Liscannor drop down to Division 2

Kilmurry-Ibrickane 1-16
Liscannor 0-9
Before this game, Kilmurry-Ibrickane were already certain of a place in the Cusack Cup semi-final. After it, Liscannor were consigned to Garry Cup football for next season. Ironically, had Liscannor won, they would have been in the semi-final of a competition they have won three times themselves. However, such was the closeness of the Cusack Cup this year, defeat relegated last year’s county finalists.
Kilmurry were in total control in the opening half and come the interval they led 1-9 to 0-3. Michael Hogan scored an early goal for the 2010 All-Ireland club finalists, while they added an array of points.
Enda Coughlan kicked four in total, as did Ian McInerney from play and frees, while Seamus Murrihy and Stephen Moloney kicked two apiece.
Alan Clohessy slotted over seven points from frees for Liscannor.
Kilmurry now play Miltown in the semi-final while Liscannor have two months to prepare for their next championship game in mid-August.
Kilmurry Ibrickane: Peter O’Dwyer; Declan Callinan, John Willie Sexton, Martin McMahon; Shane Hickey, Evan Talty, Thomas Lernihan; Ian McInerney, Seamus Murrihy; Seamus Lynch, Enda Coughlan, Mark McCarthy; Michael Hogan, Noel Downes, Stephen Moloney.
Subs: Odran O’Dwyer for Stephen Moloney; Thomas O’Connor for Declan Callinan; Vinny Talty for Ian McInerney and Colm Donnellan for Michael Hogan.
Liscannor: Noel Kilmartin; Michael Foley, Davy McDonagh, Shane Canavan; Alan McDonagh, Ronan Slattery, Denis Murphy; Brian Considine, Niall Considine; Joe Considine, Kieran Considine, Darragh Blake; Alan Flaherty, Alan Clohessy, Paul Guerin.
Subs: Robbie Lucas for Ronan Slattery and Gerry Considine for Denis Murphy.

Shannon Gaels 2-4
Kilrush 0-10
Neither the worst nor the best-case scenarios unfolded for either of these sides when they met last Saturday in the final round of the Cusack Cup in Captain Tubridy Memorial Park.
A draw kept both teams in the Cusack Cup for 2012 but a win would have put the winners into the semi-final. On the other hand, if either team had been beaten it is almost certain that they would have been relegated alongside either Clondegad or Liscannor on scoring difference.
Playing with the wind, Shannon Gaels made the better start and had 1-1 on the board in the early minutes. Michael Coughlan pointed a close-in free while John Paul O’Neill found the net with a fisted effort. John Hayes scored an excellent point from play for Kilrush, having attacked from centre-back.
Come the interval, the Gaels led 1-3 to 0-3 but Kilrush had the aid of the breeze to come. Placed by a lovely pass from Brian O’Shea, Nigel Hehir netted a nice goal early in the second half for the Gaels.
Kilrush were now five points down but with the wind behind them, they fought back and reeled in their opponents. Substitute Paddy Clancy scored two points while Rory O’Connor also split the posts for the home club. John Paul O’Neill pointed a superb score for the Gaels, who were still hanging on to a one-point lead three minutes into injury time, when Jim Young pointed an equalising free. Kilrush had missed some decent earlier opportunities to add to their tally.
The game was preceded by a minute’s silence for the late PJ Kennedy from Moore Street. Originally from Coolmeen for whom he played, PJ also played for Shannon Gaels and Kilrush as well as representing Clare and Munster. He also served as secretary of the Clare Football County Board.
It was fitting then perhaps that both clubs retained their Cusack Cup status, even if both were keen to secure a place in the semi-final.
Kilrush: Tony Burke; Cathal Lyons, Gerard O’Brien, Niall Gilbride; Matthew Moloney, John Hayes, Con O’Brien; Jim Young, Donal O’Sullivan; Darragh Bolton, Eoin Tarrant, Niall Clancy; Rory O’Connor, Peadar McMahon, Stephen Sweeney.
Subs: Paddy Clancy for Stephen Sweeney and Jamie Gilligan for Peadar McMahon. 
Shannon Gaels: Keith Ryan; Cathal O’Neill, John Neylon, Fergal Kenny; Tomás Cleary, Frank Cleary, John Bermingham; Michael O’Donoghue, Noel Kennedy; Fergal O’Neill, Seán Reynolds, Shane Tubridy; Nigel Hehir, John Paul O’Neill, Michael Coughlan.
Subs: Brian O’Shea for Shane Tubridy; Brian Cunningham for Fergal O’Neill and Rory Norrby for Nigel Hehir.
Referee: Gerry Keane (O’Curry’s).

