Goals decisive as Feakle-Killanena progress

Feakle-Killanena 3-14   Wolfe Tones 0-13

Feakle-Killanena continue in the race for the U-21B Hurling Championship title and a meeting with O’Callaghan’s Mills after they accounted for Wolfe Tones at Clarecastle on Saturday.
The ability of last year’s C champions to score goals proved a key ingredient against a Shannon side that had to line out without the services of injured county player Aaron Cunningham.

The winners have also been hit by injuries and amongst those ruled out were Clare minor goalie for the past two seasons, Eibhear Quilligan.

Wolfe Tones were more than a match for the East Clare side for three-quarters of this game but the concession of frees cost the Shannon side dearly.

Kevin McCafferty opened the scoring from play for the Tones before Greg Delahunty saw his goal effort tipped out for a 65 by Michael Burke. Ben O’Gorman was on target from the resulting 65, as the winners lost centre-forward Colin McNamara with a knee injury after only five minutes.

Shane McGrath opened the winner’s account only for Wolfe Tones corner-forward Rory Kelly to match this effort after seven minutes. Killian Bane, Enda Touhy and Kieran O’Gorman added scores between the 11th and 14th minutes to leave the minimum between the teams.

The game took a major turn when the Shannon side conceded, rather easily, a brace of goals.

A snap-shot effort by Diarmuid Bane took a deflection from a Wolfe Tones defender on its way to the corner of Chris Maguire’s net. Ben O’Gorman and Rory Hayes hit back to level matters. Eoin McGuinness hit a second goal after good build-up play to restore a three-point lead. Ben O’Gorman once again narrowed the gap to two points with the wind assisting Wolfe Tones in the first half.

At the break, just a point separated the sides, with the winners ahead, 2-4 to 0-9.

The winners introduced Paddy McNamara for the second half and they opened the scoring through Todd Kelsey before O’Gorman replied for the Shannon side.

Paddy McNamara hit over a smart effort only for O’Gorman to reply with a brace to leave the sides level with just under 20 minutes to play.

It all changed in a four-minute spell as the winners hit 1-3 through Kelsey, Shane McGrath and Eric Conway, who had points and Killian Bane, who found the net. Further points from McGrath, Enda Touhy and Kelsey stretched the winner’s lead to nine points and the game was over as a contest.

Five minutes from the end there was a long delay after Evan McMahon was injured. An ambulance was called for and the winner’s defender was taken to hospital before being released later that night.

The winners had solid displays from Shane McGrath, Pádraig Brady, Eoin Touhy, Todd Kelsey, Pádraig Brady, James Noonan, Eoin McGuinness and Evan McMahon. Wolfe Tones worked hard but ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes, despite the best efforts of David Ryan, Ben O’Gorman, Rory Hayes, John Guilfoyle, Craig O’Brien and Steve Simmonds.

Feakle-Killanena: Michael Burke; Evan McMahon, James Noonan, Paul McArthur; Michael Noonan, Eoin Touhy (0-3), Pádraig Brady; Shane McGrath (0-5), Oisín Donnellan; Killian Bane (1-1), Colin McNamara, Eoin McGuinness (1-0); Diarmuid Bane (1-0), Todd Kelsey (0-3), Con Smith.
Subs: Paddy McNamara (0-1) for D Bane, Evan McNamara for Smith, Eric Conway (0-1) for McNamara (inj) and Cian Harrington for McMahon (inj).
Wolfe Tones: Chris Maguire; Blaine O’Sullivan, David Ryan, Damian O’Toole; Sean Reidy, Craig O’Brien, Steve Simmonds; Kevin McCafferty (0-1), William Flynn; Ben O’Gorman (0-9), Aaron Shanagher, John Guilfoyle; Rory Hayes (0-2), Greg Delahunty, Kieran O Gorman (0-1).
Subs: Fergal McInerney for Delahunty, Jack Kelly for O’Sullivan and Darragh Leahy for K O’Gorman.

St Joseph’s 0-22   Crusheen 1-7

Beaten finalists last year and favourites to go a step further this season, St Joseph’s booked a place in the semi-final with this comprehensive win over Crusheen at Tulla on Saturday.

They took the lead when top-scorer Alan O’Neill pointed. This was quickly followed by a point from excellent midfielder David Conroy before Jamie Fitzgibbon opened Crusheen’s account.

O’Neill and Niall De Loughrey replied with points for the winners but Robbie Malone kept Crusheen in touch with a like score. O’Neill, who finished the game with 0-9, had his third but Colin Vaughan responded. A Leo Duggan effort left the winners ahead by double scores, 0-6 to 0-3, at the end of the opening quarter.

O’Neill and a brace from Conroy, the second an excellent effort from a line ball, stretched the winner’s lead but David Kearney and Robbie Malone kept Crusheen in touch with line scores. O’Neill had the final score of the half which left St Joseph’s ahead at the break by double scores, 0-10 to 0-5.

Crusheen got a great boost to their hopes at the start of the second half when Sean Weir got through for the game’s only goal, a score that left just two points between the teams.

