Éire Óg secure semi-final spot

The final round of games in the league section of this year’s Cusack Cup were played last weekend. The results have confirmed who will compete in the play offs and have also determined who will drop down to Division 2 for next season.
Despite losing their 100% record, holders Kilmurry-Ibrickane remain favourites to retain the title. They were already in the final before going down to Éire Óg at the weekend.
Lissycasey, already in the semi-final, confirmed their position with a win over Doonbeg and they will have home advantage for their semi-final game where they will play Éire Óg, who secured their play-off spot with victory over Kilmurry.
Liscannor were already relegated prior to the weekend, when they suffered a heavy loss to Miltown, a result that sees Miltown safe in Division 1 for next season. They had a superior score difference to Ennistymon, Doonbeg and St Joseph’s with the latter the ones to lose out and so will join Liscannor in making the drop.

Lissycasey                   0-13
Doonbeg                    1-8

In a dress rehearsal for their upcoming senior football championship first round meeting, Lissycasey and Doonbeg clashed in the final round of the league section of the Cusack Cup at Shanahan–McNamara Park in Doonbeg on Saturday when the visitors emerged as deserving winners.
Lissycasey laid the foundations for victory in the opening half at the end of which they were six points clear. They held this advantage throughout the third quarter and, in fact, went seven clear by the mid-point of the second half.
A strong final quarter from the home side saw them cut the margin to two with six minutes remaining. They piled on the pressure in search of a second goal but Lissycasey held firm.
Points from Francis Hayes, Niall Kelly and David Considine (free) had the visitors three clear before David Tubridy opened Doonbeg’s account with an excellent score in the eighth minute. Niall Kelly (free) and Sean Hayes extended Lissycasey’s lead by the end of the opening quarter.
Lissycasey continued to hold the upper hand and when the half-time whistle sounded they were 0-8 to 0-2 ahead.
Shortly before the break Doonbeg introduced Jamie Whelan for the injured Shane Ryan and they returned with Ronan Goode in the team in place of James McInerney. Both Whelan and Goode improved matters considerably for the Magpies.
The third quarter produced some good play with the teams trading scores three times before substitute Cathal Hill put Lissycasey 0-15 to 0-5 ahead as the game entered the final quarter.
Two David Tubridy frees closed the gap before Paul Dillon got the vital touch for the game’s only goal with six minutes remaining. Try as they did, however, Doonbeg failed to get any closer and the game ended with David Considine and Frank O’Dea trading points in injury time.

Lissycasey: Joe Hayes; Martin Moran, Gerry Moran, Martin O’Connor; Matt O’Shea, Cathal Doohan, Dermot Nagle; Sean Hayes (0-1), Enda Finnucane; Francis Hayes (0-1), David Considine (0-5, 3f), Conor Finnucane (0-1); Oisin Talty, Matt Kilroy, Niall Kelly (0-3f).
Subs: Alan Nagle (0-1) for Doohan (inj); Cathal Hill (0-1) for Talty; Oisin Hanrahan for C Finnucane; Cyril Sheehan for D Nagle.
Doonbeg: Kevin Pender; Cian Clancy, Padraig Gallagher, Ritchie Vaughan; Padraic Aherne, Joe Blake, Cian O’Mahoney; Frank O’Dea (0-2), James McInerney; Shane Ryan, Colm Dillon (0-1), Paul Dillon (1-0); David Tubridy (0-3, 2f), Enda Doyle, Conor Downes (0-1).
Subs: Jamie Whelan for Ryan (inj); Ronan Goode (0-1) for McInerney; Jim Bob Griffin for P Dillon.
Referee: Pat Cosgrove, Corofin.

Éire Óg                      1-8
Kilmurry-Ibrickane     0-9

Éire Óg travelled to Quilty on Saturday in the knowledge that victory was a must to secure a place in the semi-final of the Cusack Cup.
In achieving their target, they inflicted a first defeat of the season on Kilmurry-Ibrickane who, it must be said, were short quite a number of regulars including inter-county men Martin McMahon, Declan Callinan and Enda Coughlan along with the injured Noel Downes and the O’Dwyer brothers, Peter, Michael and Odran. Kilmurry-Ibrickane had already secured their place in the final of the competition.
At the end of a well-contested opening half the sides were on level terms at 0-7 to 1-4, the winner’s goal coming from Sean O’Meara.
The game was played in very blustery conditions. Defences dominated on a day when the visitors hit three points in the final five minutes to secure their semi-final spot where they will face Lissycasey.
An outstanding performance from Ciarán Russell in defence for the town side was a highlight of this tie.

Éire Óg: Colin Burke; Ciarán Russell, Donie Lyne, Conor Dolan; Sean Corry, David Russell (0-1), Conor Brennan; Darren O’Neill (0-1), Dean Ryan (0-1); Liam Corry, Shane Daniels (0-3), Eoin Glynn; Sean O’Meara (1-1), Stephen Hickey, Graham Glynn.
Subs: Danny Russell for S Corry; David Monaghan for S O’Meara; Cian Darcy for E Glynn; Brian Dolan (0-1) for G Glynn
Kilmurry-Ibrickane; Peter O’Dwyer; Darren Hickey, Mark Killeen, John W Sexton; Shane Hickey (0-1), Evan Talty, Thomas Lernihan; Keith King, Seamus Murrihy (0-2); Thomas O’Connor, Ian McInerney (0-4), Stephen Moloney; Darragh Pender, Mark McCarthy (0-2), John McNamara.