Doora-Barefield 1-10
Clondegad 0-5
St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield completed an excellent league section of the Cusack Cup when they advanced to the semi-final following a comprehensive win over Clondegad in Gurteen last Saturday.
Earlier wins over Shannon Gaels and Liscannor, along with draws against Kilmurry-Ibrickane in their first game and against Kilrush last Tuesday week, booked a place in the last four for St Joseph’s.
Reaching the semi-final in their first Cusack Cup campaign was a noteworthy achievement for Barefield, who will play Doonbeg in the semi-final.
While the home club were delighted to reach the semi-final, Clondegad will return to the Garry Cup next season, having enjoyed two seasons in Division 1. They won their opening games this year against Kilrush and Liscannor but lost the remaining five, albeit some very narrowly.
St Joseph’s led 0-7 to 0-1 with David O’Brien, Colm Mullen and full-back Kevin Dilleen all scoring. Podge McMahon, who was joined by Gary Brennan in the Clondegad full-forward line, scored his side’s only first-half point.
Johnny O’Brien’s second-half goal finished Clondegad and Enda Lyons added three nice points for the winners. Podge McMahon, Gary Brennan and Eoin Griffin scored Clondegad’s second-half points. Dermot Coughlan’s team will now concentrate totally on trying to win the intermediate championship, while St Joseph’s have at least a Cusack Cup semi-final to prepare for and possibly a final, before their second championship game against Cratloe on the weekend of August 13.
Doora-Barefield: Declan O’Keeffe; Gavin O’Sullivan, Kevin Dilleen, Seán Flynn; Mark Rafferty, Damien Kennedy, Paul Dullaghan; Cathal O’Sullivan, Mark Hallinan; Aidan O’Connor, Colm Mullen, David O’Brien; Enda Lyons, Johnny O’Brien, Martin Duggan.
Subs: Mark Hallinan for Martin Duggan; Pa Mannion for Cathal O’Sullivan and Anthony Halpin for Aidan O’Connor.
Clondegad: Declan O’Loughlin; Brian Murphy, Paddy O’Connell, Conor Gavin; James Murphy, Kieran Browne, Francie Neylon; Eoin Griffin, Paddy Breen; Ken Kelly, Francie O’Reilly, Kevin Donnelly; Pat Coffey, Gary Brennan, Podge McMahon.

Doonbeg 1-8
St Joseph’s Miltown 1-7
Doonbeg scored a narrow win over reigning Cusack Cup champions Miltown last Saturday. The win keeps Doonbeg in second place and they will now meet Doora-Barefield in the semi-final. Although beaten in this game and by Kilmurry-Ibrickane in their previous Cusack Cup fixture, Miltown have also made the semi-final stage. They will play Kilmurry-Ibrickane in the last four.
Miltown, who defeated Doonbeg twice in last year’s Cusack Cup, led 1-5 to 0-4 at half-time. Micheál Malone scored their goal while Dessie Molohan, Eoin Curtin and Joe Curtin also pointed.
Kevin Nugent goaled in the second half to bring Doonbeg back into the game, while David Tubridy’s fifth point proved to be the winner very late in the hour.
Doonbeg: Nigel Dillon; Joe Blake, Pádraig Gallagher, Richie Vaughan; Brian Dillon, Padraic Aherne, Enda Doyle; Colm Dillon, Brian Egan; Frank O’Dea, Kevin Nugent, Conor Downes; Paul Dillon, David Tubridy, Jamie Whelan.
Sub: Eamon Tubridy for Jamie Whelan.
Miltown: Niall Quinn; David Cleary, Kevin Burke, Enda Malone; Michael Hehir, Graham Kelly, Gearóid Curtin; John Meade, Gary Egan; Eoin Curtin, Micheál Malone, Darragh McDonagh; David Talty, Dessie Molohan, Joe Curtin.
Subs: Gearóid Malone for Joe Curtin and Michael Barry for Darragh McDonagh.