The goal sparked a strong response from the winners, who replied with points from David Conroy, Niall De Loughrey, Brian Guilfoyle (2) and Aaron Landy.

Jamie Fitzgibbon and Luke Hayes kept Crusheen’s hopes alive but the winners finished strongly with points from Donal O’Halloran, Alan O’Neill (4), David Conroy and Niall De Loughrey to book their passage to the semi-final.

St Joseph’s: Mikey Roseingrave; Kevin Meaney, Brian Clancy, Darragh Murphy; Eamonn Clohessy, Jarlath Colleran, Conor Lyons; David Conroy, David Clancy; Niall De Loughrey, Leo Duggan, Alan O’Neill; Donal O’Halloran, Aaron Landy, Brian Guilfoyle.
Subs: Darragh O’Sullivan for Duggan, Conor O’Brien for Lyons, Jack Murphy for D Clancy, Stephen Barron for D Murphy and Alan Woods for Guilfoyle.
Scorers: Alan O’Neill (0-9), David Conroy (0-5), Niall De Loughrey (0-3), Brian Guilfoyle (0-2), Leo Duggan, Donal O’Halloran, Aaron Landy (0-1) each.
Crusheen: Sean Culligan; Mark Perrill, Youen Horner, Rory Halpin; Conor Hayes, Jamie Fitzgibbon, Briain Dillon; Conor O’Loughlin, Luke Hayes; Padraic O’Malley, Colin Vaughan, David Kearney; Robbie Malone, Sean Weir, Colin Halpin.
Sub: Michael Roseingrave for Vaughan (inj)
Scorers: Sean Weir (1-0), Robbie Malone, Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-2) each, Colin Vaughan, David Kearney and Luke Hayes (0-1) each.

Clarecastle 2-18   Tulla-Bodyke 2-12

A better-balanced Clarecastle got the better of Tulla-Bodyke in the last of the U-21B Championship quarter-finals at Sixmilebridge on Bank Holiday Monday.

A game that saw the sides level on seven occasions produced some excellent hurling before 1-3 without reply in a four-minute spell at the start of the final quarter proved decisive for the Magpies.

The teams had swapped points three times in the first 10 minutes before Bobby Duggan finished off a fine Clarecastle move with the opening goal of the game.

They swapped points twice after this before Cathal Bolton put the East Clare amalgamation into the lead when he finished off a good move for their opening goal. Jamie Coughlan did well to stop Mark Lynch’s effort but Bolton was following up and he got the all-important touch to find the net.

The winners fought back to level at 1-7 each but Tulla-Bodyke had the last score of the half. An excellent sideline cut from David McInerney – a few minutes earlier he converted one from 65m – caused problems for the Clarecastle defence and the ball ended up in the net to send Tulla-Bodyke to the break, 2-7 to 1-7 ahead.

Bobby Duggan, who had mixed luck with his free-taking on the day, hit three points without reply in the opening five minutes of the second half to tie up the scores again. Another Duggan effort after Michael Casey was fouled saw the winners go back in front but a Darragh Corry effort levelled matters in the 11th minute. They exchanged points again before the end of the third quarter, at which stage the score stood at 1-12 for the Magpies to 2-9.

Points from Conor O’Gorman, Duggan (free) and Casey saw the Magpies go three clear before Conor O’Gorman finished off a good move with a goal to put six points between the teams. Tulla-Bodyke battled back with a brace of Paddy Fitzgerald-pointed frees but Clarecastle weren’t going to be denied and they deservingly secured a semi-final date with St Joseph’s.

Conor Clancy, Stephen O’Halloran and Conor Galvin did well in defence in front of the impressive Jeff Coughlan. Elsewhere, Michael Casey, Conor O’Gorman in the second half and Mark McGuane got through good work while Bobby Duggan’s contribution of 1-8 played a big part in the win.

Darragh Corry, John Fahy, Eanna Doyle and county senior player David McInerney were prominent throughout for Tulla-Bodyke.

Clarecastle: Jeff Coughlan; Pa Tuohy, Conor Clancy, Dylan Broderick; Gearóid Ryan, Stephen O’Halloran, Conor Galvin (0-1); Stephen Ward, Joe Barry (0-1); Michael Casey (0-3) Bobby Duggan (1-8, 0-8f), Mark McGuane; Aaron Greene (0-2) Conor O’Gorman (1-2) Mark Foley (0-1).
Tulla-Bodyke: Dan Vaughan (Tulla); Gavin Moroney (Bodyke), Niall Bolton (Tulla), Eanna Doyle (Bodyke); Colm Halpin (Tulla), Darragh Corry (Tulla, 0-1), John Fahy (Tulla); David McInerney (Tulla, 0-3), Paddy Walsh (Bodyke); Niall Whelan (Bodyke) Donnacda McNamara (Tulla, 0-1), Tomas McMahon (Tulla); Paddy Fitzgerald (Bodyke, 0-7f), Cathal Bolton (Tulla, 1-0), Mark Lynch (Tulla).
Subs: Eamonn Gleeson (Tulla) for Halpin; Ciarán Malone (Bodyke) for McMahon and Conor Lynch (Tulla) for Bolton.