St Joseph’s                   0-6
Ennistymon                   0-4

St Joseph’s will play in the Garry Cup (Division 2) next season despite defeating Ennistymon at the North Clare club’s venue on Saturday. A near galeforce wind made conditions very difficult for the players but the Doora-Barefield men did best and emerged with two points to spare.
At the end of Saturday’s final round of games, four teams, Miltown, Doonbeg, Ennistymon and St Joseph’s were all tied on six points and it was down to score difference to separate them. St Joseph’s had an inferior difference to the others and so they join already relegated Liscannor in making the drop.
On Saturday they trailed by two points at half-time but they managed to hold their opponents scoreless in the second half while hitting four points to secure the win.
Veteran Declan O’Keeffe made a superb save in the early minutes. Ennistymon led by 0-2 to 0-0 after six minutes thanks to Sean McConigly from play and a Brian Conway free. Cathal O’Sullivan pointed from a free in the 10th minute but this was cancelled out three minutes later by a David Davenport effort from play.
The defence led by Kevin Dilleen, Steven Collins and Martin Brooks were doing well and with Kevin Frehill and Paul Dullaghan doing excellent ball carrying Ennistymon found scores hard to come by.
Brian Conway had Ennistymon’s 4th and last score in the 22nd minute before Christy O’Brian had the final score of the half for the winners leaving the half-time s core at 0-4 to 0-2 for the home side.
Before the break the visitors created a great goal chance but failed to capitalise
With wind advantage, St Joseph’s dominated the second half but a combinationof poor finishing and good defensive play from Ennistymon ensured that scores were few. Christy O’Brien (2) Martin Brooks and David O’Brien were the winner’s scorers in the second half.

St Joseph’s: Declan O’Keeffe, Paudie Nugent, Kevin Dilleen, Martin Brooks, Paul Dullaghan, Steven Collins, Declan Malone, Mark Hallinan, Ivor Whyte, David O’Brien, Cathal O’Sullivan, Christy O’Brien, Kevin Frehill, Eoin Hanrahan, Finn O’Reilly.
Subs: John Heavey for Nugent.
Ennistymon: Cathal McDonagh; Michael Devitt, Lawrence Healy, Brian McDonagh; Aidan Slattery, Micheal O’Loughlin, Alan Horan; Michael Houlihan, Ciarán Devitt; David O’Dwyer, Joe Dowling, Cathal McConigley; Sean McConigley, Brian Conway, David Davenport.
Sub: Joey Rouine for Slattery.

Miltown                   2-11
Liscannor                   0-3

Miltown cruised to an easy win over Liscannor in the club’s final Cusack Cup game of 2013 last weekend. The winners, who were at home, led 1-7 to 0-0 at half time. Veteran forward Dessie Molohan scored their goal, while he also added their second during the second period.
Wing forward Conor Cleary scored six points from play for the winners, who won three of their last four games in the Cusack Cup.
Eoin Cleary, Darragh McDonagh, Gearóid Curtin and Molohan added points for Miltown.
Liscannor were without Brian and Kieran Considine and will now play Garry Cup league football next season having been relegated along with St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield.

Miltown: Niall Quinn; Enda Malone, Gordon Kelly, Colin McGuane; Shane Curtin, Graham Kelly, Gearóid Curtin; Darragh McDonagh, John Meade; Brian Curtin, Kevin Keavy, Conor Cleary; Eoin Curtin, Eoin Cleary, Dessie Molohan.
Subs: Gary Egan for Kevin Keavey, David Talty for Conor Cleary, Peter Cleary for Dessie Molohan, Donal Keane for Colin McGuane.
Liscannor: Noel Kilmartin; Shane Canavan, Davy McDonagh, Alan Canavan; Michael Foley, Alan Clohessy, Kieran Roche; Niall Considine, Alan Flaherty; Gerry Considine, Ronan Slattery, Denis Murphy; Robert Lucas, Johnny Considine, Paul Guerin.

Other results
Division 2: Clondegad 3-9 Kildysart 0-14; O’Curry’s 5-9 Shannon Gaels 0-6; St Breckan’s 0-9 Kilmurry-Ibrickane 2-2.
Division 3: Kilfenora 0-13 St Senan’s, Kilkee 0-12; Wolfe Tones 2-10 Kilmihil 2-6; Cooraclare 0-10 Coolmeen 0-4; Michael Cusack’s walkover, Doonbeg scratch.
Division 4: Naomh Eoin 0-13 Shannon Gaels 2-5; Lissycasey 2-15 Meelick 0-3.
Division 6: O’Curry’s walkover, Wolfe Tones scratch.