Gilligan inspires the ’Bridge

Sixmilebridge 2-15 Inagh-Kilnamona 2-8

A CONTRIBUTION of 1-7 from centre-forward and captain Niall Gilligan helped Sixmilebridge to a comfortable win over Inagh-Kilnamona in this tie played at Cusack Park on Saturday.
In a disappointing game, Inagh-Kilnamona never threatened and the result means they are out of the title race.
Sixmilebridge are now safely into the last eight, with defending champions Cratloe also through with one round still to play in the league stage of the competition.
The sides swapped points twice in the first seven minutes but then the winners took control and a Gilligan goal at the mid-point of the half put them in the driving seat. The team skipper won possession from a John Fennessy clearance, rounded his marker and soloed through to crash a powerful shot to the roof of the net.
Gilligan and Danny Morey caused huge problems for the Inagh-Kilnamona defence on the day and between them they contributed 1-10 of the team’s total.
In an effort to improve matters, Inagh-Kilnamona made three changes in personnel for the second half, bringing in the experienced Tony Carmody along with Clare minor panellists Damian Lafferty and Haulie Vaughan.
It was 1-9 to 0-5 at the interval and Inagh-Kilnamona’s task was much greater three minutes into the second half when Caimin Morey struck for his team’s second goal. Conor Tierney saw his effort for a goal well saved by Derek Fahy in the seventh minute but the losers were thrown a lifeline two minutes later when Eoin Vaughan broke through and fired a great shot to the corner of the net.
The score failed to get his side moving and it was the winners who responded with three points to leave the score at 2-13 to 1-5 with five minutes remaining.
The lead could have been greater but Patrick Kelly made two good stops from Rory Shanahan and Danny Morey in the closing stages.  Inagh-Kilnamona finished strongly with points from Conor Tierney, Tony Carmody and Cathal Lafferty and a goal from Niall Arthur but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Bridge from scoring a merited win.
Derek Fahy, Aidan Quilligan, Paudi Fitzpatrick, Shane Golden, Niall Gilligan and Danny Morey were always prominent for the winners while Ronan O’Looney, Jamie Davin, David Hegarty and Patrick Kelly were best for a disappointing Inagh-Kilnamona side.

Sixmilebridge: Derek Fahy; John Fennessy, Tadhg Keogh, Ray McNamara; Robert Conlon, Aidan Quilligan, Paudi Fitzpatrick; Shane Golden, Tommy Morey; Declan Morey, Niall Gilligan, Trevor Purcell; Danny Morey, Caimin Morey, Rory Shanahan.
Subs: Barry O’Connor for Conlon (47 minutes); David O’Connor for Purcell (inj, 50 minutes).
Scorers: Niall Gilligan (1-7, 0-5f), Caimin Morey (1-2), Danny Morey (0-3), Rory Shanahan, Tommy Morey, Shane Golden (0-1) each.
Frees for: 9; Wides: 12; 65s: 3
“Getting to the quarter-final was the target and we are there but there is a lot of work to do,” Christy Chaplin, Sixmilebridge manager.

Inagh-Kilnamona: Patrick Kelly; Damian Hogan, Jamie Davin, Milo Keane; Brian Glynn, Ronan O’Looney, David Hegarty; Ger Arthur, Shane Griffin; Dermot Gannon, Cathal Lafferty, Eoin Vaughan; Brian Hehir, Niall Arthur, Conor Tierney.
Subs: Haulie Vaughan for Griffin (half-time) Damian Lafferty for Hogan (half-time) Tony Carmody for Gannon (half-time).
Scorers: Niall Arthur (1-2, 0-2f); Eoin Vaughan (1-0); Conor Tierney (0-2). Patrick Kelly (f) Shane Griffin, Cathal Lafferty, Tony Carmody (0-1) each.
Frees for: 9; wides: 5.
Bookings: Damian Lafferty (43 minutes); Haulie Vaughan (43 minutes).
“We never got going at all in the first half. A tally of five points was too little and by right the Bridge could have been fifteen points up at the break.” Eugene Foudy, Inagh-Kilnamona manager.

Referee: Seanie McMahon, Newmarket