Flanagan hits winner for Ballyea

Ballyea 0-11   Ruan 0-10

Ballyea recorded their third victory in a row in the Clare Champion Cup with a hard-earned win over Ruan in Ruan on Sunday. In a fairly even first half, points from Martin O’Leary and Gearóid O’Connell put their side 0-2 to 0-1 ahead after 10 minutes while two frees from Niall Deasy helped the visitors to stay with their opponents, who were playing with the assistance of a strong wind.

Ruan hit a purple patch in the 10 minutes before half-time, which left them in front by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.

The visitors had the better of exchanges in the second period with the elements behind them but poor shooting up front, which resulted in 11 second-half wides, helped to keep the game close.

Ballyea outscored the home side 0-7 to 0-3 in this half with three pointed frees from Niall Deasy and three excellent points from midfielder Gearóid O’Connell from play.

With normal time up, the teams were level but a great point from Paul Flanagan, after he broke from defence, proved to be the winning score in added time.

Ballyea: Shane O’Neill; Brian Carrig, Jack Browne, David Sheehan; Cathal Doohan, Paul Flanagan, Niall Keane; Stan Lineen, Gearóid O’Connell; Aonghus Keane, Paddy O’Connell, Niall Deasy; Martin O’Leary, Kevin Sheehan, Francie Neylon.
Sub: Francie O’Reilly for F Neylon.
Ruan: Pakie Roughan; Gary Bell, Niall O’Connor, Damian Brohan; Killian Ryan, Jonathon Clohessy, Damian McDonnell; Tadhg Hanrahan, Eoin Hanrahan; John Punch, Michael Vaughan, Brendan Lyons; Patrick Keegan, Aidan Lynch, Caimin Howard.
Subs: Conail O h-Ainifein for Keegan and Darragh Roughan for McDonnell.

Wolfe Tones 2-11   Kilmaley 1-12

Wolfe Tones kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive with a narrow win over Kilmaley at Shannon.

They got off to a dream start when a long-range free from Bobby McPhillips deceived the Kilmaley defence and ended up in the net. Seconds later, the Shannon side was unlucky not to score a second goal when Gareth McPhillips effort rebounded off the crossbar. At half-time, the Shannon side led by the minimum margin, 1-6 to 0-8.

Kilmaley fought back strongly in the second half and a goal from Michael O’Neill helped them take a two-point lead with just over five minutes remaining.

However, Wolfe Tones finished strongly and hit four points in the closing period to secure only their second win of the campaign. They must beat St Joseph’s in their final game in the group this weekend and hope that other results go in their favour if they are to avoid a drop to Division 2.

Teenager Ben O’Gorman scored the winners’ second-half goal on Sunday.

Wolfe Tones: Paul Hogan; Shane O’Sullivan, Brendan Hughes, Jamie Roughan; Joe McGauley, Bobby McPhillips, Shane Chambers; Brian O’Connell, Daithí O’Connell; John Guilfoyle, Kevin McCafferty, Aaron Cunningham; Barry Loughnane, Gareth McPhillips, Ben O’Gorman.
Subs: Davy Dunne for Cunningham and Sean Condron for G McPhillips.
Kilmaley: Kieran Dillon; Martin O’Connor, Noel Casey, Shane Lynch; Eoin Enright, Daire Keane, Conor Cleary; Kenneth Kennedy, Aidan McGuane; Michael O’Neill, Diarmuid McMahon, Eoin O’Malley; Conor Neylon, David Cleary, Eamonn Bracken.
Subs: Stephen McNamara for Bracken, Michael O’Malley for D Cleary and Brian McMahon for O’Malley.

O’Callaghan’s Mills 3-15   Tubber 3-14

Unbeaten O’Callaghan’s Mills looked like they might lose their 100% record when they led by just four points against second-placed Tubber after playing with the aid of a strong wind in the first half of this tie at Kilkishen on Sunday.

Goals from Gary Neville and Conor ‘Rocky’ Cooney helped the home side to a 2-11 to 2-7 half-time lead.

Tubber’s first-half goals came from Justin McMahon and goalkeeper Ronan Taaffe, who blasted a penalty to the net. Taaffe also scored his side’s second-half goal, crashing a 20m free to the net.

Midway through the second half, the Mills were reduced to 14 men when full-back Diarmuid Hehir was dismissed.

The sides were level when, with seven minutes remaining, the Mills struck for their third goal through Aidan O’Gorman. This proved to be their last score of the game. Tubber fought back but try as they did, they failed to get another equaliser and the Mils held on for their eighth consecutive win in the campaign.

O’Callaghan’s Mills: John Cooney; Ger Frost, Diarmuid Hehir, Gerry Cooney; Michael McGrath, Adrian Donovan, Kevin O‘Callaghan; Jonathon Lyons, Niall Donovan; Adrian Flaherty, Aidan O’Gorman, Conor Cooney (Ermhill); James McMahon, Conor ‘Rocky’ Cooney, Gary Neville.
Subs: Bryan Donnellan for O’Callaghan, Aidan Fawl for Cooney (Ermhill) and Jamie Lynch for Neville.
Tubber: Ronan Taaffe; Paul Fogarty, Ger Brohan, Fergal O’Grady; Francis McCormack, Conor Earley, Mark Earley; Clive Earley, Barry O’Connor; David Donoghue, Eamonn Taaffe, Justin McMahon; Blain Earley, Shane O’Connor, Tommy Lee.
Subs: Lorcan O’Grady for Lee and Declan Ryan for Brohan

Scariff 6-13   Tulla 0-16

In a high-scoring game at Scariff on Sunday evening, the home side’s ability to get through for goals proved decisive against neighbours Tulla. The win means Scariff are safe from relegation but that prospect is still alive for Tulla, who must beat Ballyea this weekend to make sure of Division 1B competition again next season.
Scariff led 2-8 to 0-7 at half-time on Sunday and went on to dominate the second half.

In fairness, Tulla were very much understrength, with a number of regulars unavailable on the day.

Their goals came from Mark Mulvihill (2), Conor McNamara, John Scanlan and substitutes Shane Corry and Cathal Madden.

Scariff: Shane Mulvihill; Darren McNamara, Darragh Kelly, Shane McMahon; Pádraig Brody, Cathal Nash, Matthew Horan; Alphie Rodgers, Jim Minogue; Michael Scanlan, Barry Nash, Conor McNamara; Austin Madden, John Scanlan, Mark Mulvihill.
Subs: Alan Corbett for Madden, Cathal Madden for Minogue, Paul O’Sullivan for Rodgers and Shane Corry for J Scanlan.
Tulla: Cathal Bolton; Flan Conheady, Paul Lynch, Felix Hegarty; Damian Noonan, Niall Bolton, Shane McNamara; Aidan Lynch, Alan Leamy; Kieran Brennan, Philip Brennan, Colin Corbett; Cathal Dinan, Andrew Quinn, Jim Hogan.
Sub: Michael Hoey.