The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Éire Óg 1-12 Naomh Eoin 2-6
The race for the junior A football championship is down to four after last weekend’s quarter finals all produced winners.
Three of the four teams still in the race, Meelick, Éire Óg and Clarecastle, hail from ‘hurling country’ and they will be joined by Kilfenora in the last four.
Neighbouring rivals Éire Óg and Clarecastle will be in opposition with Kilfenora taking on division 5 league champions Meelick in the other semi-final. The games will take place on the weekend of September 25/26.
The senior junior double is still alive for Éire Óg after this narrow win over Naomh Eoin at Cooraclare on Saturday evening.
The town side led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the half way point. Graham Glynn struck for their goal in the second half and despite like scores from Seamus Boland and Michael Liddane, Naomh Eoin were unable to get back in front.
Éire Óg: Eoin Slattery; Cathal Whelan, Brian Dolan, Kevin Cleary; Robert Dunne, Noel Whelan, Stephen Guilfoyle; Robert Ford, David Ryanl; Gary Flynn, Brian McMahon, Fergal Brennan; Danny Russell, Graham Glynn, Martin Reidy.
Sub: Kevin Brennan.
Naomh Eoin: Kevin Magner; Michael Considine, Pat Geaney, Kieran Keating; Thomas O’Connor, Pat Foley, Tony O’Donerty; Dermot Keating, Martin Downes; Gearoid Lynch, Seamus Boland, Gearoid Hennessy; John Walsh, Martin Haugh, Michael Liddane.
Subs: Aidan Foley, Martin Fennell.
Clarecastle 1-7 Doonbeg 0-8
An excellent goal from inter-county hurler, Jonathon Clancy, proved decisive as the Clarecastle magpies accounted for their Doonbeg counterparts in a quarter final tie played at Coolmeen.
Lining out at wing-back, Clancy went forward regularly during the tie and his dashing runs caused a lot of problems for the West Clare outfit.
Doonbeg will certainly be disappointed to have lost this one as they held the lead for most of the game. They were four points (0-6 to 0-4) clear at half time. They should have been further ahead at this stage but Andrew Page in the Clarecastle goal saved a penalty from Eamonn Tubridy.
During the second half Doonbeg were reduced to fourteen men when Seán O’Dea was sent off. Clarecastle improved as the half progressed and they snatched victory with the aid of Clancy’s vital goal.
Clarecastle: Andrew Page; Jamie O’Connor, Cathal Lynch, Barry Lynch; Dara Moloney, Aaron Considine, Jonathon Clancy; Eoin Brennan, Adam Healy; AlanConsidine, David Casey, Danny Scanlan; Eamonn Callinan, John Pyne, Pakie Hewaly.
Subs: Eamonn Concannon, Dean Power, Donagh Murphy.
Doonbeg: Michael Conway; Philip McMahon, David Egan, Eoin Conway; Denis Flanagan, Philip Smith, Jim Bob Griffin; Daryl Tubridy, Ciaran Burns; Tom Honan, BrianShanahan, Eamonn Vaughan; Paul Dillon, Eamonn Tubridy, Seán O’Dea.
Subs: Cian Clancy, Gerry Killeen.
Kilfenora 3-6 Cooraclare 3-3
Kilfenora booked their place in the semi-final with a hard earned win over Cooraclare at Miltown on Saturday
While Kilfenora will be delighted with the victory, an injury to David Connole is causing them some worry.
Out of action for the last two years due to cruciate knee trouble, there are fears that the inter-county player has suffered a recurrence of the injury.
They had to battle hard for this latest victory and they were under huge pressure in the closing stages as Cooraclare went in search of an equalising goal.
Austin Kelly (2) and John O’Gorman were the goalscorers for the winners while Cooraclare’s majors came from John Francis Killeen, Anthony Lillis and Tommy O’Connor.
Kilfenora finished with thirteen after Pat Connole was dismissed and they didn’t have anyone on the bench to replace Aidan Malone who had to retire due to injury.
Kilfenora: Liam Keane; Shane Long, Diarmuid Nagle, Seán McMahon; Michael James Malone, Cathal Nagle, James Brody; Pat Connole, Johnnie O’Gorman; Kevin Theasby, James Keane, Jasone Connole; Austin Kelly, Michael Theasby, Paidi Ireland.
Subs: Aidan Malone for S McMahon; David Connole for Keane; Keane for Connole (inj).
Cooraclare: Cathal Murphy; Michael Honan, Colm Carroll, Shane Donnellan; Kieran Hassett, Gearoid Looney, David Looney; Kieran Tubridy, Michael Considine; John Francis Killeen, Don Garry, Noel Morrissey; Kevin Clohessy, Joe Kelly, Anthony Lillis.
Subs: Declan Keane, Tommy O’Connor, Justin Ryan.
Meelick 0-12 Coolmeen 0-10
Meelick’s hopes of a league and championship double are still in tact after they proved too strong for Coolmeen in this quarter-final tie played at Clareabbey on Saturday.
A point separated the teams at half time but the Kevin Hartnett inspired Meelick went on to edge in front in the closing stages.
Luke David and Gary Moloney picked off some good point son the day.
