Newmarket win keeps title hopes alive

Newmarket 1-16   Sixmilebridge 1-10

IN a repeat of last year’s Clare Champion Cup final, Newmarket turned the tables on neighbours and great rivals, Sixmilebridge on Saturday morning at O’Garney Park.
The result ended Sixmilebridge’s involvement in this year’s title race but has kept the Blues in contention for the title.
The home side’s hopes weren’t helped by the fact they lost Niall Gilligan after 25 minutes with a hamstring injury. Earlier, defender Robert Conlon had been replaced due to injury, while, in the second half, they lost corner-back Tadhg Keogh with a shoulder injury.
That said, they weren’t able to match the play of the visitors, who had some excellent individual performances from Stephen Kelly at full-back and Alan Barrett in the half-back line in particular.
Newmarket raced into a five-point lead after 10 minutes with four scores coming from frees by Colin Ryan and one from Martin Murphy. The game was 12 minutes old before the home side opened their account.
At half-time the score was 0-8 to 0-5 in the winners’ favour but it should have been more as Newmarket had wasted some good scoring opportunities.
The margin was still the same at the three-quarter stage after both sides had added three points. Five minutes later, Newmarket struck a vital blow when Enda Kelly got the all-important touch for their goal.
Sixmilebridge fought back and Caimin Morey struck for a goal with five minutes remaining but it came too late to break the visitors’ dominance and Newmarket held on for a merited victory.
Stephen Kelly was outstanding at full-back, while the half-back line of the Barrett brothers, Alan and Enda, and centre-back James McInerney dominated. Noel Frawley impressed at wing-forward.
Sixmilebridge struggled in a lot of positions on a day when Paidi Fitzpatrick, Caimin Morey and Shane Golden got through some good work.

 

Newmarket: Kieran Devitt; Shane O’Brien Junior, Stephen Kelly, Padraig Kilmartin; Alan Barrett, James McInerney, Enda Barrett; Paudie Collins, Colin Ryan (0-10, 7f, 1 65); Noel Frawley (0-3), Shane O’Brien, Enda Kelly (1-1), Darren Duggan, Anthony Kilmartin, Martin Murphy (0-1).
Subs: Tommy Griffin for Duggan, Eoin O’Brien (0-1) for Collins and Darren O’Connor for A Kilmartin.
Sixmilebridge: Derek Fahy; Tadhg Keogh, Paudie Fitzpatrick, Paul Fitzpatrick; Barry O’Connor, John Fennessy, Robert Conlon; Shane Golden, Pa Sheehan (0-1); David O’Connor (0-1), Tommy Morey, Tony Carmody (0-2); Danny Morey, Niall Gilligan (0-1), Caimin Morey (1-4).
Subs: Kevin Lynch for Conlon, Brian Culbert (0-1) for Gilligan, Sam O’Sullivan for Keogh, Ronan Mullane for D O’Connor and O’Connor for D Morey.

Crusheen 1-17   Tulla 0-14

CRUSHEEN kept up their push for a place in the semi-final of the Clare Champion Cup with a victory over Tulla on Friday. They got off to a dream start with a goal from Patrick O’Grady after just 20 seconds and this goal helped them to a half-time lead of nine points, with the score standing at 1-12 to 0-6.
Tulla fought back in the second half when they managed to keep Crusheen to just five points, while tagging on eight. However, they were unable to score the goal they needed to have a chance of coming out on top and Crusheen deservedly held on for victory.

Crusheen: Gearóid O’Donnell; John Brigdale, Cronan Dillon, Alan Brigdale; Ciaran O’Doherty (0-3), Cian Dillon, Cathal Dillon; Gerry O’Grady (0-3), Fergus Kennedy (0-1); Jamie Fitzgibbon (0-2), Shaun Dillon (0-1), Dara O’Doherty (0-2); Conor O’Donnell (0-2), Patrick O’Grady (1-1), Paddy Meaney (0-1).
Subs: Donal Tuohy for G O’Donnell, O’Donnell (0-1) for D O’Doherty and Alan Tuohy for P O’Grady.
Tulla: Philip Brennan; Eugene Cooney, Mark Quinn, John Fahy; Brian Lynch (0-2), Paul Lynch (0-1), Rory Hogan; Cathal Dinan, Thomas McMahon; Darragh Corry (0-2), Mike Murphy, David McInerney (0-1); Ray Stewart (0-7), Ciaran Brennan (0-1), Shane McNamara.
Sub: Sean Torpey for S McNamara.

Clooney-Quin 1-19   Clarecastle 2-11

CLOONEY-Quin completed their Clare Champion Cup campaign on a winning note. Clarecastle scored the first three points through Tyrone Kearse, Kieran O’Dwyer and Jonathon Clancy but Clooney-Quin hit back strongly and scored eight points without reply from Dara Hannon, Sean Conheady, Mike Daffy, Padraig Ward (four) and Martin Duggan on their way to a half-time lead of 0-11 to 0-4.
The Magpies scored the first three points of the second half but an Adrian Fleming goal at the three-quarter stage put Clooney in the driving seat and they went on to stretch their advantage to 1-17 to 0-9. Substitute Sean Talty goaled for the Magpies and followed with another from Tyrone Kearse but points from Padraig Ward and substitute Ruairi McNamara sealed victory for Clooney-Quin.

Clooney-Quin: Damian O’Halloran; Joe O’Loughlin, Conor Harrison, Shane McNamara; Donnacda Murphy, Cillian Duggan, Enda Harrisson; Padraig Ward, Mike McNamara; Seamus Conroy, Sean Conheady, Martin Duggan; Mike Daffy, Adrian Fleming, Dara Hannon.
Subs: Ruairí McNamara, Ger Leamy and Tony McMahon.
Clarecastle: Donogh Murphy; Seanie Moloney, Pat Kelly, Gareth Barry; Gary Farmer, Eric Flynn, Danny Scanlan; Tyrone Kierse, Jonathon Clancy; Derek Quinn, Kieran O’Dwyer, Fergus Ryan; Niall Dunne, Alan O’Loughlin, Jamie O’Connor.
Subs: Aaron Considine, Eamonn Callinan, Sean Talty and Andrew Page.

Inagh-Kilnamona 1-20   Tulla 1-11

WHEN Inagh-Kilnamona led by two points, 0-10 to 0-8, at half-time, having played against the breeze, they were in a strong position in their tie played on Saturday evening. The game was cancelled a few weeks earlier due to a flooded pitch.
Cathal Lafferty struck for the winners’ goal midway through the second half and while Brian Lynch replied with a like score for the visitors soon afterwards, the home side held on for a merited win.
The return of Declan Murphy to the Tulla line-up is a huge boost to the East Clare men and he is expected to feature prominently in their side for the upcoming championship games.

Inagh-Kilnamona: Pat Kelly; Tomás McConigley, Brian Glynn, Dermot Lynch; Ronan O’Looney, David Hegarty, Brian Foudy; Shane Griffin, Paul O’Looney; Dermot Gannon, Niall Arthur, Damian Lafferty; Ger Arthur, Cathal Lafferty, Gerry Coote.
Sub: Stephen Twomey for S Griffin.
Tulla: Philip Brennan; Eugene Cooney, Sean Torpey, John Fahy; Carl Quinn, Paul Lynch, Mark Quinn; Brian Lynch, Declan Murphy; David McInerney, Conor O’Halloran, Ciaran Brennan; Ray Steward, Darragh Corry, Cathal Dinan.
Sub: Mike Murphy for K Quinn and Tomás McMahon for C Dinan.