Experience too much for the ’Tones

St Senan’s Kilkee 1-11
Wolfe Tones 1-6

Seven days after they clashed in the semi-final of the Division 3 league, St Senan’s Kilkee and Wolfe Tones renewed opposition in this senior football championship first round game at Kilmihil. This time the seasiders emerged victorious.

 

Bitterly disappointed when losing by a point in the league tie, a result that means they will remain in Division 3 for another year at least, they were determined to win this one.

From the outset they dictated play and always looked that bit sharper.

“In Gaelic football it’s about taking your scores and we didn’t take them in the first half in particular. Hats off to Kilkee, they played very well today. That bit more experience which they had showed in the end,” Wolfe Tones manager Mike Riordan said after the game.

“We are a bit too young. We have a very very young side whose average age is 19 or 20 and we have got to give them time. We lost a lot of players in the last few years and we are trying to build again. That was the difference today, pure experience,” he added.

Ger Crotty from the Kilkee management team agreed experience was a key factor.
“We have eight or nine players there that have won a couple of county finals and you could see when a bit of experience was wanted, they stood up and were counted. The younger lads came into it in the second half.”

Losing a week earlier was a motivating factor. “We had a few lads that were missing last week and we knew we would be a little bit stronger this time,” according to Crotty.

The seasiders were fully deserving of their win in what was a very disappointing contest. Despite having their share of possession, Wolfe Tones could only manage two scores in the opening half. A Chris Dunning goal in the eighth minute gave them the lead for the only time. Once Kilkee hit the front with their goal five minutes later, they dictated matters.

The experienced David Russell was the winner’s goalscorer following a Brian Clancy cross. Points followed from Ronan Browne, Michael O’Shea before injury ended his involvement in the tie and Kevin Larkin, who landed an impressive score having entered the action in place of O’Shea.

It was 1-5 to 0-1 in the winners favour at the break but Wolfe Tones could have been closer had their finishing been better.
The Shannon men had the first score of the second period from Kevin Cahill. A minute later they created a great goal opportunity but Chris Dunning’s effort flew wide of the target.

By the mid-point of the second half the difference was three, 1-7 to 1-4, in the winner’s favour. Three unanswered points in the next four minutes, from Micheál Keane, David Russell and goalkeeper Kevin Harte, who came upfield to convert a 20m free, killed off the Shannon side’s challenge.

Both sides made a number of changes in the closing stages but the winners continued to hold the upperhand and when referee Michael Fitzgerald sounded the final whistle, the West Clare men were deserving winners.
The game ended on a disappointing note for Wolfe Tones who had full-back Sean Brennan, one of their better players on the day, sent off on a straight red card shortly before the final whistle.

St Senan’s: Kevin Harte; Gavin Melican, Darren Owens, Brendan Smyth; Christy Kirwan, Brian Harte, Darren Clarke; Darragh Kelly, Brian Clancy; Ronan Browne, David Russell, Conor King; Micheál Keane, Chris Williamson, Michael O’Shea.
Subs: Kevin Larkin for O’Shea (30 minutes); Diarmuid Keane for Williamson (55 minutes).
Scorers: Micheal Keane (0-4, 2f); David Russell (1-1); Kevin Harte (free), Brian Clancy, Kevin Larkin Michael O’Shea (free), Ronan Browne, Darren Clarke (0-1 each).
Frees: 24;   wides: 14.

Wolfe Tones: Ciarán Argue; Craig O’Brien, Sean Brennan, Aaron Brennan; Colm McCaul, Brendan Hughes, Stephen McInerney; Stephen Tuohy, Joe McGauley; Chris Dunning, Jack Kelly, William Flynn; Brian O’Connell, Jamie Roughan, Kevin Cahill.
Subs: Johnnie Bridges for B O’Connell (inj); Darragh Leahy for Cahill (both 41 minutes); Kevin Corbett for McGauley (55 minutes); Daniel Gallery for J Kelly (56 minutes); Sean Reidy for A Brennan (56 minutes).
Scorers: Chris Dunning (1-0); Kevin Cahill (0-2, 1f); Darragh Leahy (free), Craig O’Brien, Jack Kelly (0-1 each).
Frees: 19   wides: 8   45s: 2
Sent off: Sean Brennan (64 minutes straight red card).

Referee: Michael Fitzgerald, Clondegad.