Milesians settle on top spot

Under 15 Division 2
Championship Round 3
Cooraclare 5-11 Corofin 1-08

Cooraclare put themselves in pole position to secure an Under 15 Division 2 Semi-Final spot after leapfrogging previous table-toppers Corofin in Páirc Finne on Monday evening.
Four second half goals against the conditions proved decisive for the visitors who could be thankful to ace marksmen Kevin Marrinan (2-3) and Rory Lillis (2-2) for keeping their side in front throughout.
A glorious evening for football was accentuated by the backdrop of two opponents with perfect records. So while it didn’t exactly live up to those lofty expectations, at full strength both will feel that they can make an impact on the latter stages of the championship.
Having chalked up 13 goals in their two previous outings, the home side weren’t used to finding themselves on the backfoot but with the wind at their backs, Cooraclare set about trying to make the most of this opportunity.
An early siege carved out three goal chances for the visitors inside the first seven minutes alone which yielded 1-2. Simon Culligan had an effort saved by defiant goalkeeper Mark Mounsey who also somehow tipped a Rory Lillis top corner attempt onto the crossbar, only for Kevin Marrinan to clinically fire the rebound to the net.
Full-forward Marrinan just cleared the crossbar two minutes later as Cooraclare moved 1-3 to 0-0 clear while Killian McNamara kicked another effort on goal wide before Corofin finally settled.
The roaming Kriston Steigerwald opened the hosts’ account in the 11th minute while a palmed attempt on goal through substitute Ben Kelly was denied by goalkeeper Harry O’Gorman before Jack Keane lessened the damage with a free at 1-3 to 0-2 by the first water break.
Eoin Carroll dented that lead further on the resumption, only to concede five unanswered points through Rory Lillis (2), Marrinan, Simon Culligan and the elusive Darragh Townsend who had burst forward from his centre-back berth at 1-8 to 0-3.
A satisfactory half for Cooraclare would suffer a late twist in injury-time when Diarmuid Leyden’s leg was hooked as he was about to pull the trigger for a penalty that Jack Keane cooly dispatched to the left corner of the net at 1-8 to 1-3 by the break.
With the wind now in their sails both metaphorically and literally, Corofin returned with renewed gusto and quickly got off the mark through Keane to lower the arrears to four. However, some wild shooting meant that this was close as the home side would get to their opponents once Cooraclare sucker-punched them for two goals in the space of 60 seconds by the two-thirds mark.
Inevitably it was Lillis and Marrinan who applied the finishing touches, with the latter’s a real opportunist flick after just beating the advancing Mounsey to the ball to flick an Aidan Considine ball over the top to the net at 3-8 to 1-4.
Despite the best efforts of Darragh McGroary and Oisin McNamara, Corofin never recovered from these blows and could only muster points through Keane and Carroll by the final water break at 3-9 to 1-6.
Cooraclare meanwhile, while physically superior did have the noticeable edge on balance as a strong spine of Sean Molloy, Darragh Townsend, Gabriel Fennell, Aidan Considine, Aaron Townsend along with the dynamic duo of Kevin Marrinan and Rory Lillis provided too many headaches for the home side to remedy.
Indeed, the West Clare side would create five more goal chances in the final quarter, with goalkeeper Mounsey and the post denying two, substitute Steve Fennell agonisingly kicking another wide while goals for Lillis and a super top corner finish for midfielder Aaron Townsend capped off an impressive display.
One more victory in their final two outings against St Joseph’s Miltown and the Banner would be sufficient to cement top spot in the group and directly advance to the semi-finals while despite this first set-back, Corofin have one foot in the quarter-finals and will be determined to finish the group campaign on a high when traveling to Clarecastle in a fortnight’s time.

Cooraclare: Harry O’Gorman; Sean O’Dea, Sean Molloy, Colin Gavin; Sean Conway Morrissey, Darragh Townsend (0-2), Gabriel Fennell; Aidan Considine (0-1), Aaron Townsend (1-1); Enda Mullins, Shane O’Connell (0-1f), Rory Lillis (2-2); Simon Culligan (0-1), Kevin Marrinan (2-3), Killian McNamara
Subs: Steve Fennell for McNamara (HT), Eoin O’Connell for Gavin (34), Evan Maher for Mullins (41), Caimin Woods for Culligan (46), Fionn Burke for Lillis (55), Jack Kelly Killeen for Conway Morrissey (55)

Corofin: Mark Mounsey; Harry Fine, Emmett Tierney, Dara McDonagh; Conor O’Brien, Liam Fitzpatrick, Colm Breen; Darragh McGroary, Oisin McNamara; Kriston Steigerwald (0-1), Eoin Carroll (0-2), Jack Keane (1-5, 1-0 Pen, 4f); AJ Bray, Diarmuid Leyden, Dara Cassidy
Subs: Ben Kelly for Breen (10, inj), Daniel Toone for McDonagh (17), Jake White for Toone (39), Seanán Kirby for Leyden (47), Adam Crowe for Bray (53), Charlie McCarthy for McGroary (53), Ronan Barry for Steigerwald (56)

Referee: Wayne King (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)

In the other Under 15 Group 1 tie, an 11 goal thriller stalemate wasn’t enough for either St Joseph’s Miltown or the Banner to get the victory needed to kickstart their quarter-final bid in Miltown on Wednesday evening.
A rousing finish saw the Ennis side somehow dig out a 5-8 to 6-5 draw but there’s no more room left for error for both sides if they are to make up the ground on Cooraclare, Corofin and Clarecastle in a tight group.
Group 2 is still wide open after Wolfe Tones inflicted a first defeat on neighbours Clooney-Quin by 3-15 to 5-03 on Wednesday evening. With Parteen putting seven goals past Éire Óg, any one of the East Clare quartet of 2020 Under 14 Division 2 finalists Clooney-Quin, Parteen, Cratloe and Wolfe Tones can still capture top spot in the group and an automatic last four spot.
The coveted semi-final in Division 1 is also very much up for grabs after Under 14 equivalent champions Lissycasey emphatically announced their candidacy with a 5-5 to 0-9 victory over Kilrush Killimer. Four timely first half goals through Ben Skerritt (2), Daire Culligan and Noah Halpin did the telling damage by the break at 4-4 to 0-5 with a fifth on the restart from Stephen Davoran Killing off any hopes of an amalgamation backlash.
With leaders Ennistymon having a bye, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield joined them and Lissycasey at the top of the table following a strong 1-12 to 0-04 win over Clondegad.
Kilmurry Ibrickane continue to maraud through the Division 3 Championship group stages with a 9-08 to 2-10 win over Kildysart/Coolmeen sealing a semi-final place after only three matches. Doonbeg, Naomh Eoin/O’Curry’s/Kilkee and St Breckan’s currently hold the other three penultimate stage positions with two rounds remaining.

Under 13 Football Championship

Only two rounds into their first championship campaign and there’s no perfect record left standing in the top flight of the inaugural County Under 13 Football competition.
There are still four sides with unbeaten starts however after two compelling draws on Friday evening as Clondegad and St Breckan’s shared seven goals in a 3-13 to 4-10 stalemate in Ballynacally while in Gurteen, neighbours St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Éire Óg played out a seesaw encounter that eventually finished 1-14 to 3-08.
Leading for the majority, the Parish appeared set for a second successive victory but in the end had to scramble for a draw after the never-say-die Townies raided for three second half goals.
Kilrush/Killimer hit the ground running in their competitive bow against Lissycasey with a 3-17 to 2-08 win but there’s five more rounds left in the shake up for two guaranteed semi-finalists and four quarter-final places.
In a 15 team Under 13 Division 2&3 Championship, goal hungry Doonbeg took their tally to 19 majors in just two matches to snatch the whip hand in Group 1 albeit that Kilmurry Ibrickane and
Naomh Eoin/O’Curry’s/St Senan’s Kilkee also hold perfect records with just one match played each.
Only two points separate top from bottom in Group 2 however with Clarecastle, Banner and Cratloe preserving their winning starts at the weekend. Goals from Rory Ralph (2), Jack Ellingstad and Sean Meere saw Clarecastle hold off the challenge of Kildysart/Coolmeen by 4-9 to 4-2, Banner captain Sean Hegarty again led by example with a personal tally of 2-2 along with a Jake Mangan goal to ensure a 3-7 to 1-4 away win over Corofin while goals were also essential as Cratloe overcame Parteen by 3-9 to 1-7.

Under 13 Hurling Championships

Sixmilebridge and Inagh-Kilnamona joined Ballyea at the top of the Under 13A table after derby victories last week. A ruthless ‘Bridge side put ten goals past neighbours Newmarket-on-Fergus while Eoin Hegarty was Inagh-Kilnamona’s scorer-in-chief as they inflicted a first defeat on Éire Óg in Inagh by 3-18 to 3-10. Tadhg Hassett, Fionn Daffy, Gavin Fitzgerald and John Barry also stood out for the hosts who travel to Clarecastle next this Friday at the same time as Sixmilebridge and Ballyea lock horns in an intriguing top-of-the-table clash.
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Kilmaley both joined the chasing pack after bouncing back from opening losses. Kilmaley had a decisive 3-10 to 0-06 win over Tulla while in contrast, the Parish and Clarecastle played out a hugely entertaining wrestle for supremacy in Clarecastle on Wednesday evening. With the lead changing hands six times and the sides level by the 58th minute, Doora/Barefield finished with a 2-1 blitz including injury-time goals for Graham Ball and Leon Talty to snatch a 4-12 to 2-11 win.

Results – Football
Under 15 Division 1 Championship Round 3
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-12
Clondegad 0-04; Lissycasey 5-5

Kilrush/Killimer 0-9;
Ennistymon a bye

Under 15 Division 2 Championship Round 3
Group 1
St Joseph’s Miltown 6-5
Banner 5-8;

Cooraclare 5-11 Corofin 1-08;
Clarecastle a bye

Group 2
Wolfe Tones 3-15
Clooney-Quin 5-03;

Parteen 7-15
Éire Óg 3-05;

Cratloe a bye

Under 15 Division 3 Championship Round 3

Kilmurry Ibrickane 9-08
Kildysart/Coolmeen 2-10;

Doonbeg 3-5
Shannon Gaels/Kilmihil 2-8;

Naomh Eoin/O’Curry’s/Kilkee 6-7
St Breckan’s 5-7

Under 13 Division 1 Championship Round 2
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-14
Éire Óg 3-08;

Clondegad 3-13
St Breckan’s 4-10;

Kilrush/Killimer 3-17
Ennistymon 2-08

Under 13 Division 2&3 Championship Round 2
Group 1
Shannon Gaels 5-5
Clann Lir (KIlfenora/Liscannor/Ml Cusack’s) 2-4;

Doonbeg 9-7
St Joseph’s Miltown 1-5;

Kilmurry Ibrickane 7-10
Cooraclare 1-07;

Naomh Eoin/O’Curry’s/St Senan’s Kilkee a bye

Group 2
Cratloe 3-9
Parteen 1-7;

Banner 3-7
Corofin 1-4;

Clooney-Quin 6-15
Wolfe Tones 0-06;

Clarecastle 4-9
Kildysart/Coolmeen 4-2

Hurling

Under 13A Championship Round 2
Sixmilebridge 10-16
Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-03;

Inagh-Kilnamona 3-18
Éire Óg 3-10;

St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 4-12
Clarecastle 2-11;

Kilmaley 3-10
Tulla 0-06

Under 13B Championship Round 2
Scariff/Ogonnelloe 7-15
Cratloe 2-05;

Broadford 8-16
Smith O’Brien’s 1-05;

Crusheen/Tubber 7-10
Feakle/Killanena 2-01;

Clooney-Quin 4-8
Corofin/Ruan 3-4;

Bodyke/O’Callaghan’s Mills a bye

Under 13C Championship Round 1
Parteen 7-7
Whitegate 3-4

Under 13C Championship Round 2
Ennistymon 6-07
Banner 4-12;

Whitegate a bye

Under 13 Academy A Competition Round 2
Inagh-Kilnamona 5-8
Newmarket-on-Fergus 4-6;

Ballyea 6-4
Sixmilebridge 4-4;

St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 4-15
Éire Óg 5-02;

Clonlara 10-8
Clarecastle 1-5;

Kilmaley a bye

Under 13 Academy B Competition Round 2
Scariff/Ogonnelloe 6-10
O’Callaghan’s Mills/Bodyke 1-08;

Tulla 5-9
Corofin/Ruan 3-2;

Crusheen/Tubber 12-9
Kilkee/Bealaha 1-04;

Clooney-Quin a bye

by Eoin Brennan