CLARE SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 1
Clonlara   2-13   Broadford   0-14
This meeting of neighbours Clonlara and Broadford at Cusack Park on Sunday evening produced plenty of talking points, not least the fact that 10 yellow cards and one red were produced by referee Johnnie Healy.

The contribution of substitutes Donal Madden and James Hastings proved vital in the hard-fought contest as they accounted for the all-important goals, both of which came in the closing stages.
Broadford goalkeeper Ollie Marsh, who had played well up to this point, won’t have happy memories of the goal that turned this match.
A delivery from midfield by Colm Galvin was batted down by Marsh into the path of Madden, who made no mistake. At the time, Clonlara trailed by a point and this score really rattled Broadford.
The challengers, playing in their first game in the campaign, hit back with a Pádraig Hickey point to leave the minimum between the sides with a minute remaining in normal time. Cormac O’Donovan replied with a point before Cathal Chaplin picked up a second yellow card and Broadford were reduced to 14 men. In the third minute of added time, Clonlara substitute James Hastings punished another slip-up in the Broadford defence when he flicked the ball to the net and this finally killed off the Broadford challenge.
The winners took the lead inside the first minute when Nicky O’Connell pointed but this was quickly cancelled out when Pádraig Hickey converted a free. The first of the game’s yellow cards was shown to Broadford’s Aidan O’Brien in the sixth minute. Colm Galvin and James Gunning then exchanged points before the winners hit three in two minutes from inter-county men Nicky O’Connell, John Conlon and Cormac O’Donovan. A point from a 70m free by O’Connell put Clonlara four clear at the turn of the second quarter but from here to the break Broadford held the upperhand. Four pointed frees by Pádraig Hickey brought them level before Aonghus O’Brien gave his side the lead for the first time and this was the position at half time when the score stood at 0-7 to 0-6.
Clonlara returned with Cormac O’Donovan at full-forward and it took a great tackle by James Gunning to deny him in the first minute of the new half. The third quarter saw the sides evenly matched and they were level on three occasions, with the score at 0-10 to 0-10 at the three quarter stage.
Entering the final 10 minutes, Clonlara introduced the experienced Donal Madden at full-forward but Broadford edged two clear with points from Alan Kilcoyne and Pádraig Hickey with six minutes remaining. Madden pointed to cut the margin to the minimum a minute later and he then punished a defensive lapse by Broadford when firing home the opening goal with four minutes to play.
Broadford fought back and it took a great block by Tomás O’Donovan to deny the game’s top scorer, Pádraig Hickey, with two minutes to play. Hickey hit back with a point to leave one between the sides. Clonlara had the better of matters in the remaining time and a James Hastings goal finally sealed their win.
Tomás O’Donovan, Paul Nihill, Nicky O’Connell, and John Conlon were prominent throughout for the winners while James Gunning, Aonghus O’Brien and Pádraig Hickey were to the fore for Broadford.
Clonlara: Ger O’Connell (capt); Senan Nihill, Tomás O’Donovan, John Moloney; Cillian Fennessy, Paul Nihill, Conor O’Shea; Nicky O’Connell, Tommy Lynch; John Conlon, Pat O’Hare, Cormac O’Donovan; Colm Galvin, Darach Honan, Cathal O’Connell.
Subs: Donal Madden for C O’Connell (50 minutes) and James Hastings for O’Hare (56 minutes).
Scorers: Nicky O’Connell (3f); John Conlon, (2f) (0-4) each; Donal Madden (1-1); James Hastings (1-0); Cormac O’Donovan (0-2); Darach Honan and Colm Galvin (0-1) each.
Frees: 12; Wides: 13
Bookings: Pat O’Hare (14 minutes); Colm Galvin (14 minutes); John Moloney (26 minutes); Cormac O’Donovan (27 minutes) and Nicky O’Connell ( 61 minutes).
“We worked very hard throughout and we got there in the finish.” Pat Conlon, Clonlara
Broadford: Ollie Marsh; John Corcoran, Stephen Gunning, Peter O’Brien; James Gunning, Aidan O’Brien, Alan Kilcoyne; Craig Chaplin, Cathal Chaplin; Niall Moloney, Aonghus O’Brien, Mark Moloney; Pádraig Hickey, Padraic Taylor, Declan Teefy.
Subs: Alan McMahon for M Moloney (44 minutes) and Donal Whelan for Teefy (44 minutes).
Scorers: Pádraig Hickey (0-10, 6f); Áonghus O’Brien (0-2) and James Gunning, Alan Kilcoyne (0-1) each.
Frees: 17; Wides: 8.
Bookings: Aidan O’Brien (6 minutes); Peter O’Brien (14 minutes); Cathal Chaplin (35 minutes and 61 minutes); Ollie Marsh (57 minutes).
Sent off: Cathal Chaplin (61 minutes).
“I am delighted with our performance. It was a very close game.” Mike O’Brien, Broadford.
Referee: Johnnie Healy, Smith O’Brien’s.

