Dinan hits the winner as Tulla stage late rally

Tulla 1-14    Kilmaley 2-10
When Kilmaley went to the break with a nine-point lead in this Division 1B tie played at Dr Daly Park in Tulla, few would have bet against them opening the campaign with a win.

Yes, they would be hurling against a strong wind in the second half but they were the better team in the opening period, when Tulla had struggled in a number of areas.

Tulla improved on the changeover and quickly cut the lead to three points. With each score, their confidence grew and they had drawn level with 10 minutes still to play.

Kilmaley had first-half goals from Brian McMahon and Ken Kennedy, with the Tulla goal coming from a Trevor Vaughan penalty just before the break, leaving the score at 2-8 to 1-2 at the interval. Vaughan hit four early second-half points and it took a good save from Kieran Dillon, at the expense of a ’65, to deny Cathal Dinan a goal.

Ten minutes from time, Darragh Corry levelled the tie at 1-12 to 2-9 with a good score from play. Ken Kennedy restored Kilmaley’s lead but Donnacda McNamara levelled before Cathal Dinan hit the winner a minute from the end.

Tulla: Kieran Brennan; John Fahy, Sean Torpey, Felix Hegarty; Damian Noonan, John Brennan, Paul Lynch; Cian McInerney, Shane McNamara; Philip Brennan, Donnacda McNamara, Darragh Corry; Cathal Dinan, Trevor Vaughan, Aidan Lynch.
Kilmaley: Kieran Dillon; Martin O’Connor, Colin McGuane, Stephen Griffey; Eoin Enright, Diarmuid McMahon, Stephen McNamara; Ken Kennedy, Eoin O’Malley; Daire Keane, Brian McMahon, Alan Markham; Niall McGuane, Conor Neylon, Eamonn Bracken.
Sub: Kevin McNamara for S McNamara (inj).

O’Callaghan’s Mills 2-15    St Joseph’s 0-9
At Gurteen on Bank Holiday Monday, O’Callaghan’s Mills proved too strong for the home side in this first-round game.

Seven points in front at the break, they went on to hold the upper hand in the second period and fully merited their win.

First-half goalscorer, Adrian Flaherty was the winner’s top scorer, with 1-6 to his credit.  The goal was of the soft variety as his effort from a 30m free went all the way to the net. Their second half goal came from centre-forward Conor Cooney (Ermhill).

Alan O’Neill scored all St Josephs’ first-half tally and he was their leading light throughout.

O’Callaghan’s Mills: John Cooney; Ger Frost, Adrian Donovan, Gerry Cooney; Michael McGrath, Patrick Donnellan, Niall Donovan; Bryan Donnellan (0-2), Aidan O’Gorman (0-1); Adrian Flaherty (1-6 1-4f), Conor Cooney (Ermhill) (1-0), James McMahon; Eoin McGrath (0-1), Conor ‘Rocky’ Cooney (0-1), Gary Neville (0-4).
Subs: Colin Crehan for Neville, Diarmuid Hehir for N Donovan and John McGrath for Michael McGrath.
St Joseph’s: Paul Madden; Cathal O’Sullivan, Ken Kennedy, Brian Collins; Eamonn Clohessy, Kevin Dilleen, Jarlath Colleran; Mark Hallinan, Shane O’Grady; Leo Duggan, Niall Deloughery (0-1), Alan O’Neill (0-6); Barry Millane (0-1), Ivor Whyte (0-1), Alan Duggan.
Subs: Conor Lyons for O’Grady, Mikey Roseingrave for Madden and Mark Hanrahan for Millane.

Tubber 3-16    Ballyea 0-17
Tubber laid the foundations for victory when they built up a six-point lead,s while playing against the wind in a game that marked the return to action of former Clare player, Tony Griffin.

The goal came from a 20m free by current Clare player, Patrick O’Connor and it helped his side to a 1-8 to 0-5 lead at the halfway stage.
Griffin, Paul Flanagan and Jack Browne were on target for the home side. Ballyea started the second half

strongly, with points from Francie O’Reilly and Niall Deasy but the concession of two soft goals in a 10-minute spell midway through the half proved crucial. Ronan Taaffe saw his long-range effort from a free go all the way to the net while David O’Donoghue was the other goalscorer. Taaffe also hit a point for his side, who were eight points clear when the final whistle sounded.

