder Colm Dillon pointed for Doonbeg, levelling it up again, 0-7 each.
In the 10th minute, Doonbeg were back in front though Dillon and Shane Ryan put two points between the sides in the 13th.
Frank O’Dea got on the scoresheet, while Tubridy showed great footwork before pointing in the 16th minute, leaving the gap at 0-11 to 0-7. The game was nearly put out of Liscannor’s reach in the 20th minute but Shane Ryan failed to convert a great goal chance, following good work from Tubridy.
Liscannor were continuing to waste chances and actually had nine wides in the second half before they finally raised a white flag. When it did come, it was a good score from distance by Niall Considine in the 23rd minute.
Tubridy replied in the 24th minute before Alan Clohessy had the last point for the losers.
Liscannor had the late chance, when Alan Flaherty found himself eyeballing Nigel Dillon but when the Doonbeg veteran tipped it way the North Clare side’s race was run.

Liscannor: Noel Kilmartin; Shane Canavan, David McDonagh, Michael Foley; Dara Blake, Ronan Slattery, Denis Murphy; Brian Considine, Alan Flaherty; Alan McDonagh, Niall Considine, Gerard Considine; Kieran Considine, Alan Clohessy, Johnny Considine.
Subs: Robbie Lucas for Johnny Considine, Joe Considine for Alan McDonagh, Paul Guerin for Gerard Considine, Declan Fawl for Joe Considine.
Scorers: Alan Clohessy (0-4, 2f), Alan McDonagh 0-2, Niall Considine 0-2, Kieran Considine (0-1, 1f).
Frees for: 15; Wides: 10; 45s: 1.
Yellow cards: Shane Canavan, Niall Considine.
“Last year, the scoring averages went for us and this year it’s against us, that’s the way it goes,” Martin Guerin, manager

Doonbeg: Nigel Dillon; Richie Vaughan, Pádraig Gallagher, Conor Whelan; Joe Blake, Shane O’Brien, Jim Bob Griffin; Colm Dillon, Enda Doyle; Frank O’Dea, Shane Killeen, David Tubridy; Paul Dillon, Kevin Nugent, Shane Ryan.
Sub: Tom Honan for Kevin Nugent, Eamon Tubridy for Paul Dillon.
Scorers: David Tubridy (0-6, 2f), Shane Ryan, Colm Dillon (both 0-2), Paul Dillon, Frank O’Dea (0-1).
Frees for: 17; wides: 9.
Yellow cards: Richie Vaughan, David Tubridy.
“At the start of the second half they had five chances but they missed them and we went up and got a few points them. If they had taken those chances we could have been in trouble,” Kieran O’Mahoney, manager

Referee: Michael Talty. Kilmurry-Ibrickane.