Strong finish seals win for Joseph’s

St Joseph’s  3-10   Killanena   0-10
WHILE St Joseph’s deserved to win their senior championship tie played at O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge on Sunday, the final scoreline is flattering in their favour.
With four minutes remaining, they were clinging onto a two-point lead and it was clear to see there was concern in their camp. A strong finish saw them score 2-1 in those closing minutes to secure victory and keep their hopes of a quarter-final place alive.
Killanena were dealt a huge blow ahead of the tie when consistent midfielder, Mikey Noone was ruled out of action due to a hand injury. Fintan McNamara, a regular member of their attack, was also ruled out due to an ankle injury, while centre-back John O’Mara lasted just 12 minutes.
To lose the centre-back, midfielder and centre-forward was a blow from which last year’s intermediate champions were unable to recover. Their performance against a more experienced outfit is all the more praiseworthy in the circumstances.
The sides were level three times in the opening 25 minutes before the Doora-Barefield men edged ahead, helped by a goal from an Ivor White free, to lead by five at half-time when the score was 1-6 to 0-4. White had tried for a goal from a similar distance a few minutes earlier but the effort was saved.
Despite holding the lead, St Joseph’s must have been concerned at this stage. All of their scores had come from two players, White and Kevin Dilleen, and they were struggling in a number of areas.
They had the first three points of the second half to stretch their advantage to eight points but just when it seemed the winners were about to pull away, Killanena showed their great battling qualities.
With Joe Clancy, Enda Collins and the outstanding Pat Noone dominating at the back, their forwards were getting plenty opportunities to score. After Mark Flaherty had missed from two placed balls, the freetaking duties were given to David McNamara and he converted three in as many minutes to close the gap. Flaherty then landed one from a 110m free before firing over a great score from play and now only a goal separated the sides as the game entered the final quarter.
The loyal Killanena following was now in full voice and when Flaherty landed a 65’, their hopes of a first win in the senior championship were growing.
However, in the end the greater experience of St Joseph’s, allied to a little extra sharpness proved decisive. Four minutes from time, Shane O’Connor broke through for a goal, which killed the Killanena momentum. Ivor White followed with a point before Jarlath Colleran had his side’s third goal. It took a fine save by David Noone from Enda Lyons to deny the winners a fourth goal.
Sean Flynn, Cathal O’Sullivan, Alan O’Neill, Damian Kennedy, Ivor White and Kevin Dilleen got through a lot of work for the winners, while Pat and David Noone, Alan McNamara, Enda Collins and Gerry McNamara were prominent for Killanena.

St Joseph’s: Paul Madden; Cathal O’Sullivan, Marty O’Regan (captain), Sean Flynn; Alan O’Neill, Ken Kennedy, Darragh O’Driscoll; Damian Kennedy, Mark Hallinan; Jarlath Colleran, Noel Brody, Ivor White; Emmet Whelan, Kevin Dilleen, Shane O’Connor.
Subs: Enda Lyons for Whelan (half-time) and Paul Dullaghan for Hallinan (48 minutes).
Scorers: Ivor White (1-6, 1-2f), Shane O’Connor (1-1), Jarlath Colleran (1-0), Kevin Dilleen (0-2) and Damian Kennedy (0-1).
Frees for: 9; wides: 8; 65s: 1
Bookings: Sean Flynn (23 minutes).
“We made hard work of it. If Killanena had the team that won the championship last year, they would have beaten us. We are flat since the Clonlara match but we are still in the championship. It was an awkward one for me and I am glad it’s over.” Kevin Kennedy, St Joseph’s manager.
Killanena: David Noone; Barry Noone, Joe Clancy, Pat Noone (captain); Enda Collins, John O’Mara, Alan McNamara; Mark Flaherty, Gerry McNamara; Declan Noonan, David McNamara, John Noonan; Colin McNamara, Noel Sheedy, Padraig Brady.
Subs: Martin Glynn for O’Mara (injured, 14 minutes) and Owen McMahon for D Noonan (50 minutes).
Scorers: Mark Flahertry (0-6, 4f, 1 65’), David McNamara (0-3f) and John Noonan (0-1).
Frees for: 13; wides: 9; 65s: 1
Bookings: Joe Clancy (28 minutes) and Noel Sheedy (35 minutes).
“There was only a couple of points in it with two or three minutes to go. They were that bit craftier than us and they got the goals towards the end. We can’t ask anymore from the players that lined out. A couple of young lads came in and did well. We had four 17-year-olds in the team.” Colman Houlihan, Killanena manager.
Referee: Jim Hickey, Cratloe.