Magpies and Kilmaley into minor A final

CLARECASTLE and Kilmaley will contest the final of the Minor A Hurling Championship for the Willie Chaplin Memorial Cup. Both recorded hard-earned two-point wins in two exciting semi-finals at the weekend. In both cases, the outcome was in doubt right to the final whistle.

 

Kilmaley 1-15   Sixmilebridge 1-13

AN excellent goal from Michael O’Malley, a minute from the end of normal time, sealed victory for Kilmaley in this thrilling semi-final played in excellent conditions at Clarecastle on Sunday.

The sides were level on eight occasions before O’Malley’s strike gave Kilmaley a lead they held for five minutes until Ambrose Heagney sounded the final whistle.

Adding to Sixmilebridge’s disappointment was the dismissal on a straight red card of defender Dylan Fleming in the fourth minute of injury time.

There were some great performances by Kilmaley, who were without the injured Barry Lynch and Eoin Cleary, and none more so than from Aidan McGuane and Conor Cleary who broke Sixmilebridge hearts time and time again. Indeed, it was a surprise that Sixmilebridge didn’t change their tactics and play the ball anywhere but down the middle to where Cleary was the dominant figure.

The first half was an evenly matched affair with the teams level five times, before the ’Bridge took a one-point advantage, 0-8 to 0-7, to the break.

They each added two points in the opening 10 minutes of the second half before Stephen Mulready struck for Sixmilebridge’s goal. He had just returned to the game following an injury and had moved to corner-forward.

The goal sparked a strong response from Kilmaley, who hit four unanswered points to level the game for the seventh time, with 10 minutes remaining.

Jamie Shanahan from play and Conor Cleary hit two superb points to keep the teams on level terms. Points from David Murphy and Shanahan edged the ’Bridge two clear with three minutes remaining and it looked like they would get the result but Kilmaley had other ideas.

With a minute of normal time remaining, Michael O’Malley superbly fielded an Aidan McGuane delivery and shot to the net for a score that rocked the defending champions.

It was really helter skelter for the remaining minutes and Cian Moloney sealed victory when he converted a 20m free in the third minute of injury time.

In those closing minutes, the ’Bridge piled on the pressure. They won a 50m free, which Jamie Shanahan took and his effort for goal was turned away for a 65’, which was also defended well by Kilmaley. The sending-off of Fleming just before the final whistle brought to an end a disappointing outing for Sixmilebridge.

Kilmaley: Conan Fitzgerald; Shane Lynch, Darragh McMahon, Shane O’Malley; Aidan McGuane (0-2), Conor Cleary (0-1), Conor Finnucane; Brian Cahill, Eamonn Bracken; Michael O’Malley (1-0), Killian Normoyle (0-1), Darragh Gregan (0-1); Cian Moloney (0-8), Pádraig O’Connor (0-1), Pádraig McNamara (0-1).
Sixmilebridge: Jason Loughnane; Darragh McNamara, Barry Fitzpatrick, Mark Quinn; Kevin Fennessy, Brian Carey, Dylan Fleming; Stephen Mulready (1-0), Alex Morey; Shane McInerney, John Mulready (0-1), David Murphy (0-2); Eoin Flynn, Conor Deasy, Jamie Shanahan (0-10).
Subs: Paul Finnan for Flynn; Mark Hehir for M Quinn.

Clarecastle 0-17   Feakle-Killanena 0-15

CLARECASTLE qualified for the final of the Minor A Championship with a two-point win over East Clare side Feakle-Killanena at Sixmilebridge on Saturday.

The sides were level three times in the first half and were locked at 0-7 each at the break, with some excellent scores from play for Feakle-Killanena by Todd Kelsey and Eoin Touhy and for Clarecastle by Mickey Casey and Mark McGuane.

Feakle-Killanena were three points ahead on 25 minutes but Clarecastle had drawn level by the short whistle, thanks to three excellent points from Bobby Duggan.

Feakle/Killanena went three points ahead again inside the first five minutes of the second half with points form Óisin Donnellan, Diarmuid Bane and Paddy McNamara. However, the next six points all went to the Magpies with Bobby Duggan, Mark McGuane and substitute Cian Crimmins all on target. Clarecastle were three points ahead midway through the second half but Feakle-Killanena came back with three great points between the 15th and 23rd minutes, to leave the sides deadlocked on 0-13 with seven minutes remaining.

Extra time looked to be on the cards as both teams traded points, with Eoin Touhy and Martin Glynn for Feakle-Killanena and Mark McGuane for Clarecastle scoring some excellent long-range efforts.

Mickey Casey put Clarecastle one ahead in the 29th minute and Bobby Duggan’s pointed free in injury time gave them a hard-earned victory.

Mark McGuane had a great game for Clarecastle, his move to midfield in the second half played a key part in their victory. For Feakle/Killanena, Eoin Touhy and Toddy Kelsey were always to the fore.

Clarecastle: Ben Maloney; Dylan Broderick, Gearóid Ryan, Joe Barry; Pa Tuohy, Conor Galvin, Tom Howard; Stephen Ward, John McInerney; Mickey Casey (0-2), Mark McGuane (0-4), Bobby Duggan (0-10), John Griffey, Jack McDermott, Aaron Greene.
Subs: Cian Crimmins (0-1) for Griffey; Shane Lynch for McInerney.
Feakle-Killanena: Eibhear Quilligan; Evan McMahon, James Noonan, Eoin McMahon; Con Smith, Martin Glynn (0-1), Pádraig Brady; Eoin Tuohy (0-5), Colin McNamara; Justin Nelson (0-1), Diarmuid Bane (0-1), Todd Kelsey (0-2); Steven Conway, Oisín Donnellan (0-4), Paddy McNamara (0-1).
Subs: Gavin Fox for Nelson; Cathal Linnane for Bane; Eric Conway for P McNamara.