Michael Cusack’s still on for the double

Michael Cusack’s 0-7   Ballyvaughan 0-3

MICHAEL Cusack’s kept their hopes of a league and championship double alive when they overcame North Clare neighbours Ballyvaughan in this Junior A Football Championship quarter-final tie in Ennistymon on Saturday.

In a low scoring contest, the winners, who won the Division 4 league title earlier in the season, were the better balanced outfit and confined their neighbours to just one score from play.

Patrick Hynes was Cusack’s top scorer with three points while Michael O’Connor (2), Hugh Kelly and Seamus O’Conghaile also got on the scoresheet. Adrian Nilan (2f) and Donnacda Mahon replied for Ballyvaughan.

Michael Cusack’s: Eoin Farrell; Justin Linnane, Ollie Conway, Enda Hehir; Rowan Rafferty, Niall Hehir, Patrick O’Connor; James Hynes, Mark Shannon; Eoin Kelly, Seamus O Conghaile, Colm Davoran; Hugh Kelly, Patrick Hynes, Michael O’Connor.
Subs: Kevin Fawl for Davoran; James Droney for Rafferty (inj); Sean Brosnan for Kelly.
Ballyvaughan: James Callinan; Mark O’Loughlin, Damian Martyn, John Linnane; Mark Walsh, Kieran Casey, Sean McNamara; Raymond Casey, Jamie Hynes; Adrian Nilan, Kevin Carrucan, Lorcan Mahon; Jason McDonagh, Donnacda Mahon, Damian McNamara.
Subs: Cian Walsh for Carrucan; Stevie Hynes for D McNamara; Paul Darcy for S McNamara; Phelim Coyne for L Mahon.

Clarecastle 3-11   Lissycasey 1-4

The final scoreline in this quarter-final is an accurate reflection of Clarecastle’s dominance on the day.
Ahead 0-5 to 0-1 at half time, they would not have been flattered by a much greater margin at this stage, such was their dominance in the first half. However, they failed to capitalise on many scoring opportunities but they improved after the break and when the final whistle sounded they were full value for their win.

Goal-scorers for the winners were the full-forward trio of Eamonn Callinan, Pakie Healy and Alan Considine, while Kevin Hanrahan accounted for the loser’s goal that came early in the second half.

Clarecastle: Andrew Page; Barry Lynch, Jamie O’Connor, Fergal Griffin; Seanie Moloney, Kieran O’Dwyer (0-2), Jonathon Clancy; Patrick Kelly (0-2), Adam Healy; Danny Scanlan, Cathal Lynch, Kevin Clohessy (0-2); Eamonn Callinan (1-2), Alan Considine (1-0), Pakie Healy (1-1).
Subs: John Reidy for Barry Lynch (inj); Kieran Lynch for Moloney; Donogh Murphy for Cathal Lynch; Briain Lynch for Considine; Michael J Reynolds for P Healy.
Lissycasey: Shane Normoyle; Paul Clancy, Brendan O’Connor, Kieran Donnelly; Kevin Hanrahan (1-1), Barry Keating, Ronan McCarthy; Noel Finnucane, Noel Casey; Kieran Clancy, David McMahon, Colm O’Rourke; Killian McNamara (0-2), Martin Daly (0-1), David Clancy.
Subs: Michael Nagle for O’Rourke; Eoin Enright for K Clancy; Dylan Cahill for Keating; Eoghan O’Leary for Finnucane.

Coolmeen 2-11   Clonlara 1-8

With just over five minutes remaining at Éire Óg on Saturday evening, just two points separated the sides after last year’s Junior B champions Clonlara had struck for 1-1 in the space of two minutes.

Coolmeen, to their credit, responded in impressive fashion and they kicked four points in the remaining time to seal their place in the semi-finals.

It was a merited win for the West Clare side that led 1-6 to 0-5 at the break, their first half goal coming from Joe Corry. They got a dream start to the second half when Cathal O’Connor struck for their second goal and while Clonlara fought back, Coolmeen were the better side overall and deserved their win.

Coolmeen: Jamie Brooks; Aaron Kelly, Kevin Val McMahon, Kevin McMahon; Martin McMahon, Noel Meaney, Brian Markham; Micheal Brooks, Cathal O’Connor; Joe Corry, David Neenan, Eoin O’Connor; Sean McMahon, Thomas Coffey, Shane McMahon.
Subs: Alan Marrinan for M McMahon; Ciaran Neenan for Shane McMahon; Donal Houlihan for D Coffey.
Clonlara: Cormac O’Donovan; Patrick Conlon, Paul Colllins, Paul Barry; Cathal O’Connell, Pat O’Hare, Ronan Carey; Paul Nihill, Michael White; Barry O’Connell, Domhnaill O’Donovan, Ger O’Connell; Thomas Begley, Nicky O’Connell, Donal Madden.
Subs: Ryan Morris for G O’Connell; Colm Galvin for Barry; Harry Horgan for D O’Donovan.

Clondegad 1-8   St Joseph’s 1-7

Colm Quinlivan proved the key player in Lissycasey on Sunday evening, emerging as the winner’s top scorer with a tally of 1-5. This included the winning point that came in the final minute from a close range free.

The sides exchanged points three times in the opening quarter. Niall De Loughrey struck for a goal for Doora-Barefield, but within a couple of minutes Quinlivan found the net for the winners after taking a pass from Barry Coffey.

St Joseph’s led by the minimum at half-time when the score was 1-4 to 1-3. It was point for point again in the second half before Quinlivan landed the winner.

Clondgad: Kenneth Breen; Mark Quinn, Paddy Breen, Emmet Smithwick; Barry Coffey, Kevin Sheehan, Flan King; Joe Neylon (0-1), Eamonn Griffin; Tadhg Lynch, Colm Gavin, David Sheehan (0-1); Stephen Enright, Colm Quinlivan (1-5), Rory Long (0-1).
Subs: Alan Carigg for Quinn; David Brassil for Enright; John Griffin for E Griffin; D Lynch for C. Gavin.
St Joseph’s: Ger Dullaghan; Barry Galvin, Conor O’Brien, Kieran Browne; Michael Gallagher, Mark Raftery, Leo Duggan; Brian Dilleen, Don Barron; Ion Lyons, Micheál O’Ceallaigh, Kevin Frehill (0-1); Mark Hanrahan, Johnnie O’Brien (0-5), Niall De Loughrey (1-0).
Subs: Stephen Barron for Gallagher (inj); Rory Millane (0-1) for D Barron (inj); Peter O’Toole for O’Ceallaigh.