Lissycasey and O’Curry’s battling to avoid relegation

LISSYCASEY or O’Curry’s will be playing intermediate football in 2011 after both lost their relegation replays at Labasheeda on Saturday last.
They face up to each other at the same venue this Saturday with the loser making the drop from senior.
Having been unlucky not to win the drawn games a week earlier, both struggled to re-produce that form last week.

St Senan’s 1-10 Lissycasey 1-6

Trailing by three points after playing against the breeze in the first half, Lissycasey looked to be in a strong position heading into the second half on Saturday.
They scored the opening point of the second half to reduce the leeway to two but they failed to build on that and the Seasiders dominated the remainder of the third quarter.
Leading by double scores 10 minutes into this half, they struck a crucial blow at the mid-point when Gearóid Lynch got through for the all-important goal. There was some debate as to whether or not the score should stand but after consulting with his umpires, referee Barry
Kelly confirmed the score. It came a couple of minutes after the winners had a goal disallowed for a square ball infringement.
This was the signal for the Seasiders to strengthen their defence and the experienced David Russell dropped back to play a sweeper’s role, which he did to great effect. Efforts by Lissycasey to break through were, invariably, cut out by the inter-county star. Lissycasey did manage to breach the Kilkee defence eight minutes from time when David Considine scored his side’s goal but it wasn’t enough and the Seasiders held on for victory, which confirms their senior status for next season.

St Senan’s: Kevin Harte; Christy Kirwan, Brendan Smith, Senan Larkin; Jimmy Larkin, Thomas Galvin, Micheál Keane (0-1); David Russell (0-1), Dara Kelly; Conor King, Barry Harte (0-2), Chris Williamson (0-2); Gearóid Lynch (1-1), Kevin Larkin (0-1), Michael O’Shea (0-2).
Subs: Brian Clancy for S Larkin and John Enright for King.

Lissycasey: Shane Normoyle; Cathal Hill (0-1), James Kelly, Niall Kelly; Michael Melican, Sean Hill, Gerard Murphy; Anthony Kelly, Matt O’Shea; Danny Lynch, Colin Lynch (0-2), Francis Hayes; David Considine (1-1), Martin Daly (0-2), Paul Nagle.
Subs: Oisin Talty for D Lynch and Paudie Carmody for Nagle.

Kilmihil 1-5 O’Curry’s 0-3

Kilmihil laid the foundations for their victory in the opening half when, playing with the aid of the wind, they ran up a six-point lead. They were 1-3 to 0-0 in front at the break with the goal coming from Paul Reidy and the points from Shane Egan frees.
The expected O’Curry’s fight-back didn’t materialise and Kilmihil continued to hold the upperhand but they did struggle for scores in the second half. Shane Egan added both points, which came from frees.
Inter-county midfielder Ger Quinlan accounted for all of his side’s points in the second half.

Kilmihil: Eamonn Ryan; Conor Crowley, Declan O’Shea, Laurence Murray; Rory Mohally, Mark O’Connell, Derek O’Connell; Shane Mangan, David Ryan; Philip Ryan, Karol Downes, Alan Normoyle; Shane Egan, Paul Reidy, Mark Coughlan.
Subs: Anthony Downes, Daniel Blake and Shane Egan.

O’Curry’s: Eoin Clohessy; Declan Walsh, Brian Troy, Gearóid Lynch; Tadhg Concannon, Ollie Quinlan, Tom Downes; Ger Quinlan, Michael Foran; Damian Carmody, Michael Carmody, Sean Haugh; Jack Scanlon, Mark Roche, Eoin Troy.
Subs: Derek Troy and Eoin Brew.