Tubber: Ronan Taaffe; Paul Fogarty, Mark Earley, Ger Brohan; Fergal O’Grady, Conor Earley, Tommy Lee; Patrick O’Connor, Clive Earley; Justin McMahon, Eamon Taaffe, Francis McCormack; Blaine Earley, Shane O’Connor, David O’Donoghue.
Subs: Lorcan O’Grady for David O’Donoghue and Evan O’Donoghue for Eamon Taaffe.
Ballyea: Shane O’Neill; Joe Neylon, Kevin Sheehan, Eoghan Donnellan; Jack Browne, Paul Flanagan, Niall Keane; Francie Neylon, Francie O’Reilly; Niall Deasy, Tony Griffin, Brian Murphy; Eanna McInerney, Aonghus Keane, Barry Coffey.
Subs: Frankie Griffin for Barry Coffey, Alan Hehir for Eanna McInerney and Aaron Nugent for Francie Neylon.

Scariff 0-15     Whitegate  0-14
The meeting of East Clare neighbours, Scariff and Whitegate, at the latter’s venue, provided plenty of excitement on Monday afternoon. The game produced some good hurling and the patrons were well entertained on a day when the result was in doubt right to the final whistle.

Scariff, who conceded home advantage, got the better start and went 0-4 to 0-1 clear with points from Alphie Rodgers (2), Ross Horan and Kenny McNamara to Eoin Quirke’s reply.

In recent years, it has become quite common for goalkeepers, in both hurling and football, to take the long-range frees for their teams and there have been few better than Whitegate goalie, Andrew Fahy.

In this game, he emerged as the top scorer with 0-8 to his credit, five coming on the first half when he landed two ‘65s and three frees, helping his side to go to the break on level terms with the visitors at 0-7 each.

Scariff had the aid of the breeze in the second half when the Whitegate defence did well. The lead changed hands on a number of occasions before Scariff went two clear with time running out. Eoin Quirke pulled one back for the home side but time ran out and Scariff held on for victory.

Scariff: Shane Mulvihill; Darragh Kelly, Shane McMahon, Pádraig Brody; Matthew Horan, Cathal Nash (0-1), Diarmuid Nash (0-1); Mike Scanlan, Alphie Rodgers (0-7); Ross Horan (0-1), Shane Corry, Alan Corbett; Austin Madden (0-1), Kenny McNamara (0-3), Mark Mulvihill(0-1).
Subs: Conor McNamara for A Corbett and Alan Corbett for K McNamara
Whitegate: Andrew Fahy (0-8); Gareth Bleach, John Minogue, Colin Bleach; Christy Jones, Brendan Bugler, Jason Malone (0-2); Michael Dooley, Patrick Minogue; Niall Hayes, Eoin Quirke (0-4), Tommy Madden; Michael O’Brien, Ger Muggivan, Patrick Burke.
Subs: Eric Minogue for T Madden and Enda Durack for N Hayes.

Wolfe Tones  3-9    Ruan  1-11
Wolfe Tones got their season off to a winning start when they accounted for Ruan at Shannon on Monday afternoon.

An impressive display from 16-year old Ben O’Gorman, who contributed 0-6, was a highlight of this tie in which the Shannon side led throughout.

First-half goals from John Guilfoyle and Gary Leahy helped them to a half-time lead of 2-5 to 0-6 after playing against the breeze.

Ruan fought back in the second half and a goal from substitute John Punch brought them to within a point of the winners. However, O’Gorman replied with a point and Barry Loughnane hit his team’s third goal, to seal victory.

Wolfe Tones: Chris Maguire; Shane O’Sullivan, Brian O’Connell, Jamie Roughan; Shane Chambers, Bobby McPhillips, Stephen McInerney; Barry Loughnane, Daithí O’Connell; David Dunne, Brendan Hughes, Kevin McCafferty; Gary Leahy, John Guilfoyle, Ben O’Gorman.
Subs: Greg Delahunt for Chambers and Andy Shanagher for Dunne.
Ruan: Pakie Roughan; Gary Bell, Niall O’Connor, Leon Quirke; Killian Ryan, Jonathon Clohessy, Damian McDonnell; Tadhg Hanrahan, Michael Vaughan; Shane Ryan, Eoin Hanrahan, Aidan Lynch; Patrick Keegan, Caimin Howard, Brendan Lyons.
Sub: John Punch for S Ryan.