Neighbours draw county final battle lines

It will be a first ever meeting of Newmarket and Cratloe in the Clare senior hurling final when they neighbouring parish clash for the Canon Hamilton Trophy on Sunday week.

 

 

It will be a first ever meeting of Newmarket and Cratloe in the Clare senior hurling final when they neighbouring parish clash for the Canon Hamilton Trophy on Sunday week.

Newmarket upset the odds last Saturday evening at O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge – the game was switched there from Cusack Park earlier in the day following heavy overnight rain – when they produced a very committed performance to overcome a Clonlara side that had been tipped by many to win the title.

Twenty four hours later Cusack Park played host to the second semi-final with Cratloe putting in a strong finish to book their place in the decider. It was another close tie and Inagh-Kilnamona will look back on missed chances and wonder what might have been.

This will be Cratloe’s third final appearance in four years and they will be bidding for only their second ever success at this level. Newmarket last won this title in 1981 and for a club that dominated the championship in the ’60s and ’70s, this is a huge gap without success. They have been knocking on the door throughout the last decade and contested the final in 2008 when they went under to Clonlara.

Meanwhile, St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield, All-Ireland club champions just over a decade ago, will play in the top flight next season. At Meelick on Saturday evening they secured their senior status with a six-point win over Broadford. The final score was 4-7 to 0-13 and the result means that Broadford will be back in the senior B in